Missed Tackles

Ray Nitchke Linebacker 

 

This is going to be a quick posting tonight.  Just a quick observation that I have noticed in the past couple of years, but it seems to be true at all levels of football.  Is it just me, or do the athletes of today seem to be poor open field tacklers?  I coach Offense...plain and simple.  Of course, the whole offensive objective is to keep the defense from tackling us, but it seems like the defensive players are more interested in delivering 'the big blow' instead of hitting and wrapping up a ball carrier.  I can't believe how many missed tackles I see at all levels of football. 

 

Nitchke Attempting to Rip the Head Off a Ball Carrier.

 

Ok, here I go again....talking about the old days.  I am not saying this was right, but it is the way we were taught to play.  My Dad used to teach us to "Look at what you are going to hit!"  We were taught to plant our face mask into the numbers of our opponent, wrap-up, and drive through the tackle.  If we had to tackle at an angle, we were taught to place our helmet in front of the ball carrier, wrap up. and either drive through the tackle, or drop to one knee and roll with the ball carrier.  We would practice tackling technique (LIVE- every day)  If we did not wrap up, or place our helmet where it was supposed to be, we had to do it again, and again, and again....until it was perfect.  We all acted as ball carriers, and we all tackled every day. 

 

Tim Tebow Getting Hit. 

 

The defensive players have it a little more difficult in today's game.  The new "Spread" offenses put good athletes in 'space' more often than it used to.  It is difficult to tackle in space, but at least these guys could do is grab cloth and hang-on until help arrives.  The defensive guys seem to be more interested in delivering a big hit and hoping the receiver or ball carrier will get knocked down from the initial blow. 

 

On the offensive side of the ball, we teach our receivers to make the first guy miss, and "you are out of the gate and running"  I guess this is why football jerseys are getting tighter, because it does make it more difficult to grab cloth.   Just an observation. 

 

I will check in tomorrow. 

 

GZ