Youth Football Drills – Modified Sumo Drill

We call this drill the Modified Sumo drill due to the similarity with sumo wrestling of trying to get the opposition out of the ring. It swrks great for coaching fundamentals because it allows us to give immediate one on one feedback on technique.

Modified Sumo Drill
1. Create a rectangle about 4 yards by 7 yards (modify the size based on needs), use chalk, tape, cones, whatever works best.
2. Line up one offensive player and one defensive player about ¾ towards the top inside of the rectangle facing each other with the offensive player facing the short end of the rectangle.
3.   On your normal snap count (or ball movement) the two players engage:
a. Defensive players’ goal is to get to the end line (“quarterback”) that he is facing
b. Offensive players’ goal is to block the defensive player back through the other (short) end of the rectangle, out of either side, or keep him from reaching the “quarterback” for the duration of a normal play (we use 5 seconds)

4. Winner stays loser is replaced by the next player in line.

We use this for both linemen and backs with the linemen in 3 point stances and backs in 2.

My younger players love it largely because we let them go live and the competition really keeps them into it. Because it is live, both players are acting as they normally would in a game or scrimmage as opposed to just working fundamentals against dummies or half speed.