35 Under 35 Presents | Myles Russ, Keiser | Ball Security

After serving as the Running Backs Coach since the start of Keiser University football, Myles Russ was named the Head Coach in 2024. The promotion came after he helped the Seahawks to a 2023 NAIA National Championship. He brought Keiser back to the National Championship game in his first season leading the program, marking their third straight appearance. Before his time at Keiser, Coach Russ served on staff at his alma mater, Robert Morris, where, as a player, he is Robert Morris’s all-time leading rusher and a member of their Athletics Hall of Fame. 

Fundamentals: 

• 4 Points of Pressure:  

• Hand 

• Claw the tip of the football between the index and middle fingers 

• Forearm 

• The wrist must always be higher than the elbow 

• Elbow 

• Squeeze the elbow against your ribs 

• Breastplate 

• Ball Across with two hands in traffic 

Team Ball Security Circuit Drills: 

• Drill #1 – Ball Security Gauntlet (3:04) 

• Cones will be set up in a zig-zag pattern, five yards apart 

• Six defenders will be set up, with one at each cone 

• The ball carrier will work the stumble/bumble drill technique from cone to cone in the zig-zag pattern, maintaining all 4 points of contact while defenders attempt to strip the ball  

•  Drill #2 – Turnover Alley (4:22) 

• The offensive player will begin the drill with a catch and a tuck, transitioning the ball to 4 points of pressure 

• Defender will attempt to swipe at the ball after the catch 

• After a defender swipes, he will work City/Country ball fumble recovery 

• Offensive player will then be met by two defenders. He will choose one, make a move, and attempt to split the two defenders 

• The two defenders will work the Vice-Tackle 

• Variation: A second offensive player can be added to the drill as a blocker, blocking the defender of his choice 

• Drill #3 – Yack Drill (7:31) 

• The offensive player will begin with a catch, tuck, and split two defenders 

• 3 defensive players are used 

• Two are trailing the ball carrier, beginning on the same line at the offensive player 

• Will work to swipe and rip the ball 

• One is a head-up of the ball carrier 

• Will work to tackle  

• The offensive player then works to make a head-up defender miss 

• Drill #4 (8:45) 

• The offensive player will begin with the ball in 4 points of contact 

• The ball carrier will run 5 yards forward, performing a circle and accelerating, circling the cone at 5 yards and accelerating out 

• First Defender will then attempt to punch out the ball after the offensive player circles the cone 

• Second Defender will work and one-on-one open field tackling while the ball carrier attempts to make him miss