NEVADA WOLF PACK
LINEBACKERS
WE HUNT. WE EAT.
RELENTLESS
5 KEYS TO SUCCESS
1.Stance / Alignment / Keys &
Footwork
2.Block Destruction
3.Pursuit / Tackling
4.Coverage Drops
5.Blitz Techniques
STANCE: Comfortable stance, feet
shoulder width apart, good flexion in
knees and hips, flat back, forward lean
with eyes up, hands comfortable ready
to deliver a blow, weight on the meat of
the foot.
ALIGNMENT: based on Defense called.
Vertical and Horizontal alignments.
43 defenses --- Toes at 5 yds.
33 defenses --- Toes at 4 yds.
KEYS: Keys are either flow keys or
surface keys depending on the
offensive formation and the defense
called. Some will require a combination
of flow keys and surface keys.
FOOTWORK: CLEAN YOUR CLEATS..
Footwork is based on read step and
slide or a second read step and slide.
This will turn into a pressing of the
L.O.S, a crossover run or a plant and
redirect if the key dictates.
FACT: On every play someone is
assigned to block you!! You can
get blocked but DO NOT stay
blocked.
Butt & Press: Hat & Hands
Arm/ Short Arm), Stunner
(Long
Squeeze: Keep gap half free (Hand
& Leg), Backer Force
Pry: Take on the Blocker thick on
his inside half, lead fits
Pierce: Aggressive attack the
inside of a blocker to make the ball
bubble
Double Arm Bar: 9 Technique on a
Base Block
Cut Block: Outside Hand on Head
gear, Inside Hand on shoulder pad
WOLF PACK PURSUIT
1.Its 90% Mental
a. You must want to get there!
b. You must discipline yourself to do it every play!
2.How we Pursue!
a. Read your keys and play your gap responsibility!
b. Escape blocks and take the proper angle to the ball! NO
CUTBACKS!
c. Leverage the ball properly 100% of the time so the rest of
the defense knows where the ball is heading!
d. Never assume the ball carrier is tackles or that some one
else on the defense will make the tackle! (GANG TACKLE)
e. 1 Force Player and 10 SHARKS!
WHAT PURSUIT DOES
FOR OUR DEFENSE
1. Eliminates long touchdowns
2. It wears down our opponents and intimidates any
future opponent.
3. Improves our Tackling Efficiency by eliminating
cut back lanes.
4. Creates Takeaway opportunities all over the field!
5. It allows us to consistently STOP THE RUN!
BE RELENTLESS
TACKLING
a. Eye the Target
b. Close the
Distance
c. Sink your Hips
d. Contact Chest to
Chest
e. Club Arms Grab
Cloth
f. Roll Hips
g. Buzz Feet
TACKLING
(CONTINUED)
a. Straight on tackle:
Outside foot lead
b. Angle Tackle: Eyes on
near number thru to the
ball, close the shoulder,
close the gate.
c. Open Field Tackle: Close
ground and shimmy-
compress keeping good
balance and inside out
leverage. Fire your
gun.
COVERAGE DROPS
a. Spot Drops: Find your
landmark and adjust to a
receiver in that area. Dont
chase, but dont cover grass.
(Cover 2 drops)
b. Seam Drops: Collision
opportunities. Hold your seam
until the ball takes you to the
flat. Understand what we want
to give up and rally to it.
c. Tilt Drops: Mostly cover 3
drops where we will hold our
tilt and react to a QB visual
action. (2 zone drops
Curl/Flat and Hook/Curl)
BLITZ TECHNIQUES
a. Hedging to a blitz Inside
foot up as you hedge.
b. Stemming to time a blitz
and improve the blitz angle.
c. Block decision on second
level blocks. (Inside
half/Outside half) How does
my blitz fit with the others
involved?
d. Body position on the
protector. Dont take it on
too thick. Battle of wills!
e. Green Dog opportunities.
Dont miss the opportunity
to add on. Mental approach
and understanding the
scheme.
LINEBACKER
DRILLS
#RELENTLESS!
BAG DRILLS
1. Shuffle
2. W Drill
3. 3 bags Re-direct (with block destruction)
4. 3 bags Shuffle and Squeeze Drill (with leverage
tackle)
5. 3 bags Shuffle and Cut Drill (with angle tackle)
6. Downhill bags with a shimmy compress on bag.
(Body position)
7. Downhill bags (with scoop and score)
8. Downhill bags with Squeeze Drill (with leverage
tackle)
9. Downhill bags with Cut Drill (with angle tackle)
STANCE & START DRILL
1.Line Drill (5 yard bursts)
1. Quick Shuffle
2. Lateral Shuffle
3. Alley Run
4. Partner Shuffle/Alley
2.Step Drill
1. 1 step slide
2. 2 step slide
3. 2 step Redirect (pull calls)
3.Flow Drill Dive/Slant/Sweep
4.Flow Drill on Barrels with run gap fits
5.Cone Drill (Sprint/Shuffle/Vice/Body Position)
BLOCK DESTRUCTION
DRILLS
1. Knee Thrust (6 point punch) Shrug Drill
2. 2 Point punch Shrug Drill
3. Press/Snatch
4. Press Play Behind
5. Pry Drill (Match the back)
6. Force Drill (Leverage the back Squeeze or
Spill)
7. Punch Separate on Sled
8. 3 on 1 --- block destruction
9. 9 Tech Drills Arm Bar, Reach and Spill
10.Chop Drills
W DRILL
1.Backpedal and Drive (with scoop
and score)
2.Side Run and Drive
3.Backpedal break up side run
Finish with catch
4.Box Drill
TACKLING DRILLS
1.Angle Tackle (4 cone)
2.3 on 1 tackle (R/L and Middle)
3.Eye Opener
4.Balance Angle Tackle (4 cone)
5.Door Tackle
6.Roll Tackle (Wrap-Snatch-Roll)
7.4 point
8.Low 2 point
9.5 yard burst
DROP DRILLS
1.Ladder Drill Foot Fire
2.Peddle 45 Drive
3.45 - Drive
4.Drop (QB Trigger Feet)
5.Tilt Drop (QB Indicator)
6.Two cone drop and react on QB feet
7.Flip-Pedal-Re-flip (MLB)
8.V Drill with Throw
9.Vice Drill Hash drop and break on QB hand
off the ball (2 on 1 and 3 on 2)
10.
Hash Drop Drill 2 LBs vs. 3 WR
(Break on QBs Feet/Hand off the ball)
MISCELLANEOUS DRILLS
1.Man Coverage Drills
2.3 way Drill
3.2 way Drill
4.Pass Rush Drill
5.Hedge Blitz Drill
6.Strip Drills
IF YOU CONTINUE TO
DO WHAT YOU HAVE
ALWAYS DONE, YOU
WILL CONTINUE TO GET
THE SAME RESULT!
DO MORE!
RELENTLESS!
