As has been a recurring theme during our football coverage, speed is crucial to the defensive back's skillset. If you're not moving with the same speed and quickness in your start as the wide receiver, you're probably going to get beat.
When you watch any top DB in a game, you can notice their speed and quickness at the start of every play. Their ability to start on the snap and quickly move backwards is necessary for their success.
When thinking about beginning your backward run, it's important you understand that you must explode off your front foot. If you're in a stance with your front foot under your nose and turned in, you'll be able to use both the muscle on the outside of your foot and the muscles in your lower leg to give you the proper explosion. A majority of your weight must be present on the front foot in order to start correctly.
As you push off the front foot, think about thrusting your hips backward as you step back with your back foot. As you take the second step, your shoulders should slowly begin to rise.
Practice this start repeatedly. Push off with the front foot, thrust your hips back, step back with your back foot, and begin to run backward in an easy, fluid motion.
On each play, it's a good idea for young DBs to start by moving back and away from the line of scrimmage. If the other team runs the ball, you can always adjust and come up to get in on the tackle.
Problems crop up when you operate in the reverse order. If you play the run first, the receiver may be so far downfield that it's impossible to recover for a tackle or interception.
You are the last line of defense - think pass first and run second.
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