BY BOB HERZOG
Whether it’s two-a-days during late summer, or prepping for the playoffs in late autumn, every day is a good day for tackling drills at Glenn.
“Even during the season, we practice tackling every day,” said Dave Shanahan, the vocal and enthusiastic coach at Glenn. “From now until November, it’s so important that we do it, no matter what time of year it is.”
Shanahan likes to vary the drills and mix in a little competition to break up the routines. So late Wednesday afternoon, Glenn’s players moved around in groups from station to station. Shanahan supervised one drill using “chutes” – lining up players in three-point stances between metal poles, blowing his whistle and having them take a step around the pole before driving low and hard into tackling dummies.
“We call this one the square-up drill and it gets them to move their feet,” said Shanahan, who frequently yelled, “Bite the bicep” to encourage his players to keep their heads up as they drove their shoulders into the dummies.
“Tackling is all about technique, that’s why we always practice it,” Shanahan said. Glenn’s technique was pretty good in 2007 as the defense allowed just 84 points in eight games. With eight of 11 defensive starters back, he hopes to improve on last season’s 4-4 record. Glenn is the No. 2 seed in Suffolk Division IV, led by defensive ends Malcolm Eugene and Nick Capobianco.
Eugene is also an outstanding wide receiver and favorite target of quarterback Mike Massa. On Wednesday, Eugene was the target of two defenders during one of Shanahan’s favorite tackling exercises. “We call it the open-field drill,” he said, staging a session for the benefit of this first-time visitor.
Eugene (above) took the football and went against two players in a fairly wide “box.” He was allowed to try any move to elude the defenders. On this day, Capobianco was able to bring him down with a high tackle. It was pretty fierce and pretty competitive, with players gathered around and cheering on all participants until the whistle blew.
On other days, Shanahan will have his players concentrate on forcing fumbles, using the strip drill. He said he has another one called the “eye-opener.” Not sure what that one was, and not sure I want to know. But I know it will end with someone getting tackled.