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Inside Linebacker Reads in the 3-4 Defense – The 3-4 defense gives the inside linebackers a read on the uncovered guard through to the fullback.

by: Jack Beidler
Assistant Coach, Lebanon Valley College
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The 3-4 defense gives the inside linebackers a read on the uncovered guard through to the fullback.

The 3-4 defense, or Okie front is very flexible and multiple, which is needed against today’s spread offensive attacks. The 3-4 defense has the ability to blitz any of the four linebackers, and, in the 3-4 secondary, a team can play multiple coverages, from zone to man.

This old school Okie defensive front has a built-in advantage for the inside linebackers.

The advantage of running the 3-4 defensive front is that it gives the inside linebackers a clear read on the uncovered guard though to the fullback. In our 3-4, the nose guard is attacking the center and demanding a double team. This tends to free up one of two ILBs. We like our nose guards to be able to play two gaps. The alignment of our two ILBs are at 4 ½ yards off the line of scrimmage with their noses lined up on the outside eye of the offensive guard. The depth of our ILBs will change based on down and distance. The ILBs are responsible for the B gaps, between the offensive guard and tackle (Diagram 1).

Diagram 1.

Our two ILBs are a tandem that must be comfortable working with each other.  The two ILBs must be able to communicate as a pair and trust each other. I like to think of my ILBs as connected with a rope or string. As one linebacker moves to the ball, so must the other on flows and run reads. I like to have them both play aggressively and downhill simultaneously.

I teach my ILBs that the backfield can and will lie to us with counters, but that the offensive guard will not lie to us. He is true. I want my ILBs to learn how to use their eyes. I want them to put their high beams, or most focus and initial concentration, on the offensive guard, and low beams, or secondary focus, on the backfield flow or action. They must see and read the guard first, then react to backfield flow (Diagram 2).

Diagram 2.

The high beam guard reads:
•  Zone –the ILB must mirror the step of the guard and attack him.  As the guard gets width, the ILB must also get width, staying in the outside B gap and keeping his outside arm free. The key with zone plays, especially outside zone, is getting ILBs to understand that gaps move, and they must maintain their gaps. I always tell my ILBs to run with the gaps (Diagram 3).



Diagram 3.


•   Down Block – When the guard doubles down on the nose guard, also known as an isolation (Iso) read, the ILB must attack the LOS. He must attack it as soon as possible and hit it downhill. He should get his head inside and take on the fullback square and low. We want the ball to spill to the outside. The ILB must make contact with the fullback on the offense’s side of the LOS. If the ILB is late on this play, it is almost a sure success for the offense (Diagram 4).

Diagram 4.

•   Pull Call - If the guard pulls across the center, the ILB must yell “pull” as loud as possible to alert his teammates. There are two purposes. First, you need to alert the DE who is going to be trapped. Secondly, you need to alert the playside ILB who will be reading a down block, thinking iso, and must now attack C gap. As he attacks his C gap, he should do it tightly and be ready for the down block of the offensive tackle. After he calls “pull,” the backside ILB should flow over the top of the center, making sure it is not a FB trap. If it is a fullback trap, the ILB should attack the fullback downhill. If it is a regular counter trap, he should pursue over the top, ready for the combo block off of the nose guard (Diagram 5).

Diagram 5.

•   Pull to the outside – When guards pull to the outside, the ILB must pursue him to the outside and stay on his inside hip. He should be ready to strike and pursue over the top, as the offensive linemen will be looking to seal him inside. This outside pull usually takes place on a sweep play (Diagram 6).

Diagram 6.

•   High Hat – Yell “Pass” as loud as possible, to alert teammates. The ILB should get to his pass responsibility (Diagram 7).

Diagram 7.

•   Flow (Low beams) - Backfield flow and angle of the fullback reads (Diagram 8).

Diagram 8.

• Isolation (dive) Flow – If RB (FB) runs right at you, attack low, head in hole (square). Backside ILB cannot pursue past the center. He needs to stay home for a cutback. Backside ILB is responsible for backside A gap (Diagram 9).

Diagram 9.

•  Power - Read the fullback’s path, shuffle to the outside over the top. Be ready to strike and rip through the tight end’s down block. The backside ILB must shuffle across and replace the playside ILB over the guard (Diagram 10).

Diagram10.

•  Fast Flow – Read the fullback’s path, run and attack. The backside ILB must also run and is responsible for the cutback, but more importantly is also responsible for bootleg. We see a lot of boot with the outside zone or stretch game (Diagram 11).

Diagram11.


As you can see, both the guard reads and backfield flow reads fit together. I do drills with only the backfield, or only the guards, and both together as a read drill. With the repetition of these read drills, I want the ILBs reactions to become second nature.

Running to the ball is the key for any good defense. To emphasize this, I like to use the term “targeting the ball carrier.” The target for my ILB is the back hip of the ball carrier. Most missed assignments and tackles occur because of over pursuit.  Since today’s zone schemes emphasize cutback, our targeting is about keeping that inside leverage on the ball. By focusing on the back hip of the ball carrier, we should stay a step behind him, ready for the cutback. On a regular tackle, we focus on getting our head across the man to the outside and running through him. On a cutback, we will keep our head to the inside. We practice the cutback a lot with our daily tackling drills to emphasis inside out leverage.

The ILB must stay on his feet. No diving is allowed. We run through the ball carrier. Tackling is the most important skill in defensive football. Tackling must be practiced daily. It is a skill that must be repeated. If tackling is not practiced every day, bad habits will show up.

Learning base reads from both the guards and backfield flow, and running to the football with proper leverage are the keys to successful ILB play. The better your ILBs are with reads and getting to the football, the better position they will be in to make the play.

About the Author: Jack Beidler enters his fourth season as an assistant coach this fall at Lebanon Valley College. He was previously head coach at Northern Lebanon High School (PA) for 11 seasons. A 1996 graduate of LVC, Beidler played inside linebacker and was the team’s co-captain as a senior.


Coach Beidler answers your questions on
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More Articles on this subject:

      Stopping the Run With the Odd Front Defense – January, 2012
    The ‘Six Pack’ concept: Keeping Linebacker Fundamentals Strong All Season Long – August, 2011
    Navy’s Deceptive Linebacker Strategy – December, 2007






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