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Coach and Athletic Director

Iowa Wide Receiver Blocking Drills

By Michael Austin, Senior Editor

Editor's Note: As a prelude to our August 2010 issue, we are featuring some wide receiver blocking drills provided by Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz. To learn more about Ferentz's coaching philosophy, how he's built a consistently formidable offensive line in Iowa City and why his defenses keep the opposition off the scoreboard, refer to our August 2010 feature - coming to readers' mailboxes very soon.

Players in Kirk Ferentz’s Iowa football program need to be multi-dimensional. To add to his wide receivers’ (WR) skill base, Ferentz uses the following seven blocking drills.

DIAGRAM 1: Stalk Vs. DB. The defensive back makes three moves from side to side, then presses. The WR stays down the middle, keeps the void and fits up.

DIAGRAM 2: Cut Drill. The WR cuts and rolls through the bag.

DIAGRAM 3: Cutoff Drill. The WR beats the DB to the cutoff point and cuts the bag.

DIAGRAM 4: Back Blocking. The WR goes in motion, comes back and stutters in the guard-tackle gap. The WR gets “on balance” and pushes off the up-field foot to block the end. The WR forces the DE to come around him.

DIAGRAM 5: Monkey Roll — Cut Bag. 3 WRs start on their knees. The drill begins with them monkey rolling. The coach calls out the names of two WRs and they cut the bags. The third WR comes forward.

DIAGRAM 6: Full Field Cut Bags. This is a 100-yard conditioning drill. Place a bag on the hash at every 25 yards. The WR cuts at each bag and proceeds to the next.

DIAGRAM 7: Block Downfield After Catch. The WRs starts with their back to the coach. On the coach’s call, the WRs turn.

The coach throws to one of the WRs and the other WR has to block the DB who is standing 10 yards from them in the middle of the field.

The WR who caught the ball makes his cut off the other WR’s block.