Beginner Offensive Line Install Practice Plan (90 Minutes)

Use a 10-yard lane. Jog down/back, high knees, butt kicks, side shuffle, and quick hip open/close. Finish with 2 x 10-yard accelerations so legs are awake.

Bring OL together on a line. Get them in a 3-point stance and freeze it so you can fix posture and hand placement.

• Cues: “Flat back.” “Weight on the insteps.” “Down hand is a post, not a crutch.”
• Watch for: heels in the ground and hips higher than the helmet (no sitting).
• Common issue: guys look down at their hand and lose balance. Fix: tell them to pick a spot 2–3 yards ahead and keep eyes there while you tap their hip—if they wobble, reset.

Put flat discs on the line for common splits (guard tighter, tackle wider—use your offense’s normal spacing). Two lines: right side and left side.

On your cadence, they fire one step only and freeze. Check toe direction and shoulder level, then let them finish with two controlled steps (no contact yet).

• Cues: “Six inches.” “Step where you’re going.” “Don’t pop up.”
• Watch for: first step gains ground without the chest rising.
• Common issue: false step backward with the play-side foot. Fix: reset and have them start with a slight forward lean—tell them, “Nose over toes.”

If they’re clean, add a second cadence where you call “drive” (straight) or “cutoff” (reach path) so they learn the difference without contact.

Pair up: one player with a hand shield, one blocker. Set up two stations so the line stays moving. Blocker starts in stance 1 yard from the shield.

Run it as fit-first: on cadence, step and fit hands inside, then drive for 3 short power steps and freeze on the whistle. Switch roles every 2 reps.

• Cues: “Hands inside, thumbs up.” “Hips through.” “Short, choppy feet.”
• Watch for: helmet to the correct side with hands tight and elbows in.
• Common issue: they lunge and end up on their face. Fix: move them 6 inches closer and demand a low step before any punch—no step, no rep.

If they’re ready, let the shield give light resistance and try to pull them off balance—blocker must keep feet running.

Water fast. While they drink, remind them what “good” looked like in the last period: first step direction and hands inside. Tell them the next block adds a cutoff/reach path—feet will matter more than strength.

Use cones to make a “lane” aiming point: blocker starts on the line, defender/shield is shaded inside. The goal is to get across the defender’s face and seal him.

First 3 minutes on air: step, run the hips, and point the outside knee through the lane. Then go to shields at 50% speed—no wrestling.

• Cues: “Run your feet to get there.” “Hips beat hands.” “Stay on the track.”
• Watch for: blocker’s hips get in front before he tries to clamp.
• Common issue: they stop their feet once they touch the shield. Fix: whistle them dead if feet stop—replay the rep and require 3 steps after contact.

Adjustment if they can’t reach: allow a stronger cutoff angle (more lateral first step) and coach them to seal with the body, not a grab.

Groups of three: two linemen and one linebacker landmark (cone or coach holding a shield at 4 yards). Put a dummy/shield as the down lineman. Work both sides so you have two combos going.

Rep it in two phases: (1) double team fit and drive 2 steps together, (2) one lineman comes off to the linebacker landmark while the other stays on the down lineman. Rotate who comes off each rep.

• Cues: “Hip-to-hip.” “Two steps together.” “Eyes to backer.”
• Watch for: the guy coming off keeps his shoulders square and doesn’t turn his back.
• Common issue: both come off and the down lineman falls back inside. Fix: tell the post man, “You own him—don’t leave.” Physically stand behind the post man and hold him there for one rep so he feels staying on.

If it’s going well, let the linebacker landmark scrape left/right on your point to force the climber to adjust his path without drifting.

Set two lanes with discs: one for vertical set (straight back), one for 45 set (back and out). Start with no rusher—just footwork and posture. Then add a partner holding a shield giving light pressure.

Progression: (1) two kicks and freeze, (2) two kicks + punch and freeze, (3) full rep to 2 seconds with the shield pushing.

• Cues: “Back, not out.” “Chest proud, butt down.” “Punch late—when he’s in your cylinder.”
• Watch for: feet stay under hips and hands return quickly after punch.
• Common issue: they punch and stop their feet. Fix: make them echo “kick-kick-punch” out loud and keep kicking after contact.

Adjustment if they’re overextending: shorten the punch—tell them to strike with elbows tight and thumbs up, not a big swing.

This is here so the pass sets don’t fall apart the first time a second rusher shows up. Keep it controlled and teaching-heavy.

Start with two linemen (G/C or C/G) and two defenders. Walk it first: defenders line up, then shift late. Linemen point and say the rule before the snap, then set and pick up.

• Cues: “Inside first.” “Eyes inside-out.” “If you don’t have one, help your neighbor.”
• Watch for: linemen don’t chase the widest threat and leave the inside gap open.
• Common issue: both linemen take the same rusher. Fix: stop it, reset them closer together, and assign voices: center calls it, guard echoes it. If they don’t echo, replay.

Finish with 3–4 quicker reps at 70% speed where the defenders can pick either inside or outside to test their eyes.

Split the group. Half goes 1-on-1 pass pro (shield or live rusher depending on your comfort), half goes 2-on-2 run fits (drive/cutoff) on shields. Switch at 4 minutes.

For 1-on-1, keep the rep short: set, punch, sustain for 2 seconds, whistle. For 2-on-2, work combo fit then one comes off to a cone linebacker.

• Cues: “Win with feet.” “Hands inside.” “Stop on the whistle.”
• Watch for: pass pro: shoulders square; run fits: hips through contact.
• Common issue: reps get too long and turn into wrestling. Fix: enforce a hard 2-second whistle and restart faster.

Bring in backs and QB so the OL sees a real backfield picture. This is here because linemen have to learn to execute footwork and eyes while the play is actually happening around them.

Run tackle-to-tackle in a box. Call two plays only (one drive/down concept, one zone/cutoff concept). Start at thud pace for the first 4–6 snaps, then let it get more competitive if pad level stays safe.

• Cues: “First step wins.” “Stay on your track.” “Finish 3 steps.”
• Watch for: the line takes the same first step they practiced earlier—no new feet because it’s “team.”
• Common issue: someone whiffs and then stands up watching. Fix: coach effort with a job: “If you miss, run your feet and get in the way—don’t spectate.” Replay the snap if multiple guys stop.

End with one clean rep where everyone freezes on the whistle so you can point out pad level and leverage across the line.

Circle up. Ask two players to demonstrate: one great stance, one great pass set (two kicks + posture). Keep it quick.

Give them one homework point: practice getting into stance 10 times tonight—same foot back, same hand down, eyes up. Tell them tomorrow we’ll add movement on the snap and it only works if stance and first step are automatic.