How to Become a Better Nose Guard

The nose guard, or nose tackle, is defensive tackle position located between the two defensive ends. The position is commonly used in a 3-4 defence, where there are three defensive lineman and four linebackers.The nose guard must be big and strong, because he might have to compete against the opponent's center and a guard. New England Patriots Pro Bowl nose guard Vince Wilfork is over 6 feet tall and weighs 325 lbs. There are several drills you can do to improve your speed and tackling technique.

Things You'll Need

  • Football helmet
  • Football pads and shoes
  • Tackling dummies
  • Pylons
  • Football teammates
  • Footballs
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Instructions

  1. Drills

    • 1

      Set up four pylons and make two lines of players. Set the other two cones 10 yards away from their corresponding cone. There should be a square. Make each line about three yards apart. On the coach's whistle, race around the cone 10 yards in front of you and sprint back. The objective is to beat your opponent every time.

    • 2

      You'll simulate making a tackle on the goal line in this drill. Have a line of offensive players to carry the ball and defensive players in a line across from them. There will be two pylons with five yards between them. It simulates the goal line. Line up a couple of yards from the offensive player. On the whistle, get square to the ball carrier and make the tackle. Nose guards are a key player in run stopping; this should help simulate a running play.

    • 3

      Use the tackling dummies to make a triangle. Put two coaches on the tackling dummies at the triangle's base and use a tackling dummy that can stand on his own. You'll begin when a third coach executes an imaginary snap. While you're bear-crawling between the two coaches with blocking dummies, they'll be squeezing you to increase the difficulty. After getting through, hit the stand-up dummy like you'd be tackling it.

    • 4

      You'll need four tackling dummies for this drill. You need to read the whole the runner is going to go through and make the tackle. There needs to be three feet between each dummy. Again, there will be a line of defenders and a line of ball carriers. The lines should be parallel with the four dummies between you. From the starting point, the dummies will make a single-file line. When the drill begins, you and the ball carrier shuffle laterally toward the dummies. The coach shows the runner which hole to run through and you must react and make the stop.