Which drills shouldn't my child's team be running?
Guideline- USA
- USA Football
- Youth tackle
- 12U
- 12 and under
- 2026 guidelines
- Parents
- Team parents
USA Football recommends leagues prohibit these high-risk contact drills:
- Bull in the Ring (also called King of the Circle)
- Oklahoma drill
- Board drill (offensive line vs. defensive line in-line run blocking with no run/pass or direction option)
- Pods / 3-spot without a run/pass read
It also advises against any full-contact drill with a player ratio greater than 2-to-1, and drills where players can win only through contact or collision rather than with speed or angles.
USA Football's goal is to remove drills with high head-impact exposure and little carryover to skill development.
Updated 21 Oct 2026