Triangle reads are essential for any linebacker play. The ability to have their eyes in the right spot will get you a +1 to the football. If your linebackers are just reading the running back, they are susceptible to counter runs and quarterback fakes.
In this article, we’re going to show you how to coach the triangle reads and why they are so important for linebackers.
What Are Triangle Reads?
The term triangle read comes from the linebacker vision cone from the 2 guards, the center, through the running back. If you were to draw it out, it would look like a triangle.
Triangle reads are important because offenses like the Wing T, Single Wing, and common spread schemes often use misdirection in their backfield. If you’re staring directly at the running back, they will often lead you away from the play.
Seeing the guards, through the running backs, you’ll be able to see the complete picture.
Coaching Triangle Reads
To coach the triangle reads, the linebackers should be able to see what the line of scrimmage is doing through the backfield action.
Against a zone play, no guards will pull. So the picture for the linebacker should look like the linemen moving toward them, with the running back moving toward them.
This is when the linebacker will take a 45-degree step toward the line of scrimmage to fill their gap.
Against gap scheme plays, the picture changes for the linebacker.
Notice the center is pushing the defensive linemen away from where the play is going. This is known as gap blocking for the offense. Often, coupled with gap blocking is a guard pulling.
If your linebackers just tracked the running back, they would run to the left before having to redirect themselves to the right. However, if they read the triangle, they would see the guard pull and start to go to the right seconds after the ball was snapped.
This is the advantage of reading the triangle. It helps you see where the play is going, even if the backfield action lies to you.