LINEBACKER

TRAINING MANUAL

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 Linebacker Mindset

• To be the best you must believe in your ability to be successful.

• Linebackers have to me some of the most confident players on the field at all times.
• You have to play with the mindset of a tenacious monster - all while being smart and
aware
• Most often, it’s your mindset in how you prepare and understand your keys and
tendencies that will help you elevate beyond most linebackers. You do not have to be
the biggest and strongest.
• The way to success is through preparation. Don’t settle for mediocrity.

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Linebacker Play
• The linebacker position is one of the most important in all of football.
• Linebacker play is very important for any defense. Linebacker play is so important because they
are involved in every play.
• A linebacker must know the every position’s responsibilities on the defense all while also
knowing your own responsibility.
• You have to have the ability to read, see and key the big picture.
• Your footwork is everything. You have to make sure that you always take the correct first step.
• Know where the ball is at all times.
• Work downhill in you play. Most linebacker movement will be vertical as you attack the line of
scrimmage.
• Linebackers must play the ball inside-out.
• Understand the opposing team’s offense so that you can anticipate who is going to be blocking
you. Know where everyone is at all times.
• Use your hands while playing - do not get into a habit of engaging the offensive players with
your shoulders. This will get you tied up.
• Play with relentless pursuit. You never know when you will be able to make the from the
backside.

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Linebacker Play (cont.)
• Always find a way to the football. Finish every play near the ball if you can.
• Be a great tackler. The linebacker typically has the most tackles on a team.
• Play from sideline to sideline.
• You have to be a leader on the field. The linebacker is usually the leader of the
defense.
• Be coachable - the linebackers are usually the coaches ears and eyes on the field
for the defense.
• Be a leader off the field. Because the linebackers are usually the leaders of the
defense, you have to set a great example for your teammates off the field as well.
• Learn what you can from as many coaches as possible. The linebackers have to
have a really good understanding of the game.
• Linebackers must have a huge heart and desire with a “Never Quit” attitude

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Linebacker Technique
Stance
• Linebackers use a two point stance.
• Your feet are parallel and shoulder width apart with your heels slighly tilted
out.
• Keep your weight on the balls of your feet.
• Your heels should be slightly lifted from the ground.
• Your knees and hips are bent into a comfortable athletic position.
• Keep your hips low with your shoulders and chest in front of your body.
• Your hands are in front of you hanging or on your knees.
• Your head and eyes are up looking directly at your keys.

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Linebacker Technique (cont.)
• Run to open space because you can bet that the ball will also run to open space
• Strike on contact - do not run around blockers, this creates more open space for
the ball carrier.
• Do not follow your teammates, take a different lane.
• When moving laterally, or “scraping”, do so as tight as possible to the line so
that you aren’t creating additional lanes. This will force the ball carrier to
chose a spot.
• Move laterally without ever crossing your feet, hopping for raising your hips.
Stay low.
• Hold for run first, until you absolutely know it’s a pass. You cannot have
linebackers bailing during a run play.
• When blitzing, do not waste any steps. Do not take a back step. If you do not
waste steps, you will get to the ball quicker. Run through your designated gaps,
keep your responsiblity while keeping your eyes on the ball.
• Always remain in an attack position.

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Linebacker Technique (cont.)
There are a few ways to take on blockers
Watch these videos on a few different techniques

1.Punch - https://youtu.be/SV-lza0ak0I
2.Butt & Press - https://youtu.be/Ej4_40DKUGo
3.Cross Face -https://youtu.be/DE-Y4RJWeQ4

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Block Protection
Reach & Cutoff Block Protection - https://youtu.be/n2WKf6pjNrc
• Keep your football position
• Make a violent hand punch and shuffle to ball or your responsiblity gap
• Extend arms and shed across the blocker while you keep your feet moving

Rip Block Protection - https://youtu.be/RG-N9Gm4HUE

• Attack the outside shoulder of the blocker with your shoulders square
• Make contact with the inside shoulder
• Drive the block by punching your inside arm and knee to the sky

Cut Block Protection - https://youtu.be/x5rv1dLCuRQ

• Keep your pad level low
• Keep your arms close to your body and your hands below your knees
• Punch down with the heels of your hands and get full extension
• Push the blockers head and shoulders out of the way so that you can keep your feet free while moving
laterally.

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Pursuit Technique
• It is extremely important that you take the right angle as a linebacker approaching
the ball carrier.
• Proper angles help you catch ball carriers that might have a speed advantage.
• Do not allow the ball carrier to cut back behind you.
• Force the ball carrier to run laterally, this gives a chance for the rest of your defense
to catch up.
• Do not get pushed past the ball by blockers.
• If you take a bad angle, immediately flatten the angle of your pursuit to try to catch
up.
• Keep the runner to your outside shoulder. If you are an outside linebacker, play
outside in, if your are inside, play inside-out.

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Linebacker Key Reads
RUN
1. O-LINE will have their weight forward on their hands.
2. O-LINE will have larger splits
3. Guards have deeper alignment or pull.
4. Watch the Running backs body language. Running backs lean or point toward
designated hole.
5. Pay attention to the quick huddle.
6. Always know and understand the game situation (Down and Distance).
7. What are their formations and tendencies in each formation

DRAW
1. Running back stands up from his stance to take ball.
2. Uncovered linemen block downfield, covered linemen block out.
3. Lineman standing straight up.
4. Key QB as well. QB shows back of helmet. No pass read vision by QB.

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Linebacker Key Reads (cont.)
COUNTER
1. Tackles and/or Guards have a deeper alignment.
2. Tackles and/or Guards have more weight on their feet so that they can pull.
3. Running Backs may align or lean to side they are faking/pulling.

PASS
1. Watch Linemen hands. Linemen sitting with less weight on their hands.
2. High helmet at snap.
3. QB’s habits – licking fingers, toweling hands.
4. Tighter splits by linemen.
5. Running backs widening alignment position to get easier release.

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Linebacker Key Reads (cont.)
SCREEN
1. Key the QB Drop. QB takes excessive drop, gets too deep too quickly.
2. Linemen slip block go to next level.
3. Watch RBs. Poor effort by backs to pass block.
4. Running Backs slip block.

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Linebacker Movement Drill
• The linebackers have to be able to move laterally and downhill while avoiding crossing of feet and
while keeping a wide leveraged base.
• In this drill, you must emphasize keeping a great base inside the box
• Make sure your feet are never too narrow,
• Do not click heels, step and replace with your feet.
• Start with a downhill shuffle to the right or left depending on the direction the coach gives you (can
also do on your own. Once you have gone 15 yards, sprint through the finish. At times we will change
the movement drill to work the alley run or the lateral shuffle.

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Linebacker Keys Drill (need partners)
• For this drill, you do a quick drill on keys, specifically for direction of running back and guard pulls.
• The second group of LBs align as two guards and a running back. One person stands behind the
defense and directs the guards and running back.
• Use this drill to recognize guard pulls and pass sets. Those are the two alerts that will take us off the
RB’s path.

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Linebacker Pass Rush Drill
• It is important that you work on pass rush technique, whether it is coming off an edge or through an
inside gap.
• Use a hoop or rope, and have the LBs run the hoop. As they are running the hoop, another person will
stand in the middle of the circle with a shield. The second person will use the shield to replicate the
arm of the OL, which the LB must continue to knock away with his inside arm

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Step Over Drill
• Get into a ready position
• Chatter your feet upon command
• Laterally shuffle through the tackle dummies (or any other obstacle)
• Do not cross your feet
• Do not stand up, stay low!
• Keep your shoulders square to the line of scrimmage
• Do not look down, trust your feet
• Keep pumping your arms while you shuffle through
• Keep on the balls of your feet

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In and Out Drill
• Get into a ready position
• Chatter your feet upon command
• Shuffle through the tackle dummies (or any other obstacle)
• Do not cross your feet
• Do not stand up, stay low!
• Keep your shoulders square to the line of scrimmage
• Do not look down, trust your feet
• Keep pumping your arms while you shuffle through
• Keep on the balls of your feet

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Angle Run Drill
• Players must laterally shuffle through drill while keeping eyes down field.
• Angle run should be done at a 45 degree angle.
• You should set barriers about 5 yards apart.
• Everytime player hits the 5 yard mark, he plants his near foot, open hips at a 45 degree angle and
start the other way.
• Once you get to the end of the drill sprint for a hard five yards.

https://youtu.be/0gzL17KLrr4

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Maze Drill
• The Maze drill combines sprint, shuffle, backpedal and drops. These are all things that
Linebackers must be good at.

https://youtu.be/Y9cRK4tDbsw

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LB Sprint Drill
• This drill is similar to the “W” drill that you see for LBs.
• Player will start by taking a freeze step, then sprinting at a 45 degree angle forward, then
backpedalling at a 45 degree angle. Keep your eyes downfield and react to the command.
• Do not waste steps in changing direction. Try to change direction with only two steps if possible.

https://youtu.be/-5otT73SVOU

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Tackling
• There are 4 pieces to the textbook tackle
• Hands: Keep your hands by your side in leading up to the tackle so that you can explode them upward at the
moment of impact. Your hands are like guns in the holsters, and at the moment of impact, you are pulling your
pistols. Wrapping up is the key to tackling. Throw your arms into the armpits of the ball-carrier and squeeze your
chest as if you were doing a chest fly weight lift.
• Knees: You have to keep driving your knees when you tackle. If you stop your drive you will get ran over. Starting
from a balanced stance, you should drive your knees upward and into your opponent as you tackle. Your knees
should continue to drive as you make impact and not stop throughout the tackle. This will help you to “run
through” the ball-carrier.
• Hips: Your hips are the most important part of the tackle. Good hip movement comes from first having a
proper stance and body position prior to the tackle. You maintain good body position by utilizing the “shuffle”
technique right before impact. Keep your center of gravity low enough to get your leg power when you
explode into the ball carrier.
• Eyes: You have to keep your eyes open when tackling. You have to see what you are hitting. Remember to keep your
head up. Never use your helmet to tackle.
• If you are too high, you won’t have any power to drive through the ball-carrier
• Don’t tackle with our arms, tackle with our entire body. Don’t miss tackles.

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 Playing For Interceptions
•Do not hesitate. You must aggressively close the distance on a football in the air. Catch the ball at its highest point
•Remember that is your ball too. Total concentration must be on the football when it is in the air. Play the football, not
the receiver.
•Most people make fun of LBs not being able to catch. Catch the football out in front of you with both hands. Work in
practice on catching the ball in front of you with your hands. This takes practice.
•Don’t let the WR make a second chance catch. When contact is made on the football and you cannot control the catch,
knock it down to the ground not in the air for a possible reception
•Keep your pursuit on play away. When the football is thrown in another zone across the field, drive to the ball. You will
get there for a possible tip or to block for the interception.
•When making a break in any direction, drive full speed. Practice a 5-step burst of speed in every angle break drill in
practice this is a great advantage.
•By being aggressive, you can learn to intimidate a player. Go through a receiver’s face mask for a ball.
•If you cannot go for the interception, then go for the pass break up. Punch the ball with either hand as you secure the
tackle. The ball will come loose if the receiver has not put the ball away.
•Learn to judge the long ball. This can only be done by practice. Watch the point of the ball and use one extra step when
judging the ball
•Be ready to intercept a pass if it is deflected - don’t quit on the ball.
•Remember, you have equal rights to the ball once it is in the air so play rough, but always play the ball not the man

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 Creating Turnovers
3 Ways to Cause Fumbles:
• Accidental - Center/QB Exchange, Handoff miscue
• Knock loose - proper tackling (eyes on ball)
• Stripping ball - 2nd & 3rd player (50% of fumbles happen to QB scrambling)

Recovering Fumbles:
• Situational football, you have to know the situation of the game - are you ahead? what is the field
position? what is the time and score?

There are two basic methods of fumble recovery

• Scoop and score - this will change the momentum of the game if you can turn a fumble into position
points for your team
• Cradle and cover - only try to scoop and score if you have a clear path. Otherwise fall onto the ball
into the fetal position.
• Fight for the ball underneath the pile. Many possession changes in to dog fight for the ball.

Interceptions
• Most interceptions come during zone coverage. Develop the mentality that the ball is YOURS

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 Linebacker Film Review Guide
Study the offense each week!

1. What is the RB release technique?_______________________________________________________

2. Do they have any fake technique? (Look For Head Fakes, Stutter Steps, Arm Movement & Body Leans)
________________________________________________________________________
3. RB Type: Speed or Possession
4. How does the RB’s speed relate your speed? Faster Same Slower
5. What is the toughness scale? Physical Fair Soft
6. What are their favorite patterns & Plays? ________________________________________________________
7. Does he have any tipoffs? Yes No What are they?_________________________________
8. Deep & Inside:______________________ Deep & Outside:______________________
9. Deep & Straight:____________________ Short & Inside:_______________________
10.Short & Outside:____________________ Quick Passes:________________________
11.How do they do in man coverage? Good Fair Poor
12.How do they do in zone coverage? Good Fair Poor
13.Who is their primary receiver on 3rd down?____________________________________________
14.What is their run ability after catch?_______________________________________________
15.How do the receivers carry the ball after catch? Tight or Loose

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 Linebacker Film Review Guide (cont.)
Study the OL each week!

How are the O-Line splits?

Base Formation:_____________ Play-Action___________ Drop-Back_____________
Goal-Line:__________________Short-Yardage__________Plays To:______________
Plays Away:____________________

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 Linebacker Film Review Guide (cont.)
What are the QB tendencies?

1. How is his arm strength? Excellent Good Fair Poor

2. How is his accuracy? Excellent Good Fair Poor
3. Is he affected by pressure? Always Sometimes Never
4. What are favorite thrown
routes? :______________________________________________
5. Does He Look Before Throwing? Always Sometimes Never
6. Will He Run? Always Sometimes Never When:_________________________
7. Is he easy to fool on coverages? Always Sometimes Never
8. What is his footwork? 1-Step 3-Step 5-Step 7-Step Sprint Out
9. How does he run play action? Always Sometimes Never
10.Does he run fakes well? Always Sometimes Never
11.How does he tipoff when he’s passing? _______________________

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 Linebacker Film Review Guide (cont.)
What is their Run technique?

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 Linebacker Film Review Guide (cont.)
Other Items

1. Short Yardage Technique:_____________________________________________

2. Goal-Line Technique:_________________________________________________
3. Toughest Plays For Me To Read:________________________________________
4. Downs They Run The Draw:____________________________________________
5. Downs They Run The Screen:__________________________________________
6. Pass Protections Used:_______________________________________________
7. Players Strengths:___________________________________________________
8. Players Weaknesses:_________________________________________________
9. What Must I Do To Successfully Complete My Assignments:________________

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