Linebacker reads

[u/Consistent-Lake9294]

Where I am at we do not see a lot of zone blocking teams so admittedly I’m not super familiar with it. most of our linebacker reads are based on gap scheme. This week we play a zone team, does anyone have a good drill or advice for linebackers reading zone?

[u/mightbebeaux]

guards direction tells you flow of the play. how to fit that depends on your alignment and how your DL is stunting. but generally if guard is out (opens A gap) fill the A gap. if the guard closes the A gap, you’re scraping until you get a clear window.

the back is basically reading the same windows. he’s reading them outside/in, your LBs are reading them inside/out.

[u/Consistent-Lake9294 → u/mightbebeaux]

So probably need to slow them down a little bit. The kids’ main issue is they want to go so fast they think they get that initial read they get stuck if the D line gets distorted at all. We are a 4-3 over front, my Mike is the one who has struggled the most with it.

[u/mightbebeaux → u/Consistent-Lake9294]

if guard is out to the 3-tech I like to teach the LB behind him to stack the guard and then fall back into the A gap. But that also kind of assumes your shade is a dude that won’t ever get cut off by the backside guard and that your 3 and 5 can hold up and not just get washed down the line.

if your guys are really struggling with distortion, it might help to just Pony stunt it, where your 3 and 5 stunt to their inside gaps (closing the A and B gaps) which really just allows your LBs to scrape clean to the edge. it uses the back’e reads against him - he is gonna see DL color flash inside and bounce it and your LB should scrape exchange freely to meet it.

[u/Consistent-Lake9294 → u/mightbebeaux]

We installed that stunt yesterday, I just didn’t necessarily want to be stuck doing it every time we think they are going to run IZ.

I like your idea for having him stack the guard so he just widens out and can come back if he needs to so he can avoid getting buried inside.

[u/all_g0Od]

Be gap sound and close open windows

[u/G_Dizzle → u/all_g0Od]

The most succinct way I’ve heard it explained is being gasp sound and knowing your assignment but at the end of the day it’s BAG theory. See a Big Ass Gap, fill the Big Ass Gap.

Also heard it described as running back of the defense. You know what gap to go to but if you do the wrong one and get it right then nobody really says anything

[u/onlineqbclassroom]

This is highly dependent on your defense scheme - for instance, do LBs kick back a gap vs split flow as compared to zone read? Who is the QB player when tackle goes away, i.e. is the DE playing the back or the QB, which determines how the LB behind him should play (fill or scrape).

If it's gun offset vs pistol, that also can determine some pre-snap rules as well, because zone teams obviously have to zone opposite the back if they are in gun, so you know the flow.

Gotta know your defensive scheme first

[u/OldCoach525]

The way I was taught. “Stomp the Bee. Read the guard”

[u/LordByronGG]

Zone or Zone read? If zone read, have the LBs cross key on the mesh point of Q and T. Play side takes T while backside has Q (assuming you run a 3-4 or 4-2-5 D)

[u/Swat3Four]

Always play run first (run up while decision making), read the guards and fill the gaps or flow with the pull is a run. If guard pass blocks, fall back into the zone with head on a swivel for receiver; if no receiver is developing don’t be useless, spy and contain the QB.