Playing Linebacker vs. The Passing Game

Linebackers are asked to drop, to match, to blitz and to tackle in space, often on the same series. Jeff McDonald works through the complete technique for playing linebacker against the passing game - reading what is coming before the snap, dropping to the right landmark, playing true man coverage, and rushing the quarterback when the call says go.

What you'll learn

• The detailed elements of tackling, with drills you can put in this week
• The Swoop to Compress fundamental tackling drill
• Pre-snap keys for identifying what kind of pass play is coming
• The Alert and Action drills for handling play-action passes
• Zone pass drop technique and landmarks
• Proper backpedal and crossover movement
• Coaching points for curl, curl to flat, and hook to curl route technique
• Curl to flat progressions and Cover 2 and Cover 3 drops
• Teaching man coverage technique from the basics up
• Pass rush fundamentals: the takeoff, speed moves and counter moves

Who it's for

High school and college linebacker coaches and defensive coordinators whose linebackers are exposed against spread passing teams, and anyone who needs a clear teaching order for zone drops, man coverage and the blitz rush.

About the coach

Jeff McDonald coached linebackers at Wesleyan University and was an assistant at Yale, where the defense ranked first in the FCS in scoring defense.

Drill work and technique demonstration throughout. Part 2 of Coach McDonald's three-part series on linebacker play. Runtime: about 75 minutes.