My Nolan Cromwell Practice Session
Alright, so this whole thing started because I was scrolling through old NFL clips late last night. Seriously, way too late. Kept seeing this name pop up: Nolan Cromwell. People were raving about him, calling him this defensive mastermind back in the day for the Rams. I was like, “Okay, who even is this guy? What made him so special?” Gotta be more than just tackles, right?
So, this morning, I decided to dig in. No big plan, just pure curiosity. Grabbed my tablet, parked myself on the couch with way too much coffee. Started searching for “Nolan Cromwell best plays”. Found grainy YouTube videos – real old-school stuff. Watched them over and over. First thing that hit me? His movement. It wasn’t just speed; it was how he read the play and just… flowed. Seemed like he was always a step ahead.
Wanted to feel what that was like. Changed into sweats and trainers. Headed out back to my patchy little makeshift field – basically just grass and two trash cans marking corners. Didn’t need fancy gear.
Attempting Those Moves
First, I tried mimicking his signature backpedal-to-break move he did as a safety. Man, looks way easier than it is!
- Tried just backpedaling smoothly. Felt super awkward, stumbled almost immediately. Kept looking down at my feet like a baby deer learning to walk. Focused hard on staying on the balls of my feet, knees bent way more than I’m used to.
- Then practiced that explosive break. Imagining reading the quarterback’s eyes like Cromwell supposedly did. Plant foot, low center of gravity, then BURST forward or sideways. My bursts were more like… enthusiastic hops. Still, felt different – less scrambling, more deliberate power.
- The coverage shuffle. Set up a chair as my imaginary receiver target. Tried mirroring quick lateral steps while facing sideways, staying balanced. Kept wanting to cross my feet, tripping myself. Had to consciously think “slide, slide, slide, don’t cross!” Felt clumsy but could see the point – staying square lets you react any direction.
Putting It Into Tiny Action
After messing around with those basic movements for ages, felt kinda warmed up. Sort of. Tried visualizing a simple route:
- Backpedal watching the “QB” (a tree branch).
- See the “receiver” (the chair) cut.
- Plant that outside foot hard.
- Drive towards the chair.
First few tries? Complete whiffs. Ended up overrunning it or getting tangled. Focused hard on the plant and drive. That moment of stopping your backward momentum and exploding the other way – that’s the key bit, I think. It’s exhausting! My legs were burning quick.
Small Win: One run felt smoother. Got the plant decently, pushed off well, actually intercepted the “pass” (tapped the chair) almost perfectly. Felt a glimpse of that control Cromwell must have had. Didn’t look pretty, but the intention was right.
What I Learned (So Far)
- Feet Matter More Than I Thought. Where they point, how you push off – changes everything about speed and direction.
- Balance is Brutal. Staying low and balanced while changing direction fast uses muscles I forgot I had. Glutes are talking to me now.
- It’s All Mental First. You gotta see the play developing, decide where to go, THEN explode. Hesitate, and you’re already beat. My brain felt slower than my feet, which is saying something!
Honestly, just scratching the surface. No expert here, definitely not moving like Cromwell yet! But really opened my eyes to how much thought and specific mechanics go into great defensive plays, not just pure aggression. Need way more reps, focusing purely on footwork and balance before adding speed. My notes app now has “PLANT FOOT HARDER” in all caps. Simple thing, big difference. Fun project!
