ex LBs and coaches: need help with reads

[Homer Simms Son]

Thanks for any help you guys can give!
The new DC at our HS has changed our 4-3 and I'm really scratching my head on what to give our LBs for lineman keys. Last year we ran the techniques as 7, 3, 1, 5 - Sam and Will read tackles to near back, Mike read center to FB. Being a 50 guy, I could adjust to this 4-3 really easily b/c Sam and Mike could read the uncovered guys, but now we're running 7, 1, 3, 5 and placing the LBS back but over the 9, 3, 1 and we are asking the will and Mike to read a covered gaurd with Sam reading TE - scrape on down block (w/ alot of man coverage this year).
We will see at least 5 wing-t and one double TEs w/offset I next season. Typical wing-t packages with counter tre, buck sweeps, trap, load, power, boot etc.. I'm ok with adjusts to 2 TEs, but I just don't know how to teach reading a shaded gaurd - do we have a 2nd read on the tackle to distinguish trap from counter tre?????? Or should we just let Will and Mike read near back or backfield????
Anyone who has run or played in this or just plain knows how to key from this... I would really appreciate any help you could offer. Thanks.
Hook-em

Fundamentals are job one in 2001

 

[Do I Make You Horny?]

So if my coach-speak reading skills are up to par then you're running an undershifted 4-3, right? I wish I could help but it took all my brain power to just to figure out the base set . I've been skimming through a good LB book by Lou Tepper but must of the terminology is on 34 or eagle sets. Nothing similar to what you are going through.

Anybody else?

 

[CarKev14]

Odds are excellent this'll be of no value--it's been 15+ years since I played LB, so the only help I can give here is some web-surfing suggestions:

The Link a catalog of books about coaching, including one titled "STOPPING THE WING-T WITH THE 4-3 DEFENSE" By Bob Kenig.

You also might look at The Link, a web-site for Gridiron Coach magazine back issues. Volume 4, issue 1 has an article titled: "Defending the Wing-T-Suggested Plays; Brad Livingston, Head Coach, Central York HS, York, PA". Volume 5, issue 4 has an article titled: "Keys and Drills For the 4-3 Linebackers; Jim Pletcher, Defensive Coordinator and Linebacker Coach, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN". Volume 5, issue 5 has an article titled: "The High School 4-3; Tommy Austin, Head Coach, Windsor High School, Windsor, VA". Volume 6, issue 1 has an article titled: "Outside Linebacker Play Versus the Wing-T; Frank Leonard, Running Back Coach, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA"

Another: The Link is a list of things on volume 4 of the Football Coaches Professional Growth Associations tape set. Contact info: FOOTBALL COACHES PROFESSIONAL GROWTH ASSOCIATION, 13868 Olive Mill Way Poway, CA 920640 (619) 748-7566, Bill Williams- President

The Link a bunch of links to coaching articles, some of which may be useful.

Here's an interesting article describing the development of the 4-3 by Tom Landry: The Link "He pioneered in having defenders read keys"

Good luck.

 

[XOVER]

Good grief, CarKev14, you're veritable fount of football-******* knowledge! Where'd you come up with all them resources??

It's been years since I played, but our coach taught us to key the backs. Some however, like ScipioTex, have posted that LBs in most Ds at least haven't keyed the backs on a play-by-play basis in, well . . . for years. I got so upset with this knowledge that I wondered why our coaches had us key the backs. Were they dumb? Or were they that afraid of my playing skills??

Anyhow, I think I'll just check out a few of CarKev14's links.

 

[Homer Simms Son]

Thanks guys - appreciated mucho! You can see where this is a kinda funky base (ASU ran it on the way to the Rose Bowl - we're about 7 miles from ASU campus)
Anyway, just in case your curious, here's what I came up with. If you drew it up, look at your drawing and see if it makes sense to you.
Will reads:
Center attacks - fill your gap.
Center doubles your DT fill for iso.
Center blocks away fill trap to trey (A gap to C).
Center down blocks fill trap to trey (chasing trey in backfield if read quickly - shuffle pursuit behind DLine if can't follow OL in backfield)
Mike reads:
Center blocks away gaurd pulls fill to trey.
Tackle attacks fill your gap.
Center down blocks your DT fill trap to trey.
Tackle blocks end fill for iso.
Sam reads:
TE down blocks - scrape, squeeze C, outside arm and leg free.
Tackle and TE double E, fill outside half of B gap.
Contain, contain, contain - responsible for bounce outs your side.
Hook-em and thanks again. - love that Tepper book BTW....

Fundamentals are job one in 2001

 

[CameronHorn]

true