Northern State’s Dent Technique & Gladiator Drill for Defensive Lineman

At the 2026 AFCA Convention in Charlotte, Northern State’s Defensive Line Coach Jake Iery took the Skills & Drills field to showcase some of his favorite dline drills. He emphasized. defensive line techniques that simulate real game flow by shrinking the field down into small-area moments. Among his most innovative strategies are the “Dent” technique for defending against pullers and the “Gladiator” drill for mastering transitional pass rush. 

The Dent Technique for Pullers 

As a two-gap defense, Northern State opts not to rely on traditionally “boxing” or “spilling” (wrong-arming) pulling offensive linemen. Instead, they utilize a unique strategy called “dent pulls”. This technique allows the defense to spill the ball carrier without the defender committing to a complete wrong-arm move that buries them under the block. 

• The Execution: This scenario typically occurs when a defensive end faces an arc release from a tight end and a puller (such as a guard) coming across the formation. The defender is taught to step up and collision the puller by striking with their hands, deliberately ensuring their head stays to the inside. 

• The Goal: The key to this technique is maintaining extension with the hands rather than throwing a shoulder into the puller. By keeping their head on the inside, the defender tricks the ball carrier into thinking the inside gap is filled, forcing the runner to bounce to the outside. Because the defender used their hands to keep the puller at bay, they can easily fall off the block and make the tackle on the perimeter. According to Coach Iery, this technique is a significant difference-maker that allows defensive ends to consistently blow up counter runs and make crucial plays in the run game. 

The Gladiator Drill (Transitional Pass Rush) 

To train transitional pass rush, Iery frequently moves away from traditional 1-on-1 drills, preferring a 2-on-1 “Gladiator” drill that provides a more realistic game simulation.  In this drill, a defensive end goes up against both an offensive tackle and a tight end. If an offense attempts a max slide protection utilizing a tight end, Iery expects his defensive ends to take advantage and get a sack. 

• The Execution: The defensive end must keep their visual key on the tackle. As the play develops, if the tackle slides down inside and the defender feels the tight end blocking down on them, they must instantly recognize the slide protection. 

• The Goal: If the defender remains in the C gap, they will get washed inside into the 3-technique, creating an open lane for the quarterback to escape. The Gladiator drill trains the defensive end to feel the tight end’s pressure, immediately work back across to the outside, and reclaim their edge rush lane to finish on the quarterback’s top field shoulder. By practicing this scenario at least once a week, defenders learn to effortlessly transition and defeat slide protections. 

By isolating these specific, realistic scenarios, Coach Iery ensures his defensive line is prepared to react automatically to complex offensive schemes. 

2026 Convention Skills & Drills Are Now Live: CLICK HERE

As you prepare for Spring Ball, don’t stop with just one session. All 2026 Skills & Drills presentations from the AFCA Convention are now available in the AFCA Digital Library. AFCA members can log in to watch this tackling system in full, along with hundreds of additional position-specific sessions designed to help you build practice plans, install new drills, and sharpen fundamentals across your program.

If you’re looking to maximize your spring practice efficiency, the AFCA Digital Library is your year-round resource for proven drills, clinic tape, and coaching insight from every level of the game. Log in today and start building your Spring Ball practice script.