Developmental Tackling, Part I – Effectively using the shimmy technique can help ensure the safety of all defensive players.

Without question, teaching safe tackling skills and drills is one of the most demanding tasks every coach in the country must master. In my 54 years of coaching varsity football, nothing gave me more concern than the idea of a collision with a player’s head down, chin on chest, and the resulting straight line spinal column hit with the top of the helmet. That is almost always the primary cause of paraplegic injury. That is why so much emphasis is placed on converting the speed run of pursuit to the power run in preparation of safe but effective hitting.

Players can learn to control approach by lowering weight, shortening the steps, turtling the neck and hitting on the rise with eyes high. Collisions can be violent and still safe. Remember the objective of tackling is to be safe and consistent and get the ball carrier on the ground. I hope the concepts and progressions we have practiced for many years will help coaches give their players a chance to master this challenging but essential skill. Skills and drills using the shimmy technique and jump pit drills are a good way of practicing safe tackling.

SKILLS AND DRILLS USING SHIMMY TECHNIQUE

Shimmy Drills Using Shields

Basic Premise – A sequence of drills to teach proper progression of skills for effective tackling.

1. Shimmy – Straight on numbers and pecs. Defender runs straight on to ball carrier and fast approaches to 3 or 4 yards of separation. He comes under control, lowers weight, shimmies feet, holsters hands, reacts to shield movement and shows violent arm action, accelerating through.
 
2. Shimmy Compress – Ball carrier is 8 to 10 yards from defender. Tackler approaches with moderate speed with focus on near pec and hip. Shimmy with near foot. Ball carrier steps forward and tackler follows with violent arms to outside of ball carrier.
 
3. Chest Tackle – Defender is one step off ball carrier, hands behind back. With body low, he takes one step and hits up and through with chest. He uses high knees as an inside base and drives ball carrier back five yards.
 
Note: Drills can be made more challenging by having defenders tackle shield, or adding a fake or sideways move to create profile tackle. Shimmy compress can change to profile plus strip and steal drill.

Shimmy – Straight On Drill

(Diagram 1)
 
Use shields at beginning, then footballs. As skills progress, allow cuts and increase tempo.

Double Whistle – Face away, then turn and move feet on first whistle. On second whistle approach, lower weight, load hands, eyes high, weight on insteps, positive angle in hips, violent arms, wide base, and hit on rise.
Profile Tackle Drill

(Diagram 2)
 
On first whistle, defender turns and on second whistle runs at half to three-quarter speed. Defender approaches quickly, comes under control and lowers weight, shimmies feet and keeps on track near hip with eyes high, then drives backside shoulder through hip with head to front of shield (bite the ball). If profile is lost, add wrap and roll to bring down ball carrier.

Shimmy Compress Drill – 2-on-1

(Diagram 3)
 
Ball carrier is 7-8 yards back, defenders are 7-8 yards each outside ball carrier. At the double whistle, all face away and turn, moving feet on first whistle, break on second.

Defender approaches on angle with speed while he tracks nears hip and pec and must keep leverage to anticipate any change of direction. At 3-4 yards away, he comes under control, lowers weight and shimmies near foot. Tacklers close together and attack with near shoulder. Hit with all the basics of shimmy tackle and bring hips together to drive ball carrier back.

As skills progress, allow ball carrier one change of direction or try to split defenders.

Chest Tackle Drill

(Diagram 4)
 
Ball carrier and defender line up face-to-face in close position. Ball carrier keeps shield square to tackler with tackler in pre-hit position with weight lowered and hands behind back. On whistle, defender should drive up and back with his chest, eyes high, wide base and drive ball carrier back 3-5 yards.

JUMP PIT DRILLS

Safe, but increasingly realistic progression of contact drills to relate to game level tackling. Start with shields and then progress to carrying footballs. Utilize 4 high jump pits or stations with 5-6 minutes at each station. Divide team into 4 groups and then split half offense and half defense. One coach is at each station. Rotate players from ball carrier to tackler until all have 2-3 reps, then rotate stations.

 Station 1 – Shimmy Tackle Drill

(Diagram 5)

Ball carrier starts with back to defender in middle of the pit. Defender is 7 yards away and with back to pit. He moves his feet and turns on first whistle and approaches on second. Defender runs with speed to about three yards from ball carrier, then comes under control and lowers weight, starting to shimmy with both feet. He keeps his flex in lower body, chest over quads, eyes over thighs. His eyes are high and he aggressively drives up and into ball carrier and takes him into the pit. Ball carrier should step into tackler but not try to escape. Switch lines after whistle.

Station 2 – Profile Tackle Drill

(Diagram 6)

Procedure:  Double Whistle - Ball carrier and defender start with backs to pit and on first whistle turn and move feet. On second whistle, defender runs to intercept point in middle of pit. Ball carrier moves with moderate speed one yard in front of pit with shield or ball away from tackler. The defender should follow shimmy tackle approach but from side with focus on near hip of ball carrier. Be sure he can hit on the rise with eyes high and across the front of the ball carrier (bite the ball). Follow through with wide base, violent arms and drive ball carrier into pit. Switch lines on next two players.

Consideration – as skill levels progress, switch from shields to footballs and increase tempo. If tackler loses profile, he has to go to wrap and roll.

Station 3 – Shimmy Compress Drill

(Diagram 7)

Defenders are 7 yards back and each 7 yards outside ball carrier. Ball carrier aligns in middle of pit and awaits approach of tacklers. He then steps aggressively forward and tries to split tackles. Defenders approach with speed and, at 3-4 yards to go, use shimmy compression with near foot as they focus on near hip and pec. They should be ready to adjust to any change of direction. Keep leverage at least one yard outside near hip. Tacklers close and deliver the hit with near shoulder and close hips together as they drive ball carrier back into pit.

Drill can progress by allowing ball carrier to cut as the tacklers approach. In this case, one defender becomes a profile tackler and the trailer becomes a strip and steal player.

Station 4 – Steer Wrestle Drill

(Diagram 8)

Same approach as station 1. Shimmy tackle on final approach while ball carrier aggressively moves and twists to avoid being taken onto the mat. Tackler must grab, hang on and try to wrestle ball carrier onto mat.

Full Drill

(Diagram 9)

Complete rotation every 5-8 minutes. The full drill should be completed within 30 minutes. During the season, try to complete in 20 minutes. Rotate groups right to left with steer wrestle drill going to shimmy drill. Keep pits minimum of 5 yards apart.

Additional Considerations -

Interior Lines - Never allow interior line to be ball carriers. Watch carefully for mismatches. All players, including interior line, should go through the teaching and learning process in pre-season. Once you’re ready for game preparation, line will separate out for line charge and gap control drill as well as pass rush technique.

Line Drill – 5 on 4

(Diagram 10)

Defensive Line – move on movement, with aggressive charge and low pads. Deliver blow, with elbow close to gain some separation, secure gap, read flow, react to pressure, release blocks, pursue or bend, with controlled rush if pass.

There are 6 Defensive Reads

1. Inside Run
2. Outside Run
3. Toss Sweep
4. Counter or Reverse
5. Drop Pass
6. Sprint Pass
 

(Part II of Developmental Tackling will include Hashmark to Boundary Drills and Defensive Pursuit Drills).

About the Author: A frequent contributor to American Football Monthly, Brent Steuerwald retired in 2011 after a 55-year coaching career with 44 seasons as head coach at Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park, New York. His overall record was 319-88-4. Steuerwald received numerous local, state, and national coaching honors and led his team to three state championships.