Objective
Teach rushers to start legally from the rush line, attack the quarterback on an angle that contains the play, and pressure the throw with hands up and no contact.
Setup
Area
15 × 15 yards behind a line of scrimmage, with a cone line 7 yards from it (adjust to your league's rush distance)
Players
3–8 players: a center, a quarterback, and a line of rushers
Equipment
Flag belts, 2–3 balls, 6 cones (rush line plus a 2 yard wide target gate behind the QB)
Duration
8–10 minutes
How it works
- 1
Learn the rush line
Under NFL FLAG rules a defense may use one or two designated rushers, and each must start at the 7 yard rush line with a hand raised until the snap so the officials and the offense know who is coming. Mark the line with cones. Other leagues use different distances and numbers, so set the cones to yours.
- 2
Explode on the snap
The rusher starts in a staggered stance with eyes on the ball, not the quarterback or the count, and moves when the ball moves. The first two steps are low and fast. Any rusher who crosses the rush line early goes to the back of the line; that habit is worth more than any angle.
- 3
Take the angle
Aim for a point about 1 yard in front of the quarterback's throwing shoulder rather than straight at the body. The curved path forces the QB to step up or roll away from the throwing arm, and if the quarterback runs sideways the rusher mirrors the hips and pushes them toward the sideline.
- 4
Hands up in the last 2 yards
As the rusher closes, the feet buzz under control and both arms go high to take away the passing lane and the quarterback's view. NFL FLAG allows no contact, so touching the quarterback's body, arm or the ball in his hand is a penalty; a pass knocked down after release is legal.
- 5
Run it live against the clock
The quarterback takes the snap, drops 3–5 yards and must throw into the target gate while a coach counts the pass clock aloud. The rusher scores a point for a flag pulled before the throw or a pass that misses the gate. Rotate after each rep so every player rushes 5–6 times.
| Rule | NFL FLAG | Other leagues |
|---|---|---|
| Rush distance | 7 yards from the line of scrimmage | Often similar; some youngest divisions ban rushing |
| Number of rushers | Up to two designated rushers | Check your league; some allow more |
| Showing the rush | Hand raised until the snap | Varies; some leagues use a marker or no signal |
| After a handoff or pitch | Every defender may rush | Common, but check your rulebook |
| Contact | None allowed | Contact with the passer is a penalty in most leagues |
| Pass clock | 7 seconds from the snap | Varies by league and age group |
Coaching points
Start from the rush line with feet already moving on the snap; a rusher who pauses to read has already lost the race.
Contain before you attack: keep the quarterback inside your angle so they cannot escape to the open side.
Rush the throwing shoulder, because it forces a right-handed QB to throw across their body when they move left.
Stay under control in the last yard so you can react if the QB fakes, steps up or hands the ball off.
Once the ball is handed off, pitched or thrown backward, every defender may rush in NFL FLAG, so the whole defense flows to the new ball carrier.
Variations
Two-rusher pressure
Send both designated rushers from different spots on the rush line, one taking the throwing shoulder and one the opposite side to cut off the scramble. Your coverage now has one fewer defender, so pair it with a simple zone behind.
Box and handoff read
Mark a 10 yard box around the quarterback and count down from 7. On half the reps the QB hands off to a back, and the rusher must redirect to the runner and pull the flag before he reaches the line. Shorten the count to 4 seconds to build urgency.
Build it in Coach Board
Young rushers stop running straight at the quarterback once they see why it fails. On a flag football board in Coach Board, place the quarterback, center and rusher, draw the 7 yard rush line and the curved path to the throwing shoulder, and animate it. Duplicate the board with a straight rush and play both back side by side so players watch the quarterback slip away from the straight one.