It happens to the best of us.
Everything we see is telling us RUN, but it ends up being a PASS.
Those Offensive coaches, I swear they do it on purpose.
So how should we react versus Play Action as Linebackers?
Here are a few thoughts.
Note: I’ll use Play Action and RPO almost interchangeably here. The point is that a LB has read RUN, and now it’s a PASS. They are not necessarily the “read player” on an RPO.
Scheme
The first thing to consider during this conversation is your scheme in general. How are your Linebackers taught to react versus the Run? They are, most likely, “run first” players.
So when their keys tell them RUN, are they flying into their Gap? This might result in some great tackles in the backfield, but it also opens you up to Play Action and RPOs.
Maybe in your league that’s a positive tradeoff. No problem there. But if the Play Action/RPOs are starting to add up, you might want their initial reaction to put them in a different position.
Coverage
To add onto our first point, the Coverage you’re playing might dictate things as well.
That is to say, how much responsibility do your LBs have in Pass Coverage? If you’re playing Man-to-Man Coverage around them, maybe they can commit to the Run and not worry about Play Action?
All important questions to consider.
Situation
If you ARE asking your Linebackers to contribute to your Pass Coverage, you’ll need to have a plan for Play Action and RPOs.
The first bit of information your Linebackers can use on gameday is the situation of the play. If it’s 2nd and Long, even if their keys are screaming RUN, they might not want to aggressively press the line of scrimmage.
Formation, personnel, motion — these will all contribute to your Linebacker’s pre-snap thought process when it comes to how likely this is to be an actual Run Play.
Biting on Play Action
If the scouting report tells them it’s a balanced Run vs. Pass situation, they will need to play it honestly when they see RUN keys.
This could mean moving with a Run Gap or following a Puller. It will also likely mean the Linebacker is pressing downhill towards the line of scrimmage a certain amount.
There is nothing wrong with this. It’s what they’re supposed to do.
Once it becomes clear, however, that this was all a trick, they will need to react quickly.
Pulling the Chute
This is the term I use to describe what should happen the moment a Linebacker realizes it was Play Action all along.
We “pull the chute”. We get out of there.
DEPTH is our first priority. Typically, Play Action concepts are paired with routes that travel RIGHT BEHIND the Linebackers they are influencing.
Sometimes Linebackers will think they’re getting enough depth because they’ve executed their normal Pass Drop. The only issue there is that they are not dropping from their normal spot. They have lost at least a few yards when they bit on the Play Action, and gaining those yards back will often make all the difference.
Whatever their responsibility is in your Coverage scheme, getting some DEPTH is often the first priority after biting on Play Action.
No Man’s Land
At times, the Linebacker has bitten so hard on the Play Action that they are on or passed the line of scrimmage. We call this being in “No Man’s Land”.
The worst thing to do when you find yourself in No Man’s Land is to stay there. Pulling the chute is the best course of action — working hard to get depth. If the Linebacker is so committed, however, that they just continue on towards the Quarterback, well that’s football.
Finish
Play Action plays can be tough to defend. But if we recognize them early enough and get enough depth after the fact, we can sometimes make a big play as a Linebacker.
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.