LBC: Leaders By Choice
O n behalf of David Bennett and the
entire defensive staff at Catawba
College, Richard Kent (DC), Jim Tomsula
(DL) and Ryan Haglan (OLB), it is an honor
to contribute some of our ideas to the 2001
Summer Manual. I was asked to write on a
subject that plays one-third of a role of a
very good defense. Since the staff’s arrival
in 1995, we have been able to develop a
program that competed in a tough South
Atlantic Conference. The progress from
year-to-year in every area of our program
has made the staff’s time here very enjoy-
able. We were able to watch an average
defensive unit in 1995 mature into one that
has ranked among the best in every cate-
gory nationally over the past five seasons.
Our success can be attributed to our play-
ers’ hard work and dedication. Within our
conference, our defense was the No. 1
ranked rush defense (1996-2000), total
defense (1997-2000) and scoring defense
(1997-2000). Nationally, we ranked in the
Top 10 in the same categories during the
same years. In 1999, we led Division II in
rush defense (53 yards per game) and
2000 scoring defense (8.3 points per
game). Those were just a few defensive
Curtis Walker accomplishments that our players have
worked so very hard to reach in order to
Linebackers Coach continue the tradition of Catawba defense.
Catawba College Linebacker Play at Catawba College
Philosophy: Our philosophy of line-
Salisbury, N.C. backer play is very simple. Linebackers are
the leaders of the defense. They are
responsible for all calls made for alignment,
strength of formation and adjustments to
formations. I feel that this role is perfect for
a linebacker. Linebackers are the only play-
ers on the defense to gain control of the
huddle and speak to them every play of the
game. With this control, they are forced into
a leadership role. It is up to them to make
the best of it.
Attitude: We can’t stress how important
it is for a linebacker to be a leader in every
aspect of his life. He must be a leader on
campus, in the classroom, weight training,
conditioning and on the field. They are all
important for the development of a leader.
Stance: The stance is the most impor-
tant part of linebacker play. A player must
be put in a stance he can be most suc-
cessful in. Here is what I teach my guys
about their stance:
• Feet parallel.
• Shoulder width apart.
• Bend at knees, hips and ankles.
• AFCA Summer Manual — 2001 •
• Chest out with back flat.
• Weight on the balls of your feet.
• YOU MUST BE COMFORTABLE.
Being in a comfortable position from the
start will enable the linebacker to be
relaxed in his stance. He will not have any
wasted movements getting to the ball. A
player in a stance that he isn’t comfortable
in will first relax and then react to the play.
Our linebacker will start every drill in a
good stance. Even if we are just running
through bags in pre-practice. This will
develop a feel for a comfortable stance.
Diagram 1: Triangle
Keys/Reads: In our scheme of defense,
our linebackers have to understand the tri-
angle (Diagram 1). The triangle will give
them all they will need in diagnosing the
play. The first key will be the initial key. The
initial key is a runningback for direction.
The only movement that I am looking for
from this key is his read step. The read step
is a six-inch jab step. The read step will
give them movement but will not get them
out of position. His next phase in the trian-
gle will be finding his under key. The under
key is used to identify the intent of the
block. Finding the uncovered linemen will
be the best under key. This key will show
you one of four blocks that you can use to
identify the play. The blocks that you may
see will be base, cut off, down block and
pass block. Identifying the block will give
you an indication on what play you may
see. It will also help your linebacker know
his fit in the defensive scheme.
Diagram 2A: Base Block
Base Block: The linebacker will have
to force the line of scrimmage with his out-
side pad free. Having his leverage point
lower than the opponent does. He needs
to plant his outside foot to set the anchor
so that he doesn’t lose ground in his gap
of responsibility.
Diagram 2B: Cut Off Block
Cut Off: Understanding that he can’t get
cut off for the outside run, the linebacker
needs to work to get over the top. He has
to be a frontside player and let the nose
guard and the backside linebacker play the
cut back. He needs to use the scrape tech-
nique to get over the top. If he is cut off, he
should shoot his hands to the lineman’s
breast plate and work push/pull technique.
Diagram 2C: Down Block
Back or Down Block: One of the easi-
er reads for the linebacker. The linebacker
will have to force the line of scrimmage if
his initial key is at him. He will need to keep
the same leverage with his outside pad free
attacking the fullback on the offensive side
of the line of scrimmage.
Diagram 2D: Pass Block
Pass Block: Look for the high hat or the
passive blocks. Pre-snap key will also help
in determining if it is a pass block or not.
The progression happens in a split second.
You have to be able to read on the run.
Once you have determined what type of
play it is, run or pass, you have to read the
lane of the quarterback. The quarterback
has three different lanes that he uses. Lane
one (Diagram 3) the quarterback has the
Diagram 3: Lane 1
Diagram 4: Lane 2
Diagram 5: Lane 3
ball on the line of scrimmage. Lane one is a
run lane for linebackers and should force
the line of scrimmage in his gap of respon-
sibility. Lane two (Diagram 4) is an off the
line read for the linebacker. It is a tough
read! The linebacker needs to treat it like
run or pass. Definite play action pass or
deep run. Slower read for the linebacker but
enough time react to run or pass. Stress
that he shouldn’t move until he passes the
last draw threat. Lane three (Diagram 5) is
the straight dropback read from the quarter-
back. There is still a threat of draw but usu-
ally a passing play for the quarterback. Our
linebackers become more active the more
they understand the triangle.
There is a drill that I like that has helped
our linebackers with the understanding of
reading the triangle. The drill is aligned
exactly like what are shown in Diagrams
2A-D. I will give the linemen a blocking
scheme and the back a direction. From
there the linebacker has to make the cor-
rect steps to his gap of responsibility. I like
to work this drill without a ball at first just to
see their movements. Once we start get-
ting the hang of the drill, we will move to
other phases by adding the quarterback in
lanes 1-3. They will start to see the triangle
• AFCA Summer Manual — 2001 •
better and better with repetition. I think that
it is a great drill for checking gaps of
responsibilities with your defensive calls. It
is very useful because the drill will change
weekly with the change of offensive block-
ing schemes.
The headline is L.B.C., which means
Leaders By Choice. During my first year at
Catawba, my players and I wanted to
decide on a catch phrase that we could
hang our hats on. We came up with this
phrase because it was a true meaning of
what we needed to stand for. We wanted to
be known as leaders. We decided that our
linebackers needed to be leaders not only
on the field but also in the weight room,
conditioning, the classroom and communi-
ty. It is important to understand and adapt
this responsibility into our everyday lives.
We have a built in reminder by breaking
down to L.B.C. whenever we are together.
I truly feel that this understanding has been
part of our defensive success.
Thanks for letting me share some ideas
of linebacker play. Once again, I want to
thank the AFCA for the opportunity to con-
tribute to the 2001 Summer Manual. I hope
these ideas can help you in the basic
teaching of linebacker play. The lineback-
ers are only part of the defense. We try to
understand our role and help make the unit
a whole. Good luck in 2001!
The American
Football Coaches
Association
Promotes Positive
Recruiting
Practices
All Coaches: Be positive. Talk
about your institution and not other
institutions.
Head Coaches: If you have a
recruiting problem with another insti-
tution or have rumors flying that
should be stopped:
Call the head coach of the institu-
tion involved and talk straight. It
will eliminate a lot of problems
and hard feelings towards one
another.