No one ever said being a college football fan was easy. We anxiously countdown the days till kickoff, we re-watch last season’s games, and we even compare our teams to Girl Scout cookies. The season begins; some of our teams win and some of our teams lose. We, as fans, react and overreact on social media. We blame boosters for running good coaches out of town and blame everyone else for our team’s issues. Whether your team is doing well or ripping your heart out, here is some good news: Everyone gets an extra bye week this season! *woohoo and thank you, football gods* So, in the spirit of extra days and loaded schedules, let’s encourage our teams to get back to the basics of good old-fashioned, fundamental football.
Fundamental Football
Some teams are outplayed and don’t match up talent-wise. While other teams have all the talent but haven’t figured out how to play together, they just seem to get lucky every now and then and pull off an upset. Furthermore, there are teams that make mistakes and extend drives for the opposing team that eventually lead to points on the board. Football is a game of fundamentals. If the fundamentals are weak, your game will be sloppy. It is crucial for coaches to pay attention to the details. If you practice sloppy, you will play sloppy. The basic fundamentals of football are the keys to success.
Winners Pay Attention To The Details
Why do you think the Clemson Tigers win consistently? Their staff pays attention to the little things. The coaches adjust on the fly, they adjust at halftime, they are constantly tweaking their game to adapt to their opponent. The Tigers staff makes sure they have every tiny detail down to a science, their practices run like a Swiss timepiece, every detail is scripted and practiced. Coach Swinney has taken years to develop his intricate system of paying attention to the little things. He is the perfect example of perseverance; if you are willing to put in the work you will eventually get the ultimate reward.
FUNDAMENTALS. DETAILS. DISCIPLINE.
The game is ever-evolving and changing, rules change, what was once acceptable is now a penalty, but the basic fundamentals stay the same. Let us revisit some of those basic fundamentals. And if your team needs a refresher course, you can send this to them. I found the following on a great website: CoachUp.com.
The following is their guide for proper tackling technique. Most teams need to reread these to increase their tackles and avoid costly penalties.
Slow Down
Defenders frequently make the mistake of sprinting as hard as they can at the ball, only to completely miss the second the carrier changes direction. Being the fastest to the ball doesn’t matter if you don’t put yourself in a position to succeed. To stop this from happening, slow down when about five yards away from the ball carrier, then mirror everything he does. If you do this correctly, you should meet him every time.
Watch Their Torso
Once you’re mirroring the ball carrier, get in a positive, ready position. Watch his hips when attempting a tackle. Feet and eyes can trick you and might send you embarrassingly in the wrong direction. The hips, however, will never, ever lie to you. Those hips will lead you right towards the tackle and, incidentally, right where you should aim to tackle him at.
Get Low
In order to finish any good tackle, a low center of gravity is crucial. If you try to hit too high, a good offensive player can get out much easier with a stiff arm, or by simply just continuing to move their feet. Conversely, the lower you hit, the easier they’ll fall. By hitting them around their legs, it becomes much harder to keep moving them. If they can’t move their feet, they can’t go anywhere and will increase the likelihood of tripping over themselves. If they can’t go anywhere, that’s a huge win for the defender.
Keep Your Head Up
Keeping your head up will serve three main purposes — first, you’ll be able to react adequately to any moves he makes. Too frequently, young players will look down while tackling, which makes last-second evasions even easier. Secondly, you’ll be able to find the football and put your facemask on it, this will increase your chances of knocking it out. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, keeping your head up will reduce your risk of getting a concussion. Poor form, especially with younger athletes, can lead to brutal concussions.
Use Your Legs
A strong, tackle-ready athlete uses his legs to generate power against the ball carrier — give him a taste of his own medicine! Then, once you have him engaged, keep pumping your legs and use that energy to push the ball carrier back. Stop him in his tracks and don’t give him the opportunity to break from your tackle!
Wrap It Up
Now, just because you’ve made solid contact doesn’t mean the tackle is done and dusted. In fact, this is where most players falter. Only at lower levels of football do players fall down on the first contact. Make sure you don’t just bounce off the ball carrier! Remember, you’re most dangerous with your shoulders around his numbers and your facemask on the ball. Then, wrap your arms around the carrier’s waist and bring him down. If you’re only able to get his legs or shoulder, that’s perfectly reasonable as well, just make sure you know the rules about tackling around the neck.
Defending The Line of Scrimmage
Let us not forget about the battle at the line of scrimmage. The control of the line of scrimmage is ultimately where the game is won or lost. The offensive line dictates the success of the offense. They must be able to move the defenders to run the ball effectively, no matter how much talent your backs and receivers may have. Also, the line needs to be able to pass protect their quarterback if he is to have time to deliver the football accurately and effectively downfield. Same is true for the defensive line, they must be able to stop the backs and receivers from getting into the secondary. They cannot give the quarterback time to pick apart the defense. It sounds so simple. To quote coachup.com “Preparation at the initial point of attack can optimize the potential for success on both sides of the ball. Coaches that focus on the offensive line blocking and pressure on the defensive front equip their teams with the basic foundations of winning every game.”
Bye Week
Because of the schedule this season, every team gets an additional bye week. As many teams head into their first bye week of the season, their coaches will undoubtedly be tweaking their teams. Hopefully, they will be tightening on both sides of the ball. As well as stressing the importance of the basic fundamentals, clean tackles, smart and penalty-free play. Football season is too short to have to go through it getting your heart ripped out every week. So, let us get back to the basics of good old-fashioned fundamental football.
Fundamental Football Main Photo:
CHARLOTTE, NC – DECEMBER 02: The Clemson Tigers offense lines up against the Miami Hurricanes defense in the second quarter during the ACC Football Championship at Bank of America Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
