The offensive line is the anchor to an offense. Oftentimes, coaches spend so much time teaching the skill players that they don't give enough time to the offensive line.

Most teams from youth leagues through pro teams live and die by the offensive line. If you don't have solid blocking, how can you expect to ever move the ball?

Teaching a good driving block is fundamental to having dominance with the run.

1. Proper Stance

Teaching the proper three point stance is fundamental to good blocking. A lineman should have his feet about shoulder length apart even with each other or the driving foot slightly back. They should have a flat back with eyes up and hand set in front of them.

They should be well balanced - if you knock the hand out from in front of them, they should be stable and not fall forward. They should always keep their eyes up - you can't block what you can't see.

2. Explosion

The first step the lineman takes should be an explosive step. You should teach your lineman to step out while staying low - low man always wins in football. If your lineman takes a step out and stands up, the defensive man can get his hands into the chest of your lineman and do whatever they want!

3. Keep Your Feet Moving

Once a lineman stops moving his feet, he stops moving the ball forward. You should stress through drills to keep their feet moving in choppy short motions.

Drills

You should use blocking bags, chutes, and sleds if you have them available.

You can use a blocking bag as a dummy which the lineman needs to drive through with a block. Have them keep their head low (below the sewn line on most bags) when they deliver their block.

Have your lineman go through chutes to learn to stay low, blocking the entire way through an imaginary opponent.

Sleds are an ideal way to teach a line to blow off the line of scrimmage and hit and block the sled. A line should be able to move a six man sled, two lineman should be able to move a two man sled easily.

You can also use string or rope to show how the lineman need to be five yards out. Have two assistants hold the string at the correct level and if the lineman's helmet hits the string, they're too high!

A good driving block can make or break a good offense. Good luck!