How To Play Faster As A Linebacker

Dec 18, 2024

I’m not a track coach.

I can’t help players improve their 40 times.

But without GETTING faster, you can still PLAY faster as a Linebacker.

Here are 3 ways to do it.

Improve Your Reads

Speeding up your Reads will get you to the point of attack faster.

It’s all about training your eyes.

You can do this through drill work and by watching film.

Get your initial Read quickly, then confirm your Read with great eye discipline.

It’s the simplest way to make more plays.

Linebackers don’t always sprint in a straight line.

They need to be great at Shuffling and Scraping, as well as Shooting the play.

And when these movements improve, so does a Linebacker’s Change of Direction skills.

You’ll play faster if you’re not wasting steps.

Looking for some DRILLS to work Linebacker Reads and movement skills? You’ll find them in Linebacker Drills 2.0.

Sure, it’s important to memorize plays.

But it’s more important to understand concepts.

As a defensive unit, where are you funneling the football?

Are you Spilling the ball? Boxing?

Understand the entire defensive structure.

That way, when things break down, you’ll still be able to fly to the football.

Of course, Linebackers should always be working on their actual speed.

But if you combine a FAST player with someone who KNOWS how to play the position, you’ll find a dominant Linebacker.

All the best,

Jon Svec
Defensive Coordinator
St. Francis Xavier University
X-Men Football
Email: jsvec@stfx.ca
Twitter: @jonsvecx

Take a DEEP DIVE into Linebacker play with Linebacker Toolbox 2.0 and Linebacker Drills 2.0.