Adam Zimmer Teaching Linebackers Hows & Whys with Examples of Barr & Kendricks

Viktor

Well-known member
Mar 19, 2019
2,552
0
gm6nhgytih1qapsaxdjt


In the cover story, Vikings linebackers coach Adam Zimmer describes how each player makes the other better.


“They’re constantly talking about things, and there’s things that Anthony does that help Eric. There’s things that Eric does that help Anthony,” Zimmer said. “When Anthony calls the huddle and Eric can just play, Eric’s a lot better football player. When Eric is doing some things on the coverage side and Anthony can do his thing, pass rushing or whatever, Anthony is a better football player, so it’s a really good dynamic.”


Zimmer recently spoke with Vikings.com’s Mike Wobschall about what it’s like to coach the dynamic duo and described how Barr and Kendricks help pass along what they’ve learned through their first five and four seasons, respectively, in Minnesota.


“It’s been really great, because now you ask them stuff, how they see things, how they think it should be played out and see how they feel because they know the people so well that we can run things by them and try new things to help them be better players and be more dynamic in the future,” Zimmer said. “The way they play off of each other is really good. They make adjustments that are hard for the young guys. It’s secondhand now.”


The examples set forth by Barr and Kendricks enable younger players to “actually see how it works in a defense and why it works,” Zimmer said.


With Verizon Vikings Training Camp on the horizon (rookies and select other players arrive on July 22 and veterans report on July 25), Vikings.com is looking at Minnesota’s group of assistant coaches and their position groups.


Here is background info on Zimmer:


— Zimmer is entering his sixth season as linebackers coach of the Vikings and 14th as an NFL assistant. He began his coaching career as a defensive assistant with New Orleans in 2006. He was the team’s assistant linebackers coach in 2009 when the Saints won the Super Bowl. Zimmer then held the same role with the Chiefs from 2010-12 before becoming an assistant defensive backs coach with the Bengals in 2013.


— Zimmer played safety for Trinity University in San Antonio from 2002-05 and graduated in 2006.


— Born in Ogden, Utah, when Mike Zimmer was an assistant at Weber State, Adam spent much of his youth in Texas.


— Zimmer served as the head coach for the West team at the annual East-West Shrine Game in January, capitalizing on the opportunity to see multiple prospects up close.
 
Top