Canadian football Linebackers need to be versatile.
At times, they need to attack things directly and be physical. But when they find themselves with some room to maneuver, they can often use their speed to their advantage.
That’s the topic of the day.
The Picture
I like to break things down into simple scenarios or “pictures”.
In today’s picture we see a Linebacker moving laterally as they track a horizontal run play from the Offence. This could be an Outside Zone, Sweep, Toss, etc.
Then, a blocker shows up. How should the Linebacker defeat this block?
The Advantage
In this picture, it appears as though the Linebacker and the blocker are about to engage in a one-on-one battle.
No matter the size and speed of the players in this scenario, however, one participant has a clear advantage:
The Linebacker can SEE the Ball Carrier. The blocker cannot.
This is a key piece of information that the Linebacker can use to defeat the block with speed.
The Decision
As this play develops, the Linebacker will have one critical decision to make:
Over or under the block?
It will need to happen fast, and the Linebacker may need to go with their instincts if a clear choice has not emerged.
Either way, the key is to be decisive and play fast.
Over the Block
The Linebacker will want to go over the block if they feel the ball carrier will pass the blocker.
Again, this could be a clear choice if the Linebacker SEES the ball carrier in this position.
To execute this technique, the Linebacker will want to use their speed to accelerate past the blocker. A few common finishing tactics here are to Rip through the hands of the blocker or to “lose the shoulder” (aka Dip and Rip) to defeat the block. Once the block is defeated, the Linebacker will want to STACK the blocker so that the blocker cannot recover.
Going over the block is probably the “safer” choice of the two, as there is more room to recover. It’s also a common tactic since the Offence has designed their play to attack the perimeter, which means the ball is likely present itself there.
Under the Block
If the ball carrier has cutback, or the blocker is simply too far ahead of the ball carrier, the Linebacker can go under the block.
This tactic is a little riskier, as the Linebacker is in danger of getting stuck on the block with the ball carrier bouncing at the last second.
We call this “playing with fire”. It can make for an explosive tackle for a loss, but you can also get burned.
A common technique here is to Swat the hands and “Punch Inside” the blocker.
Coaching Point: Whenever you’re winning with speed, you’re attempting to defeat the HANDS of the blocker instead of their entire body.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to take on every block.
There are times it’s necessary, for sure. And we’ll work those techniques too.
But when meeting a blocker in space, it’s often possible for a Linebacker to use their speed and go over or under the block.
All the best,
Jon Svec
Defensive Coordinator
St. Francis Xavier University
X-Men Football
IG: @jonsvecx
Twitter: @jonsvecx
Jon Svec is the author of the e-book Canadian Football Chalk Talk: Defensive Basics.