Stupid Announcer is Wrong about How Kids are Taught to Tackle

[Tom Frey]

I have to vent. Every time that Announcer said that kids are taught to turn their heads when tackling (the Dungey hit) I want to scream. I am a certified USA Football coach and have coached my son and his team for the last couple of years and we do not teach that. We teach "heads up tackling". Head up, off to one side, and look at what you are tackling. Thank you, I feel much better now.

 

[texascpa]

Same here, though last year was it for me coaching.

 

[Sudano]

I have to vent. Every time that Announcer said that kids are taught to turn their heads when tackling (the Dungey hit) I want to scream. I am a certified USA Football coach and have coached my son and his team for the last couple of years and we do not teach that. We teach "heads up tackling". Head up, off to one side, and look at what you are tackling. Thank you, I feel much better now.

Wouldn't off to one side mean you have to slightly turn your head.

 

[texascpa]

Wouldn't off to one side mean you have to slightly turn your head.

No, not the way it's taught though Head's Up USA Football (arm of the NFL).

 

[Orangetradition44]

Wouldn't off to one side mean you have to slightly turn your head.

No. It's about where you are putting your head when you make the hit, not turning it.

 

[CIL]

Except it's not natural instinct when a 200 pound RB is running at you. Heads up is fine in theory but stay stationary and keep your head up when Marshawn is running at you.

The big issue is the size of the players. No one really wants to tackle PED usage, certainly not the NFL.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

While I can see where that hit on Dungey could draw a flag, I didn't think it was ejection worthy.

 

[tbonezone]

While I can see where that hit on Dungey could draw a flag, I didn't think it was ejection worthy.

i agree. dungy's ass was still a good foot off the turf and the defender obviously backed off. don't pussify the sport. QB deserved a shot there.

 

[SUbear]

i agree. dungy's ass was still a good foot off the turf and the defender obviously backed off. don't pussify the sport. QB deserved a shot there.

Then you do not understand the rule as it is now, once the quarterback goes into his feet first slide to give himself up he is off limits, especially to a head hunting hit like that delivered by the RI player. He deserved ejection under the existing rule.

 

[Briancuse]

You are taught to put your head across, but yes you still have to keep it up.

 

[rrlbees]

i agree. dungy's ass was still a good foot off the turf and the defender obviously backed off. don't pussify the sport. QB deserved a shot there.

You don't know the targeting rule.

 

[tbonezone]

this ain't THE MATRIX it's real time and the defender was already committed to the hit when the imo late slide began. it was in no way a ronnie lott headhunt expedition. rhodie dude pulled up. i feel the same way on the OOB hits. if the contact is initiated in bounds then it's fair gazelle.

 

[Millhouse]

Except it's not natural instinct when a 200 pound RB is running at you. Heads up is fine in theory but stay stationary and keep your head up when Marshawn is running at you. The big issue is the size of the players. No one really wants to tackle PED usage, certainly not the NFL.

there's no way heads up works on fast shifty players. End up looking like you're bear hugging the invisible man as the guy scored

 

[CanadianSU]

I have to vent. Every time that Announcer said that kids are taught to turn their heads when tackling (the Dungey hit) I want to scream. I am a certified USA Football coach and have coached my son and his team for the last couple of years and we do not teach that. We teach "heads up tackling". Head up, off to one side, and look at what you are tackling. Thank you, I feel much better now.

ALWAYS head up, down is how you break your neck
.

 

[SWC75]

Whenever discussions of tackling come up, I always look at films of Dick Butkus, like this one:

He rarely made contact with his helmet. He always had his arms out and surrounded his pray with them. Even when he hit someone hard, his hands usually made contact with the ball carrier before the rest of his body. His head might be down but normally hit hardest with his shoulder pads.