Adam Fuller breaks down importance of creating linebacker depth

Florida State defensive coordinator Adam Fuller has been in his position with the Seminoles now for three years, so he’s had a chance to see first-hand the importance of linebacker depth to the team overall.

Spoiler: It’s pretty important.

The Seminoles have slowly been building under coach Mike Norvell, who oversaw a three-win season in his first year in charge, a five-win campaign in Year 2 and a 10-win season last fall. Improving the depth across the board has been a big part of that, but particularly at linebacker.

And, as Fuller explains, sometimes that extra linebacker depth shows up in places you might not expect.

“There’s only so many scholarships, so you’ve got to put them in certain positions,” Fuller explained. “I think where the depth at linebacker really shows up is in the kicking game. You need those bodies to cover kicks, to protect kicks, to block on return units, just to match up with other tight ends and running backs that are out there.”

It requires a lot of versatility, but the advantage linebackers have is their size. They’re not quite as big and lumbering as linemen, but they have the physical presence to be able to outmatch smaller skill players in certain areas.

Because offenses have shifted over the past decade or so to more spread-style personnel groupings, the usage of linebackers has become a little more limited.

“Nowadays a lot of teams play with one back on the field, so your numbers at that position aren’t very high,” Fuller said. “Lot of teams are playing with one tight end on the field, so now your numbers aren’t high. Some teams are playing with two linebackers on the field, so your numbers have dropped down.

“You’ve got to make sure in those position groups, those are all similar body types, and in order to defend each other on the field they’re in 11 so there’s one back, one tight end, you’ve got two linebackers out, you’re two for two.”

One area where those numbers aren’t limited? The kicking game.

With teams needing to field a lot of bodies on coverage units, having good linebacker depth is essential.

“The kicking game with all that space, there’s multiple different body types that you’ve got to be able to match up,” Fuller said. “So I think in the past when your linebacker group is really good your special teams have really been impacted in a positive way. So yes, it’s going to help. If we have five to six linebackers that can play that’s really going to help us on linebacker depth, but it will make our kicking game that much more substantial, and I think that’s part of the development at that position.”

Florida State ranked 44th nationally in punt return coverage in 2022, while ranking just 71st nationally in kick return coverage.

So there’s work to be done still, and the linebacker depth the Seminoles have tried to accrue over the past few years will be put to the test yet again come 2023.