How to Read & React to the Play as Linebacker

Video Transcript

"Hi, this is Sean Hobson, for Expert Village. We're talking about linebacker play and the best linebackers that you can have are guys that are athletic and guys that can read the plays. The linebacker's job is to read and react. The first thing he has is gap responsibility. Once the quarterback snaps the ball the first thing he has to do is to take a step up in his gap and read what's coming through the gap. What he recognizes when he steps up in his gap is that our fullback has taken the hand off. This fullback is either going to come through his gap or cut off to the side of his gap. He needs to come up and attack the gap. The tight end will be coming out to make a block. So, he has to read and keep his eyes locked on the running back. If the running back comes to the inside he has to shed the block to the outside, staying alive and make the tackle. If the running back comes to the outside he has to be able to keep a good base and move in a shuffle keeping those guys off and shed that block to be able to get out and make the tackle. The most important thing about the linebacker is can they read the play and be able to react to it. If it's a pass play he has to be able to read it and then react and drop back into pass coverage."