| FTBL Why do coaches teach their linebackers to be overly aggressive?

[Scrape&Search1032]

I know some of us on here have discussed this at some point before, but it's a topic I keep seeing, and hearing among coaches and their programs. I severely disapprove of this style of coaching with linebackers, I understand that you want your linebackers to physical against blockers, and against the run game.... But there's comes a point where thats just not viable anymore. There's so many problems with this style in linebackers, overrunning plays, being too aggressive downhill against the run, which can lead to big gains if tne linebacker gets picked up by the offense, or he just completely whiffs in the backfield, or misses the tackle in the backfield. I can't tell you how many times I've seen this happen at all levels of football, it's frustrating to watch. And to hear coaches say "Well, at least he was aggressive going towards the ball" makes me want to pull my teeth out. Don't even want to get started on shedding techniques, that a whole other topic I'll get into at another time. Anyway, my point is , why would you teach something that has such a high risk to reward factor? I've seen an entire game to where a team was doing really well against a heavy run offense, later in that same game I believe the other team called a draw play in 11 personell from shotgun, pulled their backside guard, the backside linebacker reads it really well, only to then over pursue the play, fit the wrong gap, get walled off by a lineman, and then boom.... 60 yard touchdown. I just don't understand it, if anyone in here runs, or has run this style of linebacker play, let me know... I'd like to understand better as to why aside from " I want them to be aggressive".

 

[Justneedme81]

Because that's how it works......

 

[Justneedme81]

And what makes you think they're coaching that on purpose?

 

[mando]

No idea how they teach it these days (I am old) but when I played back in the middle ages you were taught be agressive and fight across the head of the blocker. Stand up the blocker. Doing that you can go either direction as needed. In this scenario you are controlling your gap. I was a strong safety and not a LB but we had to come down and play the run.

I say all of this to say you are taught to be agressive but play physical so you can shed the blocker and control your gap. I think what you are describing could be agressive LB's not fighting across the blocker and running around them which doesn't control the gap. It opens up the gap and creates a running lane. Maybe this is poor technique or in some cases the other team just blocked it well.

 

[Scrape&Search1032]

And what makes you think they're coaching that on purpose?

Because they install at practice, run through drills with it, and go over it over and over and over in spring, fall camp, and the entire season. That's why. It's not by accident.

 

[Scrape&Search1032]

No idea how they teach it these days (I am old) but when I played back in the middle ages you were taught be agressive and fight across the head of the blocker. Stand up the blocker. Doing that you can go either direction as needed. In this scenario you are controlling your gap. I was a strong safety and not a LB but we had to come down and play the run.

I say all of this to say you are taught to be agressive but play physical so you can shed the blocker and control your gap. I think what you are describing could be agressive LB's not fighting across the blocker and running around them which doesn't control the gap. It opens up the gap and creates a running lane. Maybe this is poor technique or in some cases the other team just blocked it well.

You can do all these things without giving up an astronomical amount of yardage because of overrunning plays. Watch how Alabama, or Georgia linebackers plays. Their "Scrape and Search", or "stack and track" philosophy has been extremely successful. They (usually) do not give up big plays against the run. They teach them to play every run inside out, take your read step, fill your correct gap assignment, keep your eyes up and shoulders squared the entire play. They try to force the runner outside by using this philosophy, this keeps cutback lanes form forming and makes sure all gaps are filled throughout the play. If they happen to run into traffick, they're taught to be physical when taking on a blocker. You don't sacrifice physicality with this technique, you just try to ensure you don't give as many yards as possible. And you're right, sometimes the offense is just gonna win sometimes, but overrunning plays does not help one bit.

 

[Scrape&Search1032]

And what makes you think they're coaching that on purpose?

Sometimes a player is gonna mess up in some way, that's almost always going to happen. But you make those odds in even worse when you teach them something like this. I'm all for wanting your linebackers to play physical, fast, and violent. But this is just one of those things that I feel like it puts you're team at a greater risk of failure than success. Teams can also draw up plays that take advantage of this as well, Alabama did it to Arkansas just last year.

 

[Justneedme81]

Sometimes a player is gonna mess up in some way, that's almost always going to happen. But you make those odds in even worse when you teach them something like this. I'm all for wanting your linebackers to play physical, fast, and violent. But this is just one of those things that I feel like it puts you're team at a greater risk of failure than success. Teams can also draw up plays that take advantage of this as well, Alabama did it to Arkansas just last year.

Auburn under Kevin Steele......

 

[mando]

Sometimes a player is gonna mess up in some way, that's almost always going to happen. But you make those odds in even worse when you teach them something like this. I'm all for wanting your linebackers to play physical, fast, and violent. But this is just one of those things that I feel like it puts you're team at a greater risk of failure than success. Teams can also draw up plays that take advantage of this as well, Alabama did it to Arkansas just last year.

Our LB crew recently does not seem to be as physical which I think has been a problem. I do not believe To'o To'o (sp?) was a physical LB. Not alot of Raglands, Fosters etc... on the field recently at ILB.

 

[TerryP]

Our LB crew recently does not seem to be as physical which I think has been a problem. I do not believe To'o To'o (sp?) was a physical LB. Not alot of Raglands, Fosters etc... on the field recently at ILB.

Both of those guys started on special teams. Their impact was seen in '12-'14. Let's look at '13 as an example.

Did the offenses that HTT saw resemble any teams in say...'13? The answer is one; Oklahoma. A Bama loss, by the way. The middle/core of the defense was slow.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

Sometimes a player is gonna mess up in some way, that's almost always going to happen. But you make those odds in even worse when you teach them something like this. I'm all for wanting your linebackers to play physical, fast, and violent. But this is just one of those things that I feel like it puts you're team at a greater risk of failure than success. Teams can also draw up plays that take advantage of this as well, Alabama did it to Arkansas just last year.

They teach being physical First, then technique second. Overrunning plays is a result of bad technique or a bad read. And as the game progresses, the physicality of the game will play its toll on everyone where technique starts to get sloppy. So if you have an LB that can't hold up to the physicality of the game, technique will go right with it.

Also, every form of offense has a tell of some kind & that is why studying game film is so vital. Every now & then an offense is going to introduce something the defense has never seen before. This happens more in championship games than any because offenses are pulling out all the stops. So, as you mentioned there are going to be more mess ups at that time. It is what it is. That's why it is important to play the next play.

But getting back to being physical. It is almost like this characteristic can't really be taught. You can show how to use technique shed blocks better for example. But if the player doesn't have a LOVE for the physicality of the game & a high tolerance for pain... well, they have no business playing LB or anywhere near lines of scrimmage. I've seen too many players near the lines of scrimmage get exposed. And once exposed, game over. The other team will stop a mud-hole dry through that weak spot.

 

[TerryP]

. I've seen too many players near the lines of scrimmage get exposed. And once exposed, game over. The other team will stop a mud-hole dry through that weak spot.

Mason Smith. Run right at him.

 

[BamaFan334]

Our LB crew recently does not seem to be as physical which I think has been a problem. I do not believe To'o To'o (sp?) was a physical LB. Not alot of Raglands, Fosters etc... on the field recently at ILB.

He was not recruited to be "physical" like Ragland and Foster. He was recruited to be just big enough to defend the run, but also have the abilty to cover in pass. That's why they transformed Reuben Foster's body towards the end of his career to help with the spread.

Looks like we are getting back to that 6'3/6'4 - 220-240 linebacker, but more lean where they can run, but also big enough to stuff the run. Stuffing the run and getting pressure is where we need ro be in my mind. Recruit better strong and free safeties to cover that middle of the field area.

Georgia has a blitz package that allows them to still utilize that smaller backer and see results. Their guys range from 5'11-6'3 - 205-225. Nikobi Dean is the 5'11 guy, but he could read a play and explode.

 

[Justneedme81]

He was not recruited to be "physical" like Ragland and Foster. He was recruited to be just big enough to defend the run, but also have the abilty to cover in pass. That's why they transformed Reuben Foster's body towards the end of his career to help with the spread.

Looks like we are getting back to that 6'3/6'4 - 220-240 linebacker, but more lean where they can run, but also big enough to stuff the run. Stuffing the run and getting pressure is where we need ro be in my mind. Recruit better strong and free safeties to cover that middle of the field area.

Georgia has a blitz package that allows them to still utilize that smaller backer and see results. Their guys range from 5'11-6'3 - 205-225. Nikobi Dean is the 5'11 guy, but he could read a play and explode.

Alabama has a blitz package too. I believe both teams have same concept, but Kirby is using older version of Alabama .. it works but I suspect he'll run into same problem Alabama had.

 

[Scrape&Search1032]

Overrunning plays is a result of bad technique or a bad read.

Within certain systems, yes. This system I have a problem with can make reading your keys correctly obsolete, all because of the technique they've been taught by their coaches.

 

[Scrape&Search1032]

But getting back to being physical. It is almost like this characteristic can't really be taught. You can show how to use technique shed blocks better for example. But if the player doesn't have a LOVE for the physicality of the game & a high tolerance for pain... well, they have no business playing LB or anywhere near lines of scrimmage. I've seen too many players near the lines of scrimmage get exposed. And once exposed, game over. The other team will stop a mud-hole dry through that weak spot.

In complete agreement with you in this. You've probably noticed as well, but too many linebackers sit there and wait for contact to come to them, they're gonna get manhandled by lineman if they do, and they have. Always initiate the contact, never wait.

 

[Scrape&Search1032]

Both of those guys started on special teams. Their impact was seen in '12-'14. Let's look at '13 as an example.

Did the offenses that HTT saw resemble any teams in say...'13? The answer is one; Oklahoma. A Bama loss, by the way. The middle/core of the defense was slow.

I'd put A&M, and Ole Miss in that category as well. They resemble to what we play against today in modern football. You could also possibly put Tennessee from that year, and Auburn as well. Tennessee didn't do shit that game, but Jones ran a modern offense at the time, Auburn was a spread to run team, and use a lot of motioning from various positions pre-snap, they were also very uptempo.

 

[BamaFan334]

Alabama has a blitz package too. I believe both teams have same concept, but Kirby is using older version of Alabama .. it works but I suspect he'll run into same problem Alabama had.

I agree. Something will eventually give and teams will learn to scheme around it. Just like they did us. Nothing works for too long in this ever evolving world with the different philosophies coaches come in with and thay others adjust to.

 

[Justneedme81]

I agree. Something will eventually give and teams will learn to scheme around it. Just like they did us. Nothing works for too long in this ever evolving world with the different philosophies coaches come in with and thay others adjust to.

The Ohio state game exposed Georgia the same way they exposed Bama ... It was essentially the same setup. My prediction is they will struggle this fall slowing the game down.

SC, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Auburn? All play fast. you got Kiffin, and Hupel, Freeze....

 

[mando]

My prediction is they will struggle this fall slowing the game down.

By they you mean Bama or someone else?