re: playing under control

Focused energy.

Have you ever coached a Linebacker who seemed out of control?

I mean…

We want our Linebackers to be aggressive…

But we don’t want them to be reckless.

Here’s how you tame a wild Linebacker.

Pad Level

It really starts here.

When a Linebacker is playing out of control, they’re usually playing too high.

When they’re high, they can’t change directions.

And they can’t generate power.

Step one for playing under control?

Lowering the pads.

Movement Skills

Some Linebackers just want to sprint.

They fly around the field (which is a good thing)…

But they can’t make plays because their approach is all wrong.

Once Linebackers start to Shuffle and Scrape to start the play, their entire world changes.

Then you can start to harness their aggression.

Finish

It all comes down to this.

Out of control Linebackers might make a few big plays once in a while…

But they can’t help a team win because they’re not consistent.

Pad level and movement skills will help direct their energy.

Then they need to finish.

Final Thoughts

Don’t get me wrong…

We want our Linebackers to be animals on the field.

We just need their energy to be focused in the right direction.

Once they have the fundamentals down…

You can cut them loose and let them play.

All the best,

PS - To take a deep dive into Linebacker fundamentals, check out THE LB LIBRARY today.

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