Part of Smart Coach - NFL Flag football
Lesson Plan Overview
Key Objectives
Why is it important for the receiver to be able to run different pass routes? (So that the defence doesn’t know where you’re going to run.)
What is the name of the imaginary line that offensive players use to start the play? (Line of Scrimmage.)
• Why is it important for each player to know and execute their role and do their job when involved in
a play? (This is part of responsibility to team. Not everyone touches the ball every play, but that doesn’t mean they’re not playing their part. The offensive roles are designed to manipulate the defence so they can complete the play, and defensive roles are designed to cover a specific area and block the play.)
Lesson Steps
Warm Up
Flag tag
Each player puts on a flag belt.
The object of the game is for each player to keep their own flags while pulling as many others as they can.
When they pull a flag, they hold on to it until the end of the round.
When their flag is pulled, they continue to play until their second flag is pulled, and then they are ‘out’ until the next round.
The winner is the player who collects the most
flags by the end. (Note: even a player who’s ‘out’ could still win.)
TEACHING POINTS
Flag pulling:
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eyes on hips
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stay low, stay square (breakdown position)
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reach for flags with two hands
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move your feet quickly, ‘chop’ to help you gain balance as you slow down.
Modifications
Make playing area bigger or smaller,
Special Needs Modifications
Have set taggers
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Activities
Hook, Slant, Go
Set cones out to show and explain the passing routes of a hook, a slant, and a go route.
Split the players into two or three groups. Give each group a football and ask them to go to a coned area.
Players alternate the positions of quarterback (or QB – the leader of the offensive team
who is responsible for calling the play in the huddle); and wide receiver (WR – the player responsible for catching passes).
The QB and WR line up on the Line of Scrimmage, When the QB gives the command “Set, Hut” the receiver runs either a hook, a slant or a go. The QB throws in that direction for the WR to catch and then run back with the ball.
At the start, the teacher/coach may want to be the QB until students understand the drill.
TEACHING POINTS:
Explain that the commands ‘Set, hut’ are used to start a game of Flag Football.
Introduce the concept of ‘Line of Scrimmage’ (the imaginary line separating the teams at the beginning of a play) so that students understand pre-play alignment.
Modifications
Make the distance of the routes short to increase the likelihood of players being successful and completing the passes. To make the activity more challenging increase the distance of the runs. If pairs are struggling, remix to ensure there are 2–3 competent throwers who can throw for the whole group.
Special Needs Modifications
Change the type of ball
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Running plays
Assign players the positions of Centre, RB, QB and defenders. QB decides if the RB will run right or left. On QB’s command, Centre snaps the ball to the QB. QB hands the ball off to the RB who runs to the decided side and tries to evade the defender.
Rotate roles so everyone gets to play in each of the three positions.
TEACHING POINTS
Handing off a football: • turn and face
• step diagonal
• extend arms
• place ball firmly in running back’s stomach
Receiving a handoff:
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step diagonal towards hole
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inside elbow up, outside elbow down
- receive, tuck and run!
Next Round: add a WR (player who catches a pass) so the OFFENSIVE team can run some passing plays too.
Modifications
To make it more challenging, add a third defender in the middle who steps right or left just before the snap. RB and QB will need to read the movement and go the opposite way. To make it easier, remove the defenders and focus on running in the correct direction.
Special Needs Modifications
use a different type of ball, make playing area smaller/bigger
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