Linebacker Communication

Oct 23, 2024

Linebackers are right in the middle of everything.

They are the bridge between the Defensive Line and the Secondary.

This means they can play a big part in your defensive communication.

Here are some tips for helping your Linebackers be more vocal on the field.

Build the Vocabulary

Each defensive unit has its own language.

Buzzwords, unique naming systems, checks.

These need to be developed and drilled.

Once everyone understand the language, it’s easier to communicate.

It’s hard to communicate if you don’t know where to look.

I remind our Linebackers to “say what you see”.

But that’s not helpful unless they’re seeing the right things.

Get the eyes right first.

A confident Linebacker is often a loud Linebacker.

Empower them to speak.

Coach them up on what to say and when.

They’ll be barking out calls in no time.

I saved this for last but it might be the most important point:

Not every Linebacker needs to be vocal.

I’ve coached some great Linebackers who didn’t say much.

They just made plays.

It’s helpful to have at least one member of the unit be comfortable enough to speak up.

If you have that, then let them do the talking.

Let the rest just play.

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 fundamentals with the Linebacker Toolbox 2.0.