First-step leverage
What it is
Winning position with the first step, before contact, because leverage is almost never recovered afterwards.
Why it matters
Every leverage battle in football is decided in about four tenths of a second. A first step that is too long raises the pads and gives away the ground the second step needed; one aimed at the man rather than at the leverage point concedes the angle before the hands ever arrive. This is why line drills and defensive-back drills that look nothing alike are both scored on the same thing — where the first step landed and how high the hips were when it did.
Also called
Programs call this first step, get off, steal the step or beat him to the spot. The Coach answers to any of them.
Related
This entry is authored, not generated. It is one of 205 in the index that the AI-ssistant Coach retrieves from, and that Film Study tags clips against.