Football is challenging.
It is physically and mentally exhausting. It is intense and competitive. It is a clash of wills and a battle of endurance.
After 10 days of touring Northeastern Pennsylvania and visiting preseason camps, I had several key takeaways, beyond simply observing and showcasing the athletes in their uniforms.
Above all, after watching each practice, I concluded that football is hard.
Coming from a much simpler form of the sport and an era of simplicity, with the belief that the best athletes win, it is sometimes humbling to go through the nuances of each play and the time spent teaching and learning by the coaches and players.
At Delaware Valley, after a break, the players split into individual group sessions. A coach yelled out, “Inside run.”
That is right up my alley, I thought. Some 30-plus years ago, despite my increased skeletal girth and being about 30 pounds lighter, I used to tote the rock in between the tackles. Most might think my preference was to sprint outside to avoid contact because of my track background, but I didn’t mind churning out some tough yards in my heyday. Having the best offensive linemen in the Big 11 didn’t hurt my confidence, either.
I digress.
The offensive lineman and tight ends took their positions in the trenches. A defense made up of four underclassmen stood across from them.
Behind the offensive line are the quarterback, the fullback, and the tailback. The second level of defense for this drill consists of four linebackers at various depths from 3 to 4 yards.
It’s football in a phone booth.
A play is called. To maintain some level of secrecy, let’s call it an off-tackle run to the tailback.
Delaware Valley’s accomplished and outstanding line coach, Al McElroy, as fierce a player as this area has produced, starts the teaching. He had gone over…
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Publish date : 2025-08-16 19:03:00
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