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Offense sells tickets, defense wins championships. Every championship defense in history has tackled well. The amount of success on defense will be determined on how well your team tackles. Pride your team on being sure tacklers. Let’s start off with my tackling philosophy:

Tackling Philosophy

We will be committed to stopping the run. We will prevent the offense from having a consistent offensive attack by being sure tacklers and swarming to the ball carrier.
We will swarm to the football. All 11 players on the field will gang tackle the ball carrier. Pursuit is all about effort!
We will be a sure tackling team. We will be a team that tackles well game in and game out. We will tackleproperly,safely, and effectively.
Contain the outside. We will force the ball carrier inside to our relentless pursuit and we will gang tackle.
Hold gaps and anchor. Our interior defensive line will get penetration and anchor their gaps, not chasing counter action. We will destruct blocks and make solid tackles in the backfield.
We will not give up big plays. All players will hold their gaps and pursuit to the ball carrier. Swarm tackling the ball carrier will prevent big plays.
Create at least 2 turnovers a game. We will force turnovers with our relentless gang tackling and disciplined pass coverage.
Short yardage and goal line defense. We must increase our intensity & attitude when we are in our red zone and short yardage defense. Get to the football and tackle! tackle! tackle!
Discipline. We will absorb the game plan each week and execute it on game day. Every player will read their keys and do their job.
Be a smart defense. We will understand game situations, player alignments, opponent tendencies/game planning, and down and distances. We will be smart and athletic with our open field tackling.
We will not give up big passing plays. We will be disciplined in cover 3 zone defense. We will not allow yards after catch because of our relentless pursuit and tackling of the ball/ pass catcher.
We will play defense with passion. When we play defense we will fly to the football with enthusiasm and effort. We will communicate and talk it up with each other. If we make a big play get pumped about it!

Here is How to Tackle With Proper Tackling Technique

Tackling successfully and safety all starts with proper technique.

Approach ball carrier, chop feet and get under control. You never want to be caught flat footed. Aiming point is the inside hip of the ball carrier. We do not use the term “break down” because breaking down will get defenders caught flat footed.
Stay low. Sink the hips, eyes on belt buckle. Sink the Hips and Sky the Eyes.
Tackle through. Explode through the target with head up. Contact must be made with shoulder pads. Feet need to be active (chopping) and underneath you. Shoot hands up, wrap up, and grab cloth.
The tackler’s head must always be across the body of the ball carrier. If our players do not get their head across the body we consider that an arm tackle.
Drive through. Many kids will make the mistake of stopping their feet on contact. Teach your players to shoot and drive through the ball carrier.

Defense