Frankie Luvu’s Impact on Dan Quinn’s Plan

Ever since Frankie Luvu signed with the Washington Commanders, I have been extremely vocal about how head over heels I am for adding him to this defense. He is a top ten linebacker in the league and has the potential to become a true X-factor player. This is a second-tier exotic presence because he can truly do anything.

To share my love for Luvu, I watched some of his video and took notes on his game. The film I watched was of the Carolina Panthers vs. Carolina Panthers game. Houston Texans. The veteran posted a stat line of 12 tackles – seven solo – one sack, 1.5 tackles for loss and two passes defensed.

Luvu’s stats in this match are impressive on their own. His overall contribution proves why the Commanders got an absolutely remarkable player in 2024 free agency.

One of the most important things for a defender is effort and effort. Luvu is the definition. His high motor skills allow him to never give up on a game.

One example during that game saw Brian Burns miss a tackle and Devin Singletary manage to elude Luvu as he was about to kill the ball. Instead of giving up, the former Washington State star jumped up and brought down the ball carrier as he was completing his pass. This is the kind of play elite football players make.

Luvu explodes at the point of contact. This shows off his natural athleticism and allows him to create angles and crush passes in a way that normal players simply can’t do.

This athleticism leads to bloated gaps and disrupted plays. Luvu is a chess piece in blitzes and can lead to a sack or tackle for loss every time he is sent into blitz. We all know how much Dan Quinn likes to set up blitzes with his linebackers, so this will only benefit the player.

Simply put, Luvu is an absolute nightmare for offenses and offensive players.

One of my favorite things about Luvu is his confidence. He very rarely misses his attempts and comes at the ball carrier like a homing missile.

My favorite tackle from Luvu’s Texans film was an incredible stop at the goal line. Dameon Pierce ran an outside run from the one-yard line and the linebacker spotted the gap to stop the backfield threat in his tracks.

To get to the ball carrier and show off his sure tackles, Luvu must sniff out plays before they develop. Luvu’s elite awareness allows him to immediately determine where the ball is going. This allows him to explode toward the ball carrier or play in pass coverage.

Having a high football IQ is arguably the most important quality for a linebacker, and Luvu has it in abundance.

Luvu is notable in zone coverage because of his focus on the quarterback. He immediately gets into his zone and keeps his eyes locked on where the quarterback is looking throughout the play.

On a certain play of this game, Luvu has the responsibility of covering the intermediate read. He got back into his zone, kept his eyes on the quarterback and used his athleticism to swat down a ball that was headed to an intended receiver well above his head.

On another play in that game, he was rushing the quarterback. Luvu kept his eyes on the ball. He tackled both the guard and the center to allow his fellow linebacker to sneak into open space. He saw rookie quarterback CJ Stroud take charge of the throw and get up off his blocks to leap into the air for a deflected pass.

Luvu is an exceptional football player and a complete package as a linebacker. His addition will help the Commanders defense thrive under Quinn.