Every coach knows how critical it is to have a sound offensive line, especially in the area of pass protection. One of the most respected as well as successful line coaches was Jim Hanifan.
Coach Hanifan, during his NFL career, had 11 different players voted to the Pro Bowl which totaled 27 appearances. A high school and college coach from 1957-1972, Hanifan first joined the NFL in 1973. He coaches for the St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Washington Redskins, and St. Louis Rams, retiring in 2003. He was the head coach of the Carindals from 1980-1985 and later served as the interim head coach for the Falcons. He retired in 2003.
His book, “Offensive Line Play” details the best techniques for both run blocking and pass protection. Included in this issue of GS is an excerpt from his book – “The Cone Drill.” According to Hanifan, “This drill is one of the most productive drills you can run for teaching pass protection footwork for offensive tackles. It forces them to backpedal straight for three steps without turning their shoulders to the line of scrimmage.”
Hanifan also states that the biggest mistake an offensive tackle can make in pass protection is to bend forward at the waist. He also says the second biggest mistake is to turn the shoulders after exploding back off the line of scrimmage. And, says Hanifan, “Incredibly, this was taught by coaches at one time!”
“Offensive Line Play” is available at http://jimhanifan.com and at amazon.com. We hope you enjoy this excerpt as well as the other articles in this issue of GS. As always, we welcome your feedback.
Rex Lardner
Managing Editor