re: game speed
How to play fast.
I remember this one Linebacker we had…
He didn’t have much speed.
I mean…
We couldn’t even put him on the kickoff team.
But he made plays all over the field as a Linebacker.
So how did he do it?
A couple thoughts…
Instincts
This particular player was very instinctive.
Which always begs the question:
Are Linebackers born with good instincts?
Or are they developed?
It’s probably a bit of both…
But I firmly believe that intense preparation and film study will make any Linebacker look more “instinctive”.
I’ve seen it happen.
Angles
When a Linebacker lacks speed…
They can make up for it with good angles.
Efficient movements make any Linebacker look fast.
“Want to”
With this particular player, there was another factor at play.
Maybe you’ve seen this before?
The kid just wanted to make every tackle.
Time and time again…
He ran past people who would have smoked him during a track meet.
And he just willed himself to make the play.
Final Thoughts
Obviously, speed is a huge asset for Linebackers.
We’d all love it if every one of our Linebackers could fly.
But that’s rarely the case.
If your Linebackers lack speed…
They can still make plays if they focus on the right things.
All the best,
PS — To put it another way, Linebackers play fast when they’ve developed great fundamentals. If you’re looking to take a deep dive into Linebacker fundamentals, check out THE LB LIBRARY. You can find it by clicking here.
Jon Svec
Defensive Coordinator
St. Francis Xavier University
X-Men Football
Email: jsvec@stfx.ca
Twitter: @jonsvecx