Trench Lab · O-Line · Fundamentals · Coach Jay Freeman
Pad level and leverage: why low man wins
Low man wins because the lineman with the lower pad level gets under his opponent's pads and controls the leverage — he can lift and drive while the taller man has nothing to push against. Play low by bending your knees and ankles (not your back), keeping a flat back with your hips loaded under you, and striking up through the defender. Bend your knees, not your waist.
By Coach Jay Freeman · 32 years coaching the line · Updated May 31, 2026
Leverage is the whole game
Strength loses to leverage in the trenches every time. The lineman with the lower pad level gets his hands and his hat under his opponent's, and from there he can lift, turn, and drive a bigger, stronger man. "Low man wins" isn't a saying — it's physics. If your pads are under his, you have the leverage; if they're higher, he controls you no matter how much you bench.
Bend your knees, not your back
The most common leverage mistake is bending at the waist — dropping your head and rounding your back to "get low." That kills your power and your eyes, and it's how you get put on the ground. Real pad level comes from bending the knees and ankles, keeping a flat back, and loading your hips underneath you so you can explode up and through. Low *and* strong, not low *and* folded over.
Strike on the rise
Leverage is delivered, not held. You sink your hips, then strike up and through the defender on the rise — hands inside, hips rolling under. A lineman who strikes flat or down has given away his leverage; a lineman who strikes up lifts his man and takes his base. This is true for an offensive lineman finishing a block and a defensive lineman holding the point of attack.
"Low man wins. But low means bend your knees, not your back — flat back, hips loaded, and you strike up through him. Folded over with your head down isn't leverage, it's a trip to the ground." — Coach Jay Freeman
Common questions
- What does "low man wins" mean in football?
- The lineman with the lower pad level gets under his opponent's pads and controls the leverage — he can lift and drive while the taller man has nothing to anchor against. It's the single most important truth in the trenches, and it lets a smaller, well-coached lineman beat a bigger one.
- How do you get lower as a lineman without bending over?
- Bend your knees and ankles, not your waist. Keep a flat back and load your hips under you, so you stay low and strong instead of folded over with your head down. Bending at the waist kills your power and your vision and gets you put on the ground.