Doesn't anyone teach kids how to tackle anymore.

[MNSpaniel]

Been watching football games the last two days and one thing most of them have in common is terrible tackling. They just try to shoulder roll them ... nobody seems to want to take on the full force of the tackle. There is very little wrapping up and the head seems to be on the back side of the runner instead of in front and across the body. No wonder we are having all these high scoring games.

 

[disco]

Huge pet peeve of mine about the game today as well.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Who cares about tackling? Getting on sportscenter because of your big hit is much more important.

 

[denguegopher]

Well I think that coaches probably still teach tackling. I recently read an interview with Joe Lee Dunn who was Joe Morrison's DC at South Carolina for a few years in the '80's. He was asked how the game has changed since he was coaching. He commented on how offenses are so much better at getting the ball to people "in space" than was the case 30 years ago. Thus defensive players now have to tackle in space more frequently than in the past. Tackling in space is not easy and the ball carriers are not standing still waiting to be form tackled (head across the bow) as Spaniel suggests should be done. The game has changed and opportunities for those form tackles are few and far between.

 

[Rosemountian]

They're trying to legislate tackling back into the game by flagging players for leading with their helmet. They're trying to eliminate launching "targeting."

Wouldn't surprise me if there is a push to eject players who "target" on low tackles. A tackler should rarely leave their feet on any tackle. It is less safe for the tackler and less effective as a tackle.

 

[50PoundHead]

They're trying to legislate tackling back into the game by flagging players for leading with their helmet. They're trying to eliminate launching "targeting."

Wouldn't surprise me if there is a push to eject players who "target" on low tackles. A tackler should rarely leave their feet on any tackle. It is less safe for the tackler and less effective as a tackle.

Thanks for pointing that out. I've always thought about that. And as you point out, it's less safe for the defender as well. So many times on those rolling tackles, the defender gets a knee in the helmet and is seeing stars.

Don't have much to add here (like that ever stops me). Everyone wants the "sitting duck" ESPN blow 'em up highlight hit and that's gotta stop. Agree that it's more difficult now with the offenses the way they are, but I see so few "form tackles" now it's ridiculous.

 

[GophersInIowa]

I would be shocked if a guy like Antoine Winfield isn't a hot commodity. Whether you bring him in as a full time coach or just for a week or two, he'd be the first guy I'd call if I had kids who had trouble tackling. The guy was as good as it gets.

 

[corcoran1]

I believe our staff spends a lot of time on good mechanics. As far as I know Iowa still tackles in practice every day, so a lot of teams practice tackling. Cal Stoll used to say a lot of time bad tackling is really about slow players.

 

[BarnBoy]

Sort of related: I seem to remember a penalty called "spearing" when I was in high school. Is this even a penalty anymore? Seems like almost every tackler leads with their head these days. I don't think I've ever seen that called.

 

[Gopherguy0723]

I would be shocked if a guy like Antoine Winfield isn't a hot commodity. Whether you bring him in as a full time coach or just for a week or two, he'd be the first guy I'd call if I had kids who had trouble tackling. The guy was as good as it gets.

Absolutely. He's the best tackling CB I've ever seen. He should run his own tackling camps. He'd make some cash.

 

[MNSpaniel]

I understand the open field tackling but there are numerous tackles with bad angles and angle tackles made with the head on the back of the legs. Also, no wrapping up with the arms. The one note about speed might have something to do with the heads being on the back side of runners.

 

[denguegopher]

Sort of related: I seem to remember a penalty called "spearing" when I was in high school. Is this even a penalty anymore? Seems like almost every tackler leads with their head these days. I don't think I've ever seen that called.

No sure if it still gets called as spearing. I think spearing was when the ballcarrier was on the ground and then the tackler used the crown of the helmet to spike the runner into the turf. I'm pretty sure that would qualify as a targeting, and result in an ejection.