Description

Winston DeLattiboudere, Arizona Cardinals, D-Line Coach

Full video on Glazier Drive: Teaching the Significance of Violent Hands for D-Linemen 

SUMMARY

This video focuses on teaching defensive linemen how to develop and use "violent hands" to control offensive linemen. The coach emphasizes that using hands aggressively isn't natural for most people and must be systematically taught and trained.

THE HARDENING PROCESS

The foundation begins with wall strikes - having players strike a wall repeatedly to develop calluses and get comfortable using their hands as "violent weapons." Players start with 100 wall strikes and progress to 200. The coach uses a "palms to pecs" technique, where players strike from their hips with extended fingertips, then flex their pecs and bring thumbs in for control. This can be done against walls, goalposts, or any solid surface to simulate the density of offensive linemen's bodies.

THE SHARPENING PROCESS

After hardening comes precision work - "iron sharpens iron." Players learn detailed hand placement by aiming for specific targets like the tip of shoulder pads, Nike logos, or Adidas stripes. The goal is to "aim small, miss small" and achieve accurate strikes that go from palms to pecs for maximum control.

RE-WASH TECHNIQUE

When players get into poor position (worst-case scenario), they must learn to "re-wash" - replace their hands in the correct position with violent extension to reset their leverage and work through their progression again. This is crucial because time is the enemy in run defense.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

The video shows player #91 demonstrating the complete sequence: getting two feet in the ground, striking with violent hands, maintaining active feet, seeing through gaps, controlling the offensive lineman, disengaging, and finishing with a tackle. The coach emphasizes adding tackling elements to all block destruction drills.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The technique teaches defensive linemen to use their hands as weapons while maintaining proper body position, creating separation through elbow extension, and transitioning from primary to secondary reads. When executed properly, this shows up in games as effective run defense and block shedding ability.

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