Skills & Drills | Matt Cannata, Offensive Line | OL Fundamentals

Matt Cannata is the Offensive Line coach at Lamar University, entering his third season with the program in 2025. Prior to Lamar, Cannata made stops at Texas Lutheran, Mary Hardin-Baylor, and Charlotte. 

Offensive Line Basics 

This video features Coach Cannata as he explains the fundamentals of offensive line play, focusing on three essential rules for winning leverage and demonstrating drills to reinforce these concepts. He also simplifies that the offensive line’s main responsibility is to stay between the defender and the football. 

3 Rules for Winning Leverage: 

1. If I have leverage, I have to keep it. 
2. If I don’t have leverage, I have to go get it. 
3. If I can’t get leverage, I have to get violent. 

Drills: 

• Base Block – Have Leverage: 

• Place an additional athlete behind the lineman to add weight and challenge leverage. 

• Focus on getting the feet in the ground quickly with two fast steps: 

• First step lateral, second step vertical. 

• Maintain low to high hands, keeping the pinkies together. 

• The goal is to lift and extend, using body power to control the defender. 

• Base Block – Getting Leverage: 

• Start with the first step moving to the play side, gaining depth. 

• The second step should be equal to the first step. 

• The third step should drive everything downhill, putting maximum force on the defender. 

• Rock Back: 

• Same footwork as previous drills. 

• This drill simulates a defender moving fast away from the line; the lineman must be able to “rock back” and re-engage when the defender comes toward them. 

• Focus on getting vertical to reset the position and regain control.