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Drive Block Drill: Footwork, Hands and Finish on the Sled

Updated · Fact checked

The drive block, also called the base block, is the simplest idea in blocking: move the player in front of you off the spot, straight back, against their will. It is the foundation for tight ends and offensive linemen on gap and man runs.

Simple is not the same as easy. Contact comes fast, so your feet, hips and hands all have to be in the right place by the time you hit. This drill builds that on a sled or a bag before you take it into team drills.

Offensive Line - "Drive Block Progression" - Every day board drillMichael Lopes

How to do it

  1. Stance

    Start in your stance about a step from the sled pad, balanced, with your eyes up.

  2. First step and strike

    Take a short power step, then strike the pad with both hands inside, thumbs up, as the second step lands.

  3. Drive

    Keep your hips under you and drive the sled with short, choppy steps and a wide base for 5 yards.

  4. Reset

    Reset and repeat, alternating which foot steps first so both sides get reps.

Sets and reps
3 sets of 5 reps each side, 30 seconds rest.
Equipment
A blocking sled, or a heavy bag held by a partner, Cones or a line to mark the start
Muscles and skills
Legs, Chest
Used in these 440 plans
Tight End, Offensive Line

Coaching cues and common mistakes

Coaching cues

  • Short power first step
  • Hands inside, thumbs up
  • Drive with short choppy steps, hips under

Common mistakes

  • Overstriding
  • Lunging with the head down

The pieces of a good drive block

Feet. Take a short power step first; overstriding is one of the two big mistakes this drill is built to fix. The next step gains ground and lands as you make contact, with your feet and hips underneath you.

Hands. Keep your elbows tight and strike inside the defender's frame with your thumbs up, aiming at the gut or the sternum.

Finish. Keep a wide base with your knees bent and keep the feet churning in short, choppy steps after contact. Try to stay lower than the defender. Lunging with your head down is the other big mistake: keep your eyes up and let your feet carry you into the block.

Who uses it

In 440's plans the drive block shows up for two positions. Tight end training reps drive block footwork on the sled, alongside reach blocks and chip-and-release. Offensive line training drills the drive block first step. Both groups build the explosion out of the stance with 3-point starts.

FAQ

What is the difference between a drive block and a reach block?

A drive block moves a defender straight back off the ball. A reach block works to get outside a defender on an outside run, with the first step toward the defender's outside leg and the helmet outside their play side shoulder.

More tight end drills

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Sources

  1. ITP Glossary: Drive Block (Aug 23, 2018), The Scouting Academy / Inside The Pylon
  2. Tight End Board Drills with Kevin Wilson – Univ. of Tulsa (Michigan High School Football Coaches Association, March 11, 2024; URL slug still reads Ohio State), Coaches Insider
  3. Tight End Blocking for the Run Game (David Boler, Tight Ends Coach, University of Delaware; Vol. 12, No. 2, 2012), Gridiron Strategies
  4. ITP Glossary: Reach Block (Nov 19, 2015), The Scouting Academy / Inside The Pylon

Program numbers (benchmarks, sets, reps, loads, protein targets) are 440 Football's own prescriptions. For athletes 13 and older; check with a physician or a registered dietitian before major training or diet changes.