UNCOVERING THE ROOT CAUSES STUNTING TACKLING - AND HOW TO FIX THEM
Missed tackles plagued the defense all season. Opponents routinely broke initial contact for bonus yards after contact. Without open field stops forcing punts, the struggling unit leaked points weekly.
The coach knew precisely why—poor tackle technique failed when tested in games. However, the film’s analysis revealed no clear answers to the consistent issues. Identifying why fundamentals frequently regressed seemed only possible with deeper evaluation capabilities.
Luckily, advanced diagnostics can expose hidden limitations that undermine talent by pinpointing why breakdowns occur. This article explains common tackling deficiency culprits and how detailed video tracking helps uncover actionable areas for improvement to lock in positive gains.
In the highlighted play, the defender initially displays proper technique, accelerating through the line. However, as the ball carrier pivots left, poor change of direction skills surface, allowing crucial extra yards to extend the drive.
The defender must recognize his mobility limitations to avoid struggling against agile runners despite earlier positioning to make the stop. His mistakes multiply, draining confidence in assignments demanding fluid movement.
Unfortunately, his experience proves all too common. Subtle tackling flaws frequently emerge under game situations, causing:
- Extended drives keeping the defense on the field tiring – raising injury risks
- Blown coverages risking deep strikes
- Lost conditioning from excessive time forcing substitutions
- Blame around assignment errors
The worst outcome is increased targeting penalties, as sloppy tackling induces dangerous launches.
Coaches agree nearly all tackling troubles manifest one of two ways:
- Athlete Overcompensation
- Situational Panic
When confident, defenders play instinctively. But perceived weaknesses prompt desperate reactions:
1) Overcompensating strengths to impose dominance, or
2) Panicking, reverting to comfortable tactics regardless of positioning.
In both cases, losing proper mechanics follows.
For example, linebackers lacking breakaway speed often over-commit to contact, allowing poor angles when beaten to the edge. Alternatively, smaller defenders forfeit leverage advantages against larger ball carriers by recoiling upright rather than staying low through contact.
Without understanding the triggers that provoke such reactions, improving consistency remains unlikely. Mastery demands applying sound skills fluidly despite circumstances. Achieving that undeterred reaction time requires identifying—and drilling—emotional stressors.
Tacklytics’ signature analysis exposes behavioral tendencies by assessing body positioning accurately before collisions. This tracking opens doors to:
- Metrics quantifying technique soundness regarding leverage, closing space, angle, and strike timing.
- Diagnostics pinpoint how failures manifest through overcompensation or situational panic.
- Pattern recognition correlating performance dips to opponent or scenario variables.
However, identification without implementation stalls progress. Corrective regimens expose athletes to stress triggers in controlled settings:
A prime example came through a recent Atavus High School client. After adopting Tacklytics, their multi-year tackle efficiency trends showed substantial gains:
- Tackling execution up 1% year-over-year
- 55% of clients saw proficiency jumps
- Marquette University improved tackle efficiency by 9%
These real-world outcomes demonstrate that focused identification and training to overcome technique deficiencies provides measurable returns—36% of Atavus clients now tally 65%+ tackle effectiveness. Let us help you achieve similar tackling gains by leveraging prescriptive video analysis to unlock your athletes’ potential.
Uncovering tackling deficiencies is a multifaceted challenge, but once identified accurately, it also catalyzes incredible improvements. As evidenced by recent clients, targeted training builds comfort, converting technique into instincts trusted implicitly regardless of circumstance.
Tacklytics provides the missing guidance to accelerate defensive potential via actionable diagnosis, responsive prescriptive regimens, and reinforcement that resolve tackling regression causes. Our system supplies the keys to unlock your team’s total dominance. Let us help digitally develop the consistent, confident tackling separating champions.