Outside Linebacker

Question
QUESTION: Hello, I'm 6'2 and i weigh 200 pounds and starting my senior year in just a few weeks, i Bench press 270 squat 475 Power Clean 230 and run my 40 time in roughly 4.8, Freshman and Sophomore year i was starting outside linebacker for a 3A school in the SCC West conference and my junior year i was dropped down to Defensive End for whatever reason. We've got a new coach this year and hes setting me back at outside linebacker. Now in the past i was pretty good at stopping the run despite my smaller size as a underclassman (6' 170) but I've always had problems on passing plays understanding coverages and covering the tight end or receiver in general. But now I'm starting my senior year and I'm looking to get a scholarship from just about any college that would take me i just want the chance, are there any tips or backyard type drills you could give me as far as covering receivers and recognizing the plays better? I know about watching the lineman feet and recognizing where the weight on there feet is at but i have trouble watching the receivers.

ANSWER: It sounds as though you need to spend time learning to read your keys, read the QB and the pass play.  One of the best ways to do this is film study - get as much film as you can from any level high school college or pro and read your keys and read the QB.  Take notes.   Watch each play several times; watch it through its entirety the first time then watch your position and see what that player does. make notes as to what he does correctly and incorrectly.  Then watch the play again but read your key.  Watch the first few steps then read the QB, makes sure you observe and take notes and study your notes and the keys. This will help you read the pass play better.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: alright, thanks ill be sure to ask my coach if i can get ahold of any film from him to study.. are there any ways to judge the reciever by his motions besides for his hips?

Answer
Christopher
There are keys for watching the recievers, but as a LB that is not your primary read or key.  I don't know what defense your coach runs and the coverage that he will have you in if at all.  You would be better suited to lean your primary and secondary read and know them with perfection, that is where you will gain the advantage.  Also you don't have to only rely on your coach for film, but that is agreat starting point.  Record football reruns on ESPN, Fox, the NFL Network or Versus and study those films too if you can't get films from your coach or if the quality of your high school film is poor.

Here is a pretty goof video clip that may help you:
http://www.ehow.com/video_4467734_read-receiver-not-beat-football.html


Being able to recognize the formation of the offense and predicting what plays the other team will run is the key and purpose of reading.  If you have studied your film and know your opponent's tendencies you with have an advantage. The first thing you want to determine is whether the offense is weighted to one side or the other.  This is where you will often hear the terms "strong side" and "weak side."  So how do you determine which side is strong and which is weak?

Every offensive formation will have 5 eligible receivers plus a quarterback (except in the wildcat offense).  As the offense lines up, the safeties and linebackers will immediately survey the formation and adjust their alignment appropriately. Determining the passing strength of the formation basically comes down to seeing which side of the formation has more eligible receivers.  With a few exceptions, if you split the formation in half at the center, whichever side has the greater number of backs and receivers is the strong side in terms of passing.  Here's an example. Let's say you had one receiver left, two receivers and a tight end right, and the running back was behind the quarterback, we'd say that the passing strength was to the right.