Illegal High school football drills

I've heard that Bull in the Ring is banned, but never seen it written anywhere. That being said, I see no real point in the drill.

I always tell my coaches to apply the "witness stand" test. If you found yourself on the witness stand after a kid got hurt, could you defend the drill as one that replicates game conditions? Is it one that is generally accepted by other coaches as being an effective drill? I think that "Bull in the Ring" fails this test, which is why you don't want to run it. I saw a youth coach years ago run a drill he called "Ultimate", which was basically macho bull#$%$ with kids having to use any means possible to get by one another and tackle a bag at either end. What you ended up with was kids rolling around on the ground wrestling, forearms to the neck, grabbing ankles, etc. Not surprisingly, kids were getting hurt. Who would have guessed?

The reality is that this is a contact sport, and there is a risk of injury. It is very clear, though, that we as coaches have a responsibility to mitigate those risks as much as reasonably possible. Running Okie (with appropriate matchups) is a legitimate football drill. Simulates game conditions, works on important skills - it passes all the tests. Running gassers in extreme heat, Bull in the Ring, etc., don't pass the common sense test.

Just in passing, that witness stand scenario is where you would be asked if you were certified, and when you last attended a clinic...

My favorite stupid drill: I was running late getting to practice for my freshman squad. It was supposed to be a defense day, but I told the OC to just run offense and we would make up the day later on in the week. So as I'm jogging up to the field I see one of my kids, brand new to the game and as wet behind the ears as you could be, standing with his back turned to a full charging beast of a middle backer, the single freakiest athlete I have ever coached. They were twenty yards apart to start and when the backer was 4 yards away, my OC blew a whistle and the little guy had to spin around and "stand and fight the block like a man." Kid lowered his shoulder to protect himself, backer destroyed him, OC laughed and clapped him on the back, kid suffered a separated shoulder. I started screaming "What the eff is going on here?!" OC says "I was warming up the defense for you." It took the whole staff to hold me back from "warming him up".

If your drill doesn't simulate playing conditions, have variables that you can control for safety, practice important skills, or hold up to coach's "witness test" then it should not be a part of your practice, illegal or not.

No Animal Drill!

this is a much better ring drill

That's exactly what I'm talking about.

We run that Navy drill. We call it King of the Ring. Good stuff.

Had a RB coach who swore by monkey rolls for ball protection.

We use monkey rolls as a ball security drill.  Got it from Vanderbilt's NFLHSPD dvds.  Our ball security has increased immensely by using Vandy's ball security drills, monkey roll bacll security being one of them.

As for illegal drills...if you even have to ask if it's illegal, it isn't a good drill.

We were talking about a drill that none of us could really find a good reason for the other day at practice. It was on that He11week show about HS football camp, think it was on ESPN or one of their channels. Coach had a kid facing him, flipped him the ball, kid turns and two guys are flying at him and just kill em as he turns. Not real sure what use that drill is to anyone involved.

Unfortunately when people should be asking themselves that question they'r often thinking, "This'll be GREAT".

That's applicable to much more than just football drills.

Oh oh. Be careful not to have a "This will be GREAT" moment. 

Keep in mind that even if the Fed doesn't have a rule your state, region, or district may. 

Aren't you in NY?  I have friends who have coached there so I know that if any state has a rule it'd be that one.