Gooses Take: The Art of the Tackle

So over the last several years I have grown disenchanted with defenses in College and the NFL. I have noticed more and more players in the leagues do not know how to tackle. Im really glad the Ken Hamlin is gone as his tackling has been a pet peeve of mine for years. I thought I would give everyone Goose breakdown of "technique tackling". Remember this next time you think you saw a great hit on Sportcenter and you'll realize that some of the best sportcenter plays are lucky tackles with poor technique

The Art of the Tackle

1) Start with your Angle of Pursuit. Most Football tackles are not head on, they involve an angle. When you approach a ball carrier, .Stay low, knees bent, arms at your side in a position like you are about to draw two pistols (I call this gunslingers).

2) As you close in break down (lower your body) and widen your base for stability. Watch the hips of the ball carrier. Arms, legs, ball, head can all juke. But the Hips will tell you where the ball carrier is going. A wise coach once taught me "Hips dont Lie" (Sorry Shakira, It belonged to Coach Olague well before you were born)

3) CAGE THE BALL!!. Get your body across the ball carrier and put your facemask on the ball (Helps to position you and force fumbles). Not getting your body across forces you to tackle with Arms and not shoulders.

4) Explode in an upward motion, keeping your facemask on the ball, Aim for a point 2-3 yards behind the ball carrier, go through the ball carrier to that point behind him.

5) WRAP!! During your explosion go from a Gunslinger and explode your arms along the side of his hips, squeezing and locking them behind. Do not let go. Keep the feet square and chopping, aiming for that point 2 yards behind the ball carrier..

6) Drive the ball carrier back, once his forward motion has been stopped by your tackle, drive him to the ground.

Repeat every play until you win the game.

There was a great quote by 49ers LB Patrick Willis about the fundamental teachings of his coach, Mike Singletary

"One thing he teaches us is about to play technique-sound, to use our techniques. Playing linebacker is just a lot easier when you take a blow and keep your balance and keep your leverage to be able to come off and make a play. Sometimes you see linebackers play too high and they get pushed around and they really don't have any explosiveness when it comes to making a play. So one thing he teaches us is to play low and take on blocks, not run around blocks."

Gooses Take: I get so tired of these players that lower the shoulder and turn to the side, then when a player bounces off of them, the runner gets credit for "Taking the hit". Tackling is horrid in football from high school up, because coaches stop teaching fundamentals and start worrying about X's and O's