I got this one from our Defensive Coordinator, Jeff Moore, who is one of the best in the business. He was a 2012 finalist for D3football.com’s Division III Coordinator of the Year, and his defense has led us to a .759 winning percentage since his arrival in 2011. While he is always on the forefront with regard to defensive scheme and philosophy, he is also a big believer in drill mastery and repetition. I certainly believe, and I think most coaches would agree, that safe and effective ways to teach tackling are among the most important tools a defensive coach can possess. Our program and our staff has not shied away from contact drills or physical competition in practice, but it makes a lot of sense, especially when considering how our sport has changed in recent years, to embrace drills that reduce impact on players. This drill also breaks down tackling, more specifically open field angle tackling, into a few specific skills that can be repeated with high frequency in very little space. These are all the reasons why we love it and use it throughout the season and during spring practice.
The Drill:
Players should work in groups of three or four along the sideline or another line. The tackler faces the rest of the group (the “ball carriers”) and begins offset to the left. The tackler creeps back in a weave pedal (angled backpedal) away from the first ball carrier while closing the horizontal gap between himself and the ball carrier (picture a free safety pedaling for depth and width to get over a fade route). The tackler should “stick his feet in the ground” and break at an angle toward the ball carrier (this is where the drill gets its name). The stick should be quick and with both feet. Don’t let the players lazily “rock” into the forward run or stand up too straight. Their hips should be low, and they should chop their feet quickly on their toes. When working from left to right, the tackler should close on the ball carrier and take a strong power step with his right leg between the ball carrier’s feet.
The tackler should “strike” the ball carrier with his shoulders squared to the line of scrimmage (I say “strike” lightly because this should not be a heavy contact drill, but rather a technique refinement drill). As the tackler makes contact, he should “club up” with his arms and “grab cloth” with his hands. The tackler’s head should slide across the ball carrier, and he should concentrate on putting his left cheek onto the ball carrier’s chest to emphasize that motion. This will naturally cause the tackler to finish with his left shoulder in heavier contact with the ball carrier. The tackler should also try to get his left hip into contact with the ball carrier.
I coach them to strive for “maximum body contact” to try to eliminate lunging. By focusing on their eye control (when the tackler’s cheek is on the ball carrier’s chest, his eyes should be looking up at his right hand, which should be full of jersey on top of the ball carrier’s shoulder pads), they should keep their heads in a safe, effective, and legal position on the ball carrier. After coming to balance, the tackler should release the ball carrier and start into a weave pedal in the direction of the next ball carrier. The drill mirrors easily, and should be run in both directions. While our players can never tackle well enough to satisfy our staff (something every coach experiences), this drill has helped them refine their technique to keep them safe, help us play better defense, and reduce penalties for illegal hits. It is most effective for players who need to backpedal, but the drill can adapted easily to suit middle linebackers and defensive linemen. Good luck and enjoy!
