Linebacker Drill 1

This is a simple drill that can be used to teach several fundamentals of playing the linebacker position. It is a great one to use with young or inexperienced players.

Setup:   

Lay a tackling dummy on its side midway between 2-yard markers (5 yards) and about 2 yards from the sideline. Place a cone at each intersection of the yard lines and sideline.

Players:

Linebacker - The LB starts with his toes on the sideline. Emphasize a good starting stance.

Running Back - The RB starts in a 3 pt stance with his down hand actually resting on the tackling dummy (he can do this drill with or without the ball)

Linebacker Drill 1


Execution:   

The RB decides which side he will run to (with or without the ball). He runs along the dummy until he can cut toward the cone. He does not fake one way and go the other ... he decides which way he wants to run ahead of time and runs directly to that side and then directly to the cone in the corner.

The LB reacts to the RB's movement by exploding to the hole between the dummy and the cone.

Linebacker Drill 1


Execution:   

At the point of contact, emphasize tackling low, wrapping the arms and driving the feet.

Linebacker Drill 1


Execution:   

Here ... the LB is driving the RB out of bounds.

I like to run this drill 2 ways. First I like to run it with LB's as both the RB and the LB. This way it can be run as a competition between LBs ... run it 10 times (or whatever works for you) with an LB in each position giving 1 point to the LB if he can DRIVE the RB out of bounds and 1 point to the RB if he can kick over the corner cone. Switch positions after 10 runs and then continue awarding points in the same fashion.

Second ... run it with strictly LBs in the tackling position and
RBs in the running position, award points accordingly but do not switch.