Position Manual:

Linebackers

Justin Dottavio
(904) 504-0483
justin.Dottavio@gmail.com

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Table of Contents:
Fundamentals

Tackling

Run Defense

Pass Drops

Reads

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 Fundamentals

It starts with stance

When you’re coaching any position, but especially Linebackers, everything starts with your stance.

Coaching Points:
Tits - Knees - Toes
Flat backs
Eyes on your read

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 Fundamentals

Read steps put Linebackers in the position to make a play

If you’re an inside LB you’re probably reading guard to near back, outside tackle to
near back.

Coaching Points:
Good stance
Short, quick, jab steps
Stay low - eyes up!

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 Fundamentals

Scrape steps keep LB’ers from over running the ball

Go back and watch film of Brian Bosworth, the guy has the most Muhammad Ali like footwork and
it’s all predicated on a great scrape

Coaching Points:
Stay low
Stay parallel
Work downhill

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 Fundamentals

Follow the ball is a great way to keep eyes up

Follow the ball drill is a great way to ensure stance, read steps, and scrapes are being done and done in a
controlled environment

Coaching Points:
Scrape fluidly, not stiff
Don’t over pursue
Eyes up, chest square to the line of scrimmage

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 Tackling

Heads Up Tackling
I believe in tackling from the ground-up.

Tips:
Eyes to the sky
Shoot the hips
Throw the hands
Drive for 5

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 Tackling

Heads Up Tackling
I believe in tackling through steps and procedure

Tips:
Eyes to the sky
Shoot the hips
Throw the hands
Drive for 5

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 Tackling

Hawk Tackling
Again, I believe in tackling from the ground-up.

Tips:
Head behind the tackle
Eyes to the sky
Shoot the hips
Throw the hands
Drive for 5

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 Tackling

Hawk Tackling
To learn the hawk tackle you have to go over it and teach it

Tips:
Head behind the tackle
Eyes to the thighs
Shoot the hips
Throw the hands
Drive for 5

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 Tackling

Hawk & Roll

Another form of finish is the Hawk & Roll or Gator Roll as some call it. This is a
great drill to get larger tacklers to the ground.

Coaching Points:
Head behind the ball carrier
Eyes to the thighs
Grab the thighs and roll

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 Run Defense

Wax on / Wax off

There are 3 parts to making a play at LB. The first part is to rip the hands of a blocker off of
you. I teach it like Karate Kid, wax off Daniel Son!

Coaching Points:
Get in your GHP or Good Hitting Position
Rip violently
Stay square

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 Run Defense

Fill him with 55%

Block destruction is a huge part of linebacker play and learning to fit a fullback on
inside runs, kick outs, or guards on trap is vital.

Coaching Points:
Win the battle of leverage
Give him 55% of the body
Same Shoulder / Same Leg

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 Run Defense

Fit him up for the finish

Part 3 of rip, fit, finish is the finish. You have to secure the tackle in order to find
success. We use the “Hawk Tackling” technique of Pete Carroll.

Coaching Points:
Head behind the ball carrier
Eyes to the thighs
Drive for 5

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 Run Defense

A-B-C Drill
After practicing each of these parts separately, we incorporate them together into
the A-B-C Drill. This drill teaches the linebackers to rip, fill, and fit with minimal
contact and a little conditioning throw in if you can rotate quickly!

Coaching Points:
Take read steps
Stay low
Finish strong but safe

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 Run Defense

X-Y-Z Drill
The X-Y-Z Drill is a complement to the A-B-C Drill. XYZ will teach the linebackers how
to get off a cut or just over some bodies that have been knocked around. It’s great for
work on getting their eyes back up to the play.

Coaching Points:
Punch the cut guy into the ground
Return your eyes to the fill
Finish strong but safe

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 Pass Drops

W-Drill
A great pass drop drill that teaches back pedal, 45 degree drops, and opens the
hips is the W-Drill. It’s great for LB’s and DB’s.

Coaching Points:
Take your read steps
Feel the field/cones, don’t look
Open your hips for cross-over run
Secure the interception and finish through

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 Pass Drops

Line Drill
Line drill is another pass drop drill and is great for pre-game warm-ups. Line drill
teaches LB’s (and DB’s) to take read steps, react to the QB’s shoulder, and hit their
drops and make a play.

Coaching Points:
Take your read steps
Open your hips and run
Catch the ball at the highest point

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 Reads

Linebackers
I like the phrases “To” “At” and “Away” for my linebackers

Above- use the MLB as an example (Triangle on him)

“To” would be in your direction, but not directly to you

ex. Iso for an OLB, or toss for an ILB

“At” would mean directly at you

ex. Iso for an ILB, toss for an OLB

“Away” would mean away from your side

ex. Toss left and you’re the right ILB or OLB

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 Reads (Shotgun Cross-Reads)

Inside Linebackers
ILB in the 4-2-5 will read shotgun backs as cross-reads

As my opposite back comes inside, I will have to play into my gap after my
reads and assume it’s coming “at” me.

Still know your personnel and situation- is it a running QB? A primarily blocking
FB? A TB that likes to cut back?

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 Reads

Inside Linebackers
I teach my Mike and Will (in a 4-2-5) to read the guards to the near back. We
read to and away for flow.

Reads:
At- the OL or FB comes directly at you
Pull- You see your OG pull to your side or away from your side
Pass- pass set with head back, arms extended, feet horizontal
Down/Combo- Combo to 2nd level

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 Reads

Inside Linebackers
I teach my Mike and Will (in a 4-2-5) to read the guards to the near back. We read
to and away for flow.

Reads:
At- the OL or FB comes directly at you
Pull- You see your OG pull to your side or away from your side
Pass- pass set with head back, arms extended, feet horizontal
Down/Combo- Combo to 2nd level

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 Reads

Outside Linebackers
When I ran a 3-4 or 4-4 with true OLB’s, I would teach them to read the tackle and
watch for to and away flow.

Reads:
At- The OT comes right at you
Pull- You see your OT pull away
Pass- Pass set/kick slide
Down/Combo- watch for kick

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 Reads

Outside Linebackers
When I ran a 3-4 or 4-4 with true OLB’s, I would teach them to read the tackle and
watch for to and away flow.

Reads:
At- The OT comes right at you
Pull- You see your OT pull away
Pass- Pass set/kick slide
Down/Combo- watch for kick

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 Video Links

Click the link here to watch my

video on Tackling Drills

Click the link here to watch my

video on Linebacker Drills

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Position Manual:
Linebackers

Justin Dottavio

(904) 504-0483

justin.Dottavio@gmail.com

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