Tackle (American football)

“ How soon to let the man through is also an important question. When the ball is to be punted, the tackle upon the kicker's side must block long and hard, while the tackle upon the other end should block sharply, and then let his man through for the sake of getting down the field under the kick. When a drop is to be attempted, the blocking upon both sides must be close and long, much longer than for a punt. ”

“ It is no exaggeration to say that more than two thirds of the breaking through that does real damage comes between the end and guard, and therefore in the space supposed to be under the care of the tackle. By successful blocking is meant, not unfair holding, which sooner or later will result in disaster, nor backing upon a runner or kicker as the charger advances, which is almost as bad as no blocking, but that clever and properly timed body-checking of the opponent which delays him just long enough to render his effort to reach his man futile every time. ”

“ In blocking for a run the case is very different, and depends upon the point of assault. If the run is to be made around the right end, for instance, by the left half-back, the right tackle must block very slowly and long. That is, he must not dash up to his man the instant the ball is snapped and butt him aside, for the runner will not be near [Pg 52] enough to derive any advantage from this, and the opponent will easily recover in time to tackle him. ”

“ When a half-back has to tackle, he must be as sure as a steel-trap; when a half-back has to catch, he must be a man to be relied upon; when a half-back is called upon for a kick, it must be no fluke; and, although no one expects a half-back to always make on his run the five yards, he must be a man who will not be denied when he is called upon for that last yard [Pg 98] which will enable his side to retain the ball.
Almost the first thing to be critically noted by the coach is the way in which a half-back takes the ball from his quarter. ”

“ This is not well understood by captains and coaches, but it is easy to see if one follows the play. A tired end rusher, even one who has experience and a good idea of his place, will lope down the field under a kick, and by his lack of speed will allow a return; and, against a running game, while he will, it is true, force his man in, he will do it so slowly that the runner is enabled [Pg 26] to pass the tackle. The first will surely result in his own halves shortening their kicks, and the second in drawing his own tackle too widely from the guard. ”

“ That is, he must remember that, while on one side of him there is the tackle, who will do his utmost to help him out, there is on the other side—that is, towards touch—no one to assist him, and a run around the end means a free run for many yards. "Force the man in" is always a good motto for an end, and one he will do well to follow conscientiously. ”

“ When the opponents are about to run instead of kick, the same combination of line half and tackle can be put in operation, except that it will not do for these two to follow each other through with such freedom, as there is too much danger of both being shunted off by a clever turn coupled with well-timed interference. The cardinal point to be remembered is, to be far enough apart so that a single dodge and one interference cannot possibly throw off both men. ”

“ The tackle is the "work horse" of the eleven. He is called upon to stop most of the plays of the opponents, since nine-tenths of their attack is aimed at his position or just outside of him. On offense, in the various "tackle-back" or "tackle-over" plays that are so extensively used in the present development of the game, he is required to head the interference or to plunge through the line with the ball like a full back. He has become the important man in every play, and success and failure depend on how he performs his duties. ”

“ The tackle should be an expert in the use of the stiff arm, so that he can keep the opposing tackle and end away from him and go through the line. The opposing end is the most dangerous man the tackle has before him, and this man should be carefully watched. The tackle must not in any circumstances permit himself to be boxed, and should nearly always break through the opposing line on the outside of his opponent. ”

“ A very important part of the tackle's work is on the defense, where he should exemplify everything that his name implies. He should tackle all the time and all over the field. He should break through and tackle behind the line, and should never be denied. ”

“ Guards play to the center, low, hard and stalling, not knifing through. Tackles fight their way into the play through opposing end. Ends play as close as possible, often not over two yards outside their own tackle and tear into every play smashing the interference and hurrying passes. Center and full play about three yards behind tackle, usually a trifle inside and wait until they diagnose the play, [Pg 25] then meet it. These men must be the best tacklers on the team and fast, for if the tackles and ends accomplish their work these men have their opportunity. ”

“ He will have his feet slightly staggered, and on the snap of the ball he is to play the offensive tackle with a quick hand or forearm flipper. If it is a running play toward him, he must whip the offensive tackle, be ready to stop the hand-off, and help out on the off-tackle play. If it is a straight back pass, he will rush the passer from the inside. If the play goes away or to the far-side, he will control the offensive tackle and pursue the football. On his angle of pursuit he should never go around the offensive tackle, but pursue the football going through the tackle’s head. ”

“ In delivering the stiff arm the runner should always aim to conceal his intention as far as possible from the tackler, avoiding the habit of carrying the arm in an advanced position before the tackler gets close enough to permit its use, and shooting out the arm at exactly the moment when the opponent attempts the tackle. If the runner's purpose is divulged in advance, the tackler will be ready to ward it off and the stiff arm will be of little use. ”

“ To do all that is required of him, a tackle must have the speed of an end and the aggressiveness and all-round ability of a good back. It is needless to say that he must have courage, weight, strength and wonderful endurance to fulfil the requirements of his position. ”

“ Right tackle seems the destination of more than half the plays which our men start, and they gain steadily. From the kick-off the ball is taken straight up the field, the backs handling the oval cleanly and the interference being well nigh perfect. The tackle who is bearing the brunt of the terrific attack lies prostrate on the ground after every play and is plainly weakening under the human bombardment. On his own 30-yard line the visitors' captain calls a halt. ”

“ The tackle should always be how enough, however, to pin the legs of the runner together, thereby bringing him to earth. The resistance of the runner as he falls will protect the tackler from any possible injury from striking the ground, as the runner will act as a buffer. ”

“ In such case, the runner is usually within reaching distance and the tackler under less rapid motion. As the two come together the tackler should go into his man low, grasping him between the hips and knees and launching himself forward and upward toward the opponents' goal at the very moment of the tackle, the purpose being the securing of an added impetus which will carry the runner back. If it is possible, the tackler should launch his weight from a position which will allow him to strike the runner in a position which will lift him off his feet. ”

“ They are the men occupying the positions enabling them to stop all runs intended to go out beyond them, and they must be instrumental as well in stopping line plays. The tackle should use his head and should never be caught twice in the same manner by a trick of an opponent. ”

“ Tackles—The defensive tackles line up on the outside eye of the offensive tackles, and they aim for a spot one yard deep in the offensive backfield behind the inside foot of the offensive tackles. Each tackle is responsible for the hand-off play to his side, making the tackle or forcing the dive play to the inside so our middle linebacker can make the tackle. ”

“ The tackle shouid watch the opposing backs very carefully, as he can often tell, by some movement or expression before the play is started, where it is to hit the line, and so be greatly helped in the endeavor to stop it. ”

“ He may also be required to go over on the other side of his own line to take a position beside his own tackle, there to perform the duties of an end in boxing the opposing tackle, leaving the end whose place he has taken free to care for the defensive half back. ”

“ Playing so wonderfully well the end-rush position, his alertness in falling on the ball often meant much distance for Yale. He had wonderful judgment in deciding whether to fall on the ball or pick it up.
One of the most important things in football is knowing how to tackle properly. Some men take to it naturally and others only learn after hard, strenuous practice.
In the old days men were taught to tackle by what is known as "live tackling." I recall especially that earnest coach, Johnny Poe, whose main object in football coaching was to see that the men tackled hard and sure. ”

“ An effective tackle, shown in one of the illustrations which accompany this chapter, is one made from behind. This is frequently possible when a forward has broken through the line just behind the path of the play. It is also employed in the open field when a runner has passed the first line of defense and is going down the field. ”

“ When his own side is attempting a kick, the left tackle should leave his position and go straight down the field under the punt. He should go through on the inside of the defensive tackle, giving him a slight body check as he goes by. The tackle on the side of the kicker's leg must block longer but not too long, and should go down fast to stop the runner, in case he has not already been downed. ”

“ With tears in his eyes and sobbing like a little child, the unfortunate tackle wraps a blanket about him and is guided off the field, while a substitute, wild with joy at his chance, rushes in to take his phace. ”

“ If the opponents play close in the line and bring in their back-field, do not be afraid to use the plays that go outside of tackle, and even farther out if the end comes in as close as he often does. This does not mean, however, that you must try a wide end run. ”

“ Our left end and right tackle will go down and set up five yards outside of the safety man, and five yards away from him. We set our right end out about 10 yards, and he is our “sprinter.” His assignment is to sprint straight for the safety man, and force the safety to fumble the ball, if possible. His line of direction has a second purpose, too. Since he is in an excellent position to catch the football should the punter fake the punt and pass, the defense must adjust to him and cannot merely permit him to run a diagonal course downfield every time we have a punting situation. ”

“ And this first lesson is tackling. Perhaps the picture on the opposite page will remind you of the time you taught your boys the good old game.
This particular kind of football instinct has produced many of the finest players the colleges have ever seen. In a real football family there isn't much bluffing as to what you can do nor are there many excuses for a fumble or a missed tackle. With your big brothers' ears open and their tongues ready with a caustic remark, it doesn't need "Pop's" keen eye to keep you within the realms of truth as to the length of your run or why you missed that catch. ”

“ When a kick is blocked there is great opportunity for a touchdown. If the ball is bounding and can consequently be easily picked up, the tackle can frequently snatch it up and race on over the goal line. Sometimes he can kick the ball forward along the ground until it is kicked in goal, where he can fall on it for a touchdown. ”