Interested in improving your defense's pursuit so that it becomes RELENTLESS? Clarence Holley, former Defensive Coordinator at Stillwater High School in Oklahoma, discusses their pursuit principles in the video below.
You will definitely take away a nugget or two that will improve your pursuit!
Make sure to checkout his entire clinic on Defensive Team Pursuit in Glazier Drive.
We have provided some notes from Coach Holley's presentation below the video.
"Friendly fire will kill you just as fast as enemy fire." If a player is pursuing in the wrong direction or on the wrong line, or out of control.
Stillwater wants great effort AND great focus.
Carry out YOUR assignment in the call.
Once the player's assignment is complete, and he locates the football, then the effort is on him. Put a dot on the ball carrier's near hip and now it is the defender and the ball carrier in a one on one showdown.
There are two possible outcomes from there: you hit him or the whistle blows.
They do not teach cut off angles. The job is to get on the hip of the ball carrier and pursue him.
Chase the ball carrier as if you are the ONLY player who can make the play.