INSIDE THE SESSION: Kick N Get Up – Press Essentials

In this post I’m taking you inside my session as I work with the guys on their press technique. One of my core drills and teaching methods is a drill I call “kick and get up.”

If you are teaching or trying to learn hard press as a technique, it is important that you have a good kick slide, which is not only fast but also efficient.

In addition, proper body positioning versus the receiver’s release is key. In this clip, I am discussing that with the defensive backs. A lot of times, when defensive backs are using their slide, they are anxious to try and stay in front of the wide receiver. This leads to them falling into a trap. Wide receivers will widen you with their release, and if you are overzealous in your kicks, they will redirect back inside and get back on their line to run their route.

The whole idea of using hard press technique is to widen the receiver’s release and keep him away from the imaginary line he would like to run on to complete his route. We accomplish this by using our kick slide in an efficient way.

As the receiver starts his release outside of your frame, you are to use your slide just enough to cut the receiver in half. By that, I mean having half of your body on his half. So if the receiver is releasing outside, then the outside of your body should be on his inside as you kick for as long as you can. If he’s releasing inside, then the inside half of your body should be on the inside of his body for as long as you can.

This serves two functions. One, it forces the receiver to go wider than he would like. Second, if the receiver attempts to come back inside to get on his line or break inside, he would have to come back across your entire body to do so. In this scenario, the wide receiver should have to fight through your hands to get there, thus disrupting his route.

If we are overzealous in our kick slide, we present no barrier to the wide receiver if he decides to change direction. The goal is to guide the release wide of the starting line and then cut the receiver off from returning to it.

You can hear me explaining more in the video clip below. As always, if you have any questions or comments about the video, feel free to send me an email at cwilson@alleyesdbcamp.com – thank you for being a member. 

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alleyesdbcamp

Owner at All Eyes DB Camp

Chad Wilson is the founder of All Eyes DB Camp and a former standout defensive back for the Miami Hurricanes. After an elite collegiate career, Wilson spent a season with the Seattle Seahawks before transitioning into coaching. A 3-time Florida state champion defensive coordinator, he has spent over 20 years developing the "All Eyes" blueprint that has produced NFL All-Pros and stars like Xavien Howard, Patrick Surtain II, Tyson Campbell, Minkah Fitzpatrick and more. His coaching system is proven at the highest levels—his own sons, Quincy and Marco Wilson, both excelled as starters in the SEC before being drafted into the NFL.

Chad is the author of "101 DB Tips"—The Ultimate DB Reference Guide. You can find more information on the manual and how to order your copy in the sidebar and footer of this page.

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