I feel very sorry for the newer players to the game. Its been far too long that have been getting extremely shoddy advice from players that haven't been around the game long enough to draw any of their own conclusions.
A person giving you advice whose own player is a level 20ish means a few things.
(1) This person likely spent a season in the D-Leagues and ONE season in a real league.
(2) They are already frequenting the forums
This means
(1) They have no real experience
(2) They regurgitate forum drivel to make themselves seem smart.
(3) They should not be giving advice.
How not to screw up building a linebacker at the beginning (pre-level 20)
(1) Don't pump strength to more than 25.
(2) Don't pump tackling to more than 35.
(3) Focus (but don't necessarily max one and then switch to the next attribute) on Speed as your primary, agility as your secondary and vision as the third.
(4) Set to Wrap Up. Now you won't miss tackles and you will still force fumbles.
(5) Train confidence, jumping, and catching to 20.
(6) Enjoy the awesomeness of your linebacker and the excellent offers you will receive in free agency in the coming seasons.
What does this mean?
Don't listen to anyone whose linebackers have a green rush defense bar and a yellow pass defense bar (or a significantly larger rush bar > pass bar). They will be defensive of their ineffective defender.
Because you have focused on your main categories, your linebacker can blitz effectively, defend passes and be effective in coverage, and most importantly make awesome plays like Tackles for Losses and great run stops BECAUSE the LB gets to the point of attack.
For instance, on a pitch play where the strongside guard pulls an opportunity is created for a linebacker to shoot that vacated hole to get the player in the backfield before he wrecks shop to the outside. Slower, stronger players will get caught on the strongside tackle or another trailing blocker while a fast linebacker makes the tackle in the backfield.
How does this apply to trends in the game (specifically power backs)
When a player with 55 natural strength and 55 natural tackling still misses tackles on wrap up, then there is absolutely nothing a player's build can accomodate to prevent this. This just shows that missed tackles will happen regardless.
Since power backs usually break tackles, then having more people trying to tackle them makes more sense, right?
Right!
How do you do that, Rod?
Get more linebackers and defenders to the point of attack quicker.
High strength does not correlate to better tackling. I'll point to my own linebacking corps who have played against stud power backs and held them in check. They don't have high strength or high tackling. Enough to be effective but not superfluous amounts.
Having a better overall player who is more versatile, marketable, and more fun to play while still wildly effective should be your goal, especially in the first few seasons of his career.
A person giving you advice whose own player is a level 20ish means a few things.
(1) This person likely spent a season in the D-Leagues and ONE season in a real league.
(2) They are already frequenting the forums
This means
(1) They have no real experience
(2) They regurgitate forum drivel to make themselves seem smart.
(3) They should not be giving advice.
How not to screw up building a linebacker at the beginning (pre-level 20)
(1) Don't pump strength to more than 25.
(2) Don't pump tackling to more than 35.
(3) Focus (but don't necessarily max one and then switch to the next attribute) on Speed as your primary, agility as your secondary and vision as the third.
(4) Set to Wrap Up. Now you won't miss tackles and you will still force fumbles.
(5) Train confidence, jumping, and catching to 20.
(6) Enjoy the awesomeness of your linebacker and the excellent offers you will receive in free agency in the coming seasons.
What does this mean?
Don't listen to anyone whose linebackers have a green rush defense bar and a yellow pass defense bar (or a significantly larger rush bar > pass bar). They will be defensive of their ineffective defender.
Because you have focused on your main categories, your linebacker can blitz effectively, defend passes and be effective in coverage, and most importantly make awesome plays like Tackles for Losses and great run stops BECAUSE the LB gets to the point of attack.
For instance, on a pitch play where the strongside guard pulls an opportunity is created for a linebacker to shoot that vacated hole to get the player in the backfield before he wrecks shop to the outside. Slower, stronger players will get caught on the strongside tackle or another trailing blocker while a fast linebacker makes the tackle in the backfield.
How does this apply to trends in the game (specifically power backs)
When a player with 55 natural strength and 55 natural tackling still misses tackles on wrap up, then there is absolutely nothing a player's build can accomodate to prevent this. This just shows that missed tackles will happen regardless.
Since power backs usually break tackles, then having more people trying to tackle them makes more sense, right?
Right!
How do you do that, Rod?
Get more linebackers and defenders to the point of attack quicker.
High strength does not correlate to better tackling. I'll point to my own linebacking corps who have played against stud power backs and held them in check. They don't have high strength or high tackling. Enough to be effective but not superfluous amounts.
Having a better overall player who is more versatile, marketable, and more fun to play while still wildly effective should be your goal, especially in the first few seasons of his career.
