Tackling Dummies Smarter

Helmet Free Tackling Drills for American Football. Combines elements of traditional form tackling and rugby style tackling techniques adapted to American Football.

[@MrJoeyShells]

This is the best tackling practice I've ever seen.

[@bobbyvernon1681]

Thanks for watching and your comment!

[@lazurians9674]

This is one of the most well put together football drills video that I'm aware of. Very well done.

[@justinkeltch7486]

I think every youth coach should be required to watch this. Great video.

[@robertbrown51]

As a former rugby coach I enjoyed this video, I now coach the Moreton Bay Raptors Colts 14 to 18 year old`s, I have always tackled this way, it is common here in Australia, great video keep up the good work.

[@bobbyvernon1681]

Thank you.

[@coachcottrill]

Thank you for this video coach. I love the rugby style of tackle and believe it is a much more natural and a safer way to tackle. I am glad that it is becoming more acceptable. I will be using many of your drills with my youth team this year.

[@1982PuertoRico]

This is an excellent video. I'm using it to help my son get a better understanding of the technique. Even the explanations are awesome @14:24

[@petechristos780]

Excellent training video for all coaching levels - Thanks for creating and sharing!

[@bobbyvernon1681]

Appreciate the comment.

[@stevehansen1896]

Excellent video Coach Vernon. An better take on Hawk Tackling. Point of interest played for Killian High 1968 and my best friend played at Palmetto. Back into coaching youth football and this will be a required watch for coaches and parents.

[@kristinabrown7259]

Thanks so much for,explaining this! I am playing youth football and before anyone ask I am a girl playing running back and defense

[@bryanschaumloffel1454]

Great presentation coach. Nice Job from New York!

[@seanrielley185]

The chest on the rise/chin up tackle was a very specific modification of the old form tackle. Skying the eyes and keeping chin up results in less helmet to helmet, while keeping spine safe. Why are coaches moving so quickly away from that when they only started doing it in 2012? Clearly players are approaching defenseless players differently but that is due to rules changes. Am I the only one concerned with seeing young players approach a tackle with head and eyes down which they have to do by necessity in a rugby tackle?

[@ThePattersonbr99]

When did the rule on head placement change? I've always been taught head across the belly. I've been doing videos lately where an the players tackle with their head behind the runner. Seems like a recipe for missed tackles. Explain

[@bobbyvernon1681]

Thanks for the question. it actually changed several years ago. We teach tracking the near hip and striking with shoulder without head across. Only time head would be across is if runner tries to cut back. We teach our players to never let the ball (ball carrier) cross your face and to know where your help is coming from, be it a sideline or teammate. So if a RB is running outside say to his left, our LB will be tracking him to his right and looking to strike him with his right shoulder. The LB should have another force player be it a safety or corner tracking from outside in. if both players keep their leverage and do not let the ball cross their face, chances of a missed tackle are very low.

[@marcusaureliusantoninusaug2161]

Very good educational video Bobby! One question though: How do you as a DB protect yourself against the RB lowering his head and delivering a blow to your head? I'm a corner and I've used Hawk Tackling in the past. Got a concussion though from a short RB (around 5'8) who lowered his head and delivered a big blow to my head as I came shooting in for a Hawk Tackle. My intentions and technique were clean, he targeted my head though with his helmet. I got concussed, he ran straight through me and scored. How to avoid this scenario? In all practice drills the RB dummies always keep their heads up. Different in games though, especially with short RBs.

[@bobbyvernon1681]

Marcus, thanks for watching and the question. Not sure I have a perfect answer for you but we train our defenders to maintain their leverage (in this case outside leverage as a corner) and not let the ball cross his face. So in the instance that a RB is running outside (let's say its a sweep to his right) and the left side corner is coming up from outside in, by planning to hit the RB low in the thigh with his right shoulder (inside shoulder) while keeping his head outside I think gives him the best chance to make a clean tackle and avoid getting speared by the RB. If he's in the right position usually tackle is made as RB turns up field or he cut back inside. That said if the RB simply lowers his head in an attempt to truck the defender I still think hitting with near shoulder offers better protection to the head so long as the power step is in close to the target and low leverage is held. At least I think it's better than being head up on the player or giving up leverage to get the head across to the inside. That said nothing is perfect... least of all tackling players at high speeds.... Hopefully this helps.

[@marcusaureliusantoninusaug2161]

Thanks a lot, very helpful! I'm actually playing outside the U.S. and coaches here are very inexperienced and simply not educated correctly when it comes to Football. Soccer is King here in Europe, you won't even get a pair of cleats in a store, internet shopping is your best chance :) We learn most of our trades from watching youtube videos like this one, made by experienced US coaches who care about safety. I asked my coach about tackling and all he replied was "Just hit the guy as hard as you can and destroy him". Not helpful at all to say the least. I told him he has a responsibility, but he doesn't care, most coaches here don't, atleast on an amateur level. The average pay in our Pro League is about 2,000 $ / month.....Our First Division Soccer League is Top 3 in the world and the average pay is drastically over 1 million $ / year. Football is living in the shadows here, sadly.

[@user-kz2yt5ow7r]

Defender took off on wrong foot...details!!