Every championship defense is built on linebackers who can read and react with lightning speed. This proven drill from seven-time State Champion Coach Brian Nix of Alcoa HS (TN) has transformed hesitant players into confident playmakers.
Through years of refining this technique at the high school level, he's concluded that mastering guard reads isn't just about recognition – it's about developing the muscle memory that allows linebackers to play fast and physical when it matters most.
The entire video that this excerpt was taken from is available on Glazier Drive. It is a part of the Brian Nix Tite Front System.
This drill focuses on teaching inside linebackers to read guards in both run and pass situations. There are two main variations of the drill:
Non-Contact Version:
- Uses young guards and defensive players
- Coach calls out plays (like power or counter) while acting as H-back or tailback
- Players work at half-speed to perfect reads
- Can include motion players to create distractions and test eye discipline
- Multiple players can rotate through to maximize reps
- Ideal for offseason, summer, or no-pads practice
Live Contact Version:
- Uses varsity-level guards against starting linebackers
- Run during in-season practice with full pads
- Five-minute live period working against various blocking techniques
- Guards execute real blocks (base blocks, pulls, down blocks, zone blocks)
- Defenders practice different responses (striking, shooting under/over)
Key Teaching Points:
- Emphasizes tight scraping and filling inside the seal block
- Adjusts technique based on player size/strength:
- Bigger players focus on striking and physical engagement
- Smaller players emphasize speed, dipping, and gap running
- Uses quick, repeatable coaching cues rather than long explanations
- They often run the same play twice for motor learning
- Stresses the importance of eye discipline and quick transitions
This drill can be adapted for different practice situations while maintaining its core purpose of developing linebacker read-and-react skills against guard movement.
