O line punch

Question
QUESTION: Hello I am a young O line coach from CA. I was an assistant last year and I am now the head O line/ D line coach. The head coach's father is helping me out during our spring ball practice and he is a local legend in terms of football. However some of his techniques i believe to be outdated. He wants our O linemen to punch with their fists and drive the defender with their fists. I always used to thumbs up grab chest plates technique. Do you think I should let it go and block wiht fists or it this way to outdated, and tell him I want it changed in favor of my technique

ANSWER: Dear Brett,
When you say they "punch with their fists". Do your linemen do this on pass plays to force the defensive linemen to keep their hands down? Or do they do this on a regular drive block of a run play?

Your friend, Coach Louis

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: he wants them to do this on drive blocks, i prefer using hands, but the head coach over ruled me in favor of his dads punching technique
ANSWER: Dear Brett,
Try talking to the head coach. Remind him that the rules have changed and that using the "punch with their fists" has been replace by legal holding. And if you are to compete on a level playing field, you must take advantage of the rule changes.

I wish I could be of more help to you but I do not know what else I could do. If you can think of something please let me know.

Your friend, Coach Louis

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: right now the head coach is just siding with his dad. His dad always has an explanation behind everything and has his reasons for wanting to punch with fists, have you ever heard of this and what arguments could i use to defend using our hands instead of fists

Answer
Dear Brett,
Back in the good old days everybody used the "punch with the fist" technique. If a offensive linemen even looked like he was thinking of using his hands the officials would throw a flag.

However, things have changed. We now have new rules that permit us to use our hands. We still cannot hold but we can use our hands to drive block. On a level playing field we must take advantage of the rule changes or we place our players at a great disadvantage. Try this argument and tell me what he thinks.

Your friend, Coach Louis