• The more a team practices, the better chance it has of executing a game plan to perfection.Football image by Richard McGuirk from Fotolia.com
  
  The game of football requires 11 players to work together at the same time for the same goal. This unity can be created by doing team drills that help teammates learn each other's moves and tendencies.The best teams in football have the best execution of plays and game plans, and their success is due in great part to detailed and focused team drills.
  
  

Up Downs

• A staple of football practices across America, "up down" drills focus on two things: team unity and conditioning. The basic idea of "up downs" is for the team to do the same activity in unison. The challenge is to endure the physical demands of the drill while still staying online and on pace with the team. An "up down" drill consists of the entire team lined up in rows. Once in rows they are given the command to "break down." This means they get into stance and run in place. On the coach's whistle the team will drop to the ground on their stomachs and get back up. This is the "down" part of the drill. When players get back up they again will run in place.
  
  The coach can implement any number of other moves to the drill, such as jumping, running in a direction or "double downs," where the players hit the ground, push up, then go immediately back down to the ground before returning up to "break down" position.
  
  

2 Minute Drill

• The 2-minute drill is the name given to the time at the end of a half or game when the team with the ball attempts to move down the field and score. It's practice is particularly for end-of-game situations when the team with the ball is trailing on the scoreboard. The 2-minute drill is usually a series of predetermined plays that are designed to move the ball forward while also preserving time on the game clock, usually by running a play that will result in a player being able to get out of bounds and stop the clock. The key is to have all the players on the field know what play to expect so that no time is wasted going into a huddle (this is also known as a "no huddle" offense). It's also important for each player, particularly those who will be handling the ball, to know the responsibilities of the other players on each particular play in case of an injury.
  
  

The Play

• Simply known now as "the play," it originally was designed as a way for teams to finish practice with a fun drill. It's now become a drill designed to teach players how to keep the ball alive on a game's final play, giving the offensive team a chance to win or tie a game. The drill involves offensive players continuing to pass the ball laterally or backward, so the ballcarrier can avoid being tackled. Doing a drill of "the play" simply requires a team to run a play against the defense and do everything in its power to keep the ball alive. It takes communication, knowing your teammates and ultimately a great deal of luck. The advantage of practicing "the play" is so players understand different scenarios for how it can work, and also as an enjoyable way to finish a practice session.