Something to keep an eye on during spring training at the University of Louisville football complex.
Some changes are coming to one of football’s most basic elements, hopefully making the game safer for the players. There appears to be an irreversible shift toward tacklers aiming their shoulders, rugby-style, instead of their heads to bring down ball carriers.
The tackling technique begins in the weight room during the off-season, with players lifting weights under supervision three times per week. One of those exercises is the development of neck muscles, with players lifting 25-pound weights via a harness attached to their heads. This is why you see former football players with such wide necks. A strong muscular neck helps to prevent broken necks.
Traditionally tacklers have been taught to put their head and facemask on the ball carrier’s breastbone, wrapping their arms and hands around the ball carrier’s legs and beneath his butt, lifting upward and driving the ball carrier downward towards the ground.
Rugby tackling however, places emphasis on tackling with the shoulder into a ball carrier’s stomach area. The tackler still must be in a correct football ready position, head-up and focusing on the belt buckle area. The object is to shift focus from the ball carrier’s breastbone area to the ball carrier’s stomach area. Lowering the hit area alone should decrease concussions.
As UofL’s Bobby Petrino told a local columnist in March, “It truly is safe. . .The difference is more emphasis on tackling with your shoulder and not your head and, once you make contact, rolling. I think they did take it from the rugby game.”
If this tackling technique does away with some concussions or destroyed knees, everyone should embrace the change.
Hi Charlie,
I saw Card Game’s article (by your colleague Keith) about the football team’s initial use of rugby style tackling and wanted to follow up and provide a bit more information to y’all about this growing trend in college (and all levels) football.
I work with ATAVUS Football Partners, a group out of Seattle who is the national leader in working with football coaches across the nation to improve the safety and effectiveness of the football tackle through rugby inspired techniques. Since launching this program last year, ATAVUS has worked the Seattle Seahawks, top D1 defenses including Ohio State, the University of Washington, as well as top high school programs from coast to coast.
Along with improving tackle techniques through drill planning and progression, the ATAVUS system also uses tackle data analytics unlike ever seen before in the game. These ground breaking analytics allow coaches to understand tackle efficiency by player, position, or team group to more effectively plan practices to ultimately improve their defense.
While ATAVUS isn’t working directly with Coach Petrino, it is great to see another coach recognize and implement the benefits of such a program.
This LINK provides more information about ATAVUS Football, including the coaching consulting, data analytics, and digital curriculum that will soon be available to ensure as many coaches around the country have access to these improved techniques as possible.
If you have any questions or would like to hear more about how rugby inspired tackling and analytics work, I’d be happy to connect you with our experts.
Thanks again for your coverage of this important topic.