Defensive Backs who can tackle standout from the rest. If you can tackle properly as a DB, you’ll give coaches another reason to play you, and make a lot more plays when it’s your time to shine. Of course, coverage is the main aspect of the position, but the more tools on your belt, the better!
Everybody who plays the game knows that football is the ultimate team sport. This post will breakdown the best way to tackle by leveraging the biggest help you have. Your teammates.
Tackle the near hip
The most important thing is to attack and tackle the near hip or your leverage hip of the ball carrier. What this means (in football player meathead terms) is that whatever side you’re already on, tackle him on that side of his body. If you’re a corner and you’re containing the play and on his outside, tackle the ball carrier outside-in. If you’re a safety coming down and chasing the man to the sideline, tackle inside-out. There are a few reasons why this is so important and why it’ll not only help your game, but your whole defense as well.
Help your teammates
First off, think about where your help is. If you’re outside of the man then you probably have the rest of your defense pursuing from inside and if you’re on the inside of the man, there is probably a corner closing down from the outside. If you cross the ball carriers face and tackle from the wrong side, you will cut off your help and directly get in the way of them making a tackle. Not very nice for the boys. Important to note, if you’re further away from the play and your teammate attacks from the wrong side, make him right by changing your leverage. For example, if you’re a safety and the corner who should be in contain gets beat to the outside, then you can make it all okay by filling in on the outside. This concept also applies in the box with linebackers and defensive lineman. Often times, the d-line will mess up and go in the wrong hole and to balance the equation, linebackers shift over and cover the open gap.
Additionally, when you tackle the leverage hip, you can keep all your momentum when you’re making a tackle and get a nice hard-hit in. But we’ll talk more about the actual tackle in a later post.
Aside from playing smart with the help from your teammates, it’s really just easier to make tackles like this. It doesn’t make sense to run to a man and then cross his face, just to change direction and make the tackle. Even if the sideline is there and you’re supposed to contain, trust that you’re going to make the tackle and that the secondary defender will fill in where you need help. If you get beat outside and then get beat inside, you’re playing into his games and will end up on SportsCenter not top ten with your ankles broken.
Follow the tips in this post to add to your game and make sure to follow Pick 6 Athletics, because next post will be about how to actually make these open field tackles. No more getting juked or trucked, you’ll only be making big hits and tackles every time. (Watch Video)
About the Author
Pick 6 Athletics is ran by Eric Colonna. He has been playing football for over half his life on both sides of the ball and always at DB. Currently, Eric is in his Junior year at Queen’s University and studying commerce. He has learned a great amount about training, playing different positions in football, and developing a killer mentality to succeed in life. Pick 6 Athletics' mission is to become the #1 community for high school defensive backs and a great resource for any athlete.
Follow on social media:
Instagram: pick6athletics
Twitter: Pick6Athletics
YouTube: Pick 6 Athletics
Or visit their website at https://www.pick6athletics.com/