What is the difference between WILL and MIKE

[bcbud]

positions and  responsibilities?

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[MightyGiants]

The Will LB is the outside (weak side) linebacker in the 4-3 defense that lines up on the side opposite of the tight end.  He tends to be the lightest and fastest of the three linebackers.   His job mainly consists of pursuit on running plays and pass coverage responsibilities either on a running back or sometimes the slot receiver.   If he plays zone, his zone is usually 12-15 yards off the line of scrimmage and on the weak side.  In his role he rarely has to deal with blocking from the offensive linemen. 


The Mike is the middle linebacker.  Traditionally he is the QB of the defense.   He usually has difficult run assignments since he is playing in the middle of the field.  He often has to fight fight through traffic or blocks by FBs or H-backs to take down the runner.  He often leads the team in tackles.  On the pass side he either has a shallow middle zone or if he is in the Tampa 2 he plays deeper and in the middle of the field.   So he often finds himself covering TEs or running backs.   

[Painter]

Rich's descriptions are quite adequate in characterizing the nature , roles, and responsibilties of those two LB positions. It may also be worth emphasis that the reason the "Mike" linebacker is so often referred to as the Quarterback of the defense is because normally he is the one who receives defensive playcalls from the sideline and relays them to the rest of the team. He has to correctly identify the offensive formation and adjust the defense accordingly. As such, he has to be a pretty savvy guy with more than a little leadership skill. 

As Rich has indicated, the Will LB provides backside support on runs as well as outside contain.  He also is the one most often deployed in coverage especially against backs in the left flat and against WR screens.

Cheers!

[chiller99]

Not to ruin some good answers,but just a side note that in the 3-4 defense the terms will and mike are also used,.Will is  the weak side inside lb,Sam is the strong outside backer,Mike is the strong side ,middle inside lb,Jack backer is usually the hybrid/de type player we see many of.One of the main pricipals in the 3-4 is to disguise where the extra rusher is coming from.The large front guys in this defense must occupy the blockers to be successful.