Football Defensive Drills – The Tackle Tunnel

One of the team’s favorite football defensive drills is the “Tackle Tunnel”.   We run the drill until each player has played each role at least 2x.

Tackle Tunnel

The team splits into 2 lines facing each other about 3-5 yards apart; lines 1 and 2. A coach will be at one end of each line; the north end of line 1 and a second coach will be at the south end of line 2.

Line 1 will be the ball carriers and line 2 will be the tacklers. The player at the north end of line 1 turns to face the coach and the player at the south end turns to face that coach.

On the whistle the players each turn into the “tunnel” made by their teammates. The ball carrier wants to run through the tunnel without being tackled or fumbling the ball; the tackler obviously wants to bring down the ball carrier.

At the conclusion of the   football drill either the ball carrier makes it through or is tackled or fumbles; either way the players then go to the end of the opposite line and the drill begins again.

We encourage the players to cheer and get pumped; we also play loud rock music during this drill to keep everyone pumped!