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AFM Magazine

AFM Magazine


Illinois: Tackling Fundamentals

by: Mike Mallory
Linebackers Coach, Univeristy of Illinois
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The tackle is the most important fundamental of football. The following is an explanation of the progression of a good shoulder tackle.

Good Football Position

When teaching a player how to perform a tackle, begin by teaching a good football position. A good football position is a position of leverage, mobility and power.The feet should be a shoulder width apart with the toes pointed straight ahead.The weight of the body should be forward on the front of the feet. Bend at theknees and place hips in a power position, just as if performing a three-quartersquat lift. Chest should remain over the knees; the knees should be over thetoes. Eyes focused forward. Hands relaxed, hanging outside the knees.

Focus

Focus refers to aiming point on the ball carriers body that the tackler is traininghis eyes. Use ball carrier jersey number for aiming point. Which jersey numbertackler focuses on is determined by where his help is. If a tackler’s defensiveteammates (his help) are to his right, the tackler will aim for the left jersey(as tackler sees it) number of ball carrier and will make a right shoulder tackle.

Approach

The approach is very important when making a tackle. It can mean the differencebetween making and missing a tackle. The approach is closing the distance betweenthe tackler and the ball carrier as quickly as possible while maintaining a goodfootball position. It is important to keep good knee bend and the weight on thefront of the feet. Shoulders should stay square to the aiming point. Keep thefeet moving. (Know where the help is. This will determine the aiming point andthe approach.)

Contact Point

The contact point refers to the area of the tackler’s shoulder pads thatmakes contact to the aiming point of the ball carrier. The ideal contact pointis located (anywhere) from the top of the tackler’s front jersey numberto the front top half of the shoulder pad. This ensures a good power positionfor the tackler, and more importantly, a safe position for the tackler. Keepshoulders square to the aiming point.

The Tackle

The strongest part of the tackler’s body is the legs, hips and lower back.It is imperative to use these muscle groups to stop the forward momentum of theball carrier. The tackler must maintain a good football position. While makinghis approach keep a focus on a specific point. Just before contact is made thetackler must bring his hands forward and up, scraping his elbows on his sides.This must be a quick and powerful action, which causes the hips to come forwardwith force. This is referred to as “shootin’ the hands.” Ifthe hands do not start forward until after contact, then the tackler is onlycatching the ball carrier and will not be able to use his hip strength to stopball carrier’s momentum.

As the hands come forward, contact is made with the tackler’s contact point(top of jersey number to the front half of the shoulder pad) to the aiming pointof the ball carrier. It is important to remember that head and face are not partof the contact point; the head should slide to the side before contact. As contactis made the tackler’s eyes should raise, keeping the head up and the hipsin a power position. This is referred to as “slide the head, eyes to thesky.”

When evaluating a tackle check for the hands shooting through. They should wraparound the ball carrier and the hands should be above the elbows. The eyes shouldbe looking toward the sky. “Shoot the hands; slide the head, eyes to thesky.”

Wrap

The arms and hands should shoot through and up, grabbing cloth. If the handsand elbows are on the same level then the tackler is not using his hip strengthbut instead is only running into the ball carrier.

HIT ‘N’ LIFT

Hit 'n' Lift

• Good introductory drill
• Four yards apart
• BC jump slightly before contact
• LB shoots the hands, eyes to the sky

ANGLE TACKLE

Angle Tackle

• Defender and BC are four yards apart
• BC aim for inside the cone
• Mirror step
• Near number through far number
• Shoot hands, eyes to the sky
• Get outside foot down on contact
• As change up BC will spin on contact. Punch with hands, good base

POPSICLE

Popsicle

• Player will be four yards from the sled
• Good football position, keep leverage and
eyes up
• Shoot hands, eyes to sky
• Drive feet keeping a good base

OPEN FIELD TACKLE

Diagram 4. Open Field Tackle

• Teaches player to close distance to BC
• Gives LB a landmark distance
• Emphasize coming to balance
• Drill becomes an angle tackle drill
(Same coaching points)

SIDELINE TACKLE

Sideline tackle

• Training the LB to understand the
importance of knowing where your help is
• BC and LB align 10 yards apart on the
numbers
• On command BC will take a 45-degree
approach
• LB will take an inside out approach taking
away cutback
• Accelerate feet, make contact with proper
shoulder

EYE OPENER

Diagram 6. Eye Opener

• Teaches LB to attack the whole when BC
shows
• Give BC hole to hit
• BC will run lateral then turn up into the hole
• LB will lateral shuffle, staying on back hip
of BC
• When BC turns LB attack with proper
shoulder
• Feet should be inside the bag S when
contact is made

SEVEN POINTS TO TACKLING

1. STANCE
- Good football position.
2. FOCUS - AIMING POINT. We use the numbers for our aiming point.
3. APPROACH - Close the distance between tackler and ball carrier ASAP. Cometo balance. Know where your help is.
4. SHOOT THE HANDS, EYES TO THE SKY - Get the hips involved in the tackle. Keephead up, aggressive with the hands.
5. CONTACT POINT - Make first contact with area from top of numbers and top ofpads.
6. WRAP - Aggressive contact with flat back, head up, arms wrapped around BC,hands above elbows grabbing cloth.
7. FINISH - Feet driving through the tackle. Bring the BC to the ground!





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