We’ve been trying to execute the Hawk tackle, and some kids do really well with it. Others don’t do as well with it. It certainly seems to take a lot longer to get some kids to make this kind of tackle. What I’ve noticed is that by putting the head behind the runner and doing what is essentially a gator roll, we have some instances of arm tackles. If a kid doesn’t make good contact with the shoulder, then the tackler only has his arms on the players hip/legs, and that doesn’t always work out. Plus it leaves us open to the stiff arm. What I’ve been telling our kids is to simply tackle harder, which makes the stiff arm less of a factor. Do you guys have any insights on ways to improve our tackling and to avoid missed arm tackles?
My theory is that we’ve allowed our players to dive to make the gator roll. Really what we want to execute is more of a run up, lock our arms around their hips, and then twist.
I know a lot of people on here use the kick out the stilts method. I’m not looking for an argument about changing our whole tackling method.
In fact, I do have some insights.
Secret sauce:
Split the ball carrier's foot with your near foot. This is extremely important and we drill it constantly with "fit and freeze". Splitting the feet a) eliminates the dive b) ensures the tackler is in position to make the tackle and c) forces the ball carrier off balance.
Once you've mastered the fit with your near foot spitting the feet in a "drive for five" tackle, add a 2nd step by putting your FAR foot behind the ball carrier's far foot, THEN drop your non-tackling shoulder to the ground.
Tackler's feet are in red.
Game plan? I got your game plan. We gonna run the bawl some. We gonna throw the bawl some. We gonna play some defense. We gonna run some special teams, but we better not run kick return but one time and we sure as heck better not punt.
End of the day coaches are more concerned with the spinning or rolling then the contact. You're still tackling. Your shoulder must deliver the blow enough to shift runners momentum into another direction. This is also why we preach "land on top" . When there are arm tackles there's usually an uncertainty in the player about contact. They aren't comfortable with it whether you or they believe it or not.
Reinforce contact and being in a good fit, reiterate the driving of the feet and body in that fit. The rest takes care of itself.
I can explain it to you, I can't understand if for you.
If you're tackling near shoulder, near hip, then you're mere inches away from an arm tackle. In a live situation, a player who's trying for near shoulder into near hip but who winds up with an arm tackle doesn't have the wrong form, he's just a step or less slower than the player he's tackling, or got unlucky with the other playing anticipating correctly.
Gumby is correct about the aiming point, but when you shoot, you don't always hit what you're aiming at. That's why it's called aiming. If you adjust your aim point more one way because you've been missing the other way, but you're just as inaccurate a shot, then your misses will be more to the opposite side.
This is why I've come to disfavor near hip tackling just at the same time the establishment is coming to favor it. I'll accept a near, head-behind tackle when a player is slower than the opponent, but when a player is equally fast or faster than the opponent, I prefer the tackler to get more of the body across, even though it means he's not driving thru the opponent's center of mass.
I say if you insist on near shoulder to near hip, then you simply must accept some arm tackles. If the tackler can keep hold and slide down, it's still effective. By the way, there's a tradeoff there too in case you haven't noticed: The better grip you have at the moment, the harder it'll be for you to slide down, and vice versa.
@bob-goodman You teach your players to slide down? I teach them to grab hips and twist. I want them to use their momentum to pull against the running back's momentum. They can actually cushion their fall by getting a good grip.
@bob-goodman You teach your players to slide down? I teach them to grab hips and twist. I want them to use their momentum to pull against the running back's momentum.
How can they use their own momentum to pull, when it's in the opposite direction from the runner's?
If my tacklers had the arm strength to grab hips and twist, then they wouldn't need coaching in tackling.
@bob-goodman You teach your players to slide down? I teach them to grab hips and twist. I want them to use their momentum to pull against the running back's momentum.
How can they use their own momentum to pull, when it's in the opposite direction from the runner's?
If my tacklers had the arm strength to grab hips and twist, then they wouldn't need coaching in tackling.
This is an excellent point and why I had just about given up on the gator roll. Then, I discovered that extra step. So now, on your "fit" step where near foot splits the BC's feet, you've made solid shoulder contact to hip. On that 2nd step, you have now changed the BC's direction and he is off balance. After the 2nd step (far foot behind BC's far foot) lands, drop your non-hitting shoulder to the ground. Squeezing the BC's hip tight to your shoulder/chest is part of the fit.
We teach 3 methods to the Hawk tackle:
1) Drive for 5
2) Gator Roll
3) Single leg
I don't think any of our players favor the gator roll, but we teach it so it's one more tool in the toolbox.
Game plan? I got your game plan. We gonna run the bawl some. We gonna throw the bawl some. We gonna play some defense. We gonna run some special teams, but we better not run kick return but one time and we sure as heck better not punt.
@bob-goodman You teach your players to slide down? I teach them to grab hips and twist. I want them to use their momentum to pull against the running back's momentum.
How can they use their own momentum to pull, when it's in the opposite direction from the runner's?
If my tacklers had the arm strength to grab hips and twist, then they wouldn't need coaching in tackling.
Something's lost in translation then because my smallest kids do this pretty well. It's more about knocking them off balance than strength.
@bob-goodman You teach your players to slide down? I teach them to grab hips and twist. I want them to use their momentum to pull against the running back's momentum.
How can they use their own momentum to pull, when it's in the opposite direction from the runner's?
If my tacklers had the arm strength to grab hips and twist, then they wouldn't need coaching in tackling.
Something's lost in translation then because my smallest kids do this pretty well. It's more about knocking them off balance than strength.
You and Bob are both correct. Gator roll is useless without the hit. Left to their own devices, players will focus too much on the roll and thus trying to pull a runner in the opposite direction using arm strength. If they make the hit (and take the 2nd step before rolling), they are redirecting force at about a 30-45 degree angle.
Game plan? I got your game plan. We gonna run the bawl some. We gonna throw the bawl some. We gonna play some defense. We gonna run some special teams, but we better not run kick return but one time and we sure as heck better not punt.
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