Off-the-wall coaching idea

#1
Ohio Vol

Ohio Vol

Inquisitor of Offense
Joined
Jun 9, 2006
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#1
I saw on SportsCenter a few days ago (maybe SportsCenter; it could've been something else on ESPN) about how the Dallas Mavericks employ a free throw coach/consultant who does nothing except focus on that particular aspect. The results have been great, as even the worst FT shooters on the team are now above-average.

We've had much discussion over how poor UT defenders' tackling has been. To me, the two top players in this year's draft for tackling were Patrick Willis of Ole Miss and HB Blades of Pitt. Both of them were head and shoulders above anyone that UT's put out since....well, since probably Raynoch Thompson. Tackling is most important for the linebackers and DBs since there's usually too much mass with a DT for a ballcarrier to evade.

Is it time for UT to look at hiring an assistant who does nothing except focus on teaching proper fundamental tackling? It'd leave the current coaches free to impart the weekly game plans and adjustments while giving someone else a shot to make sure UT gains, uses, and keeps a physical advantage over the opposition.

Your thoughts? (I, of course, would nominate myself for the job:p )
 
#3
#3
I thought there was some kind of rule where you can only have so many coaches on a team. I may be wrong.
 
#4
#4
milohimself said:
I could do it too.

"Drop your head and hit that sumbitch."

It sounds like a good idea, though.
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Brush up on your physics before suggesting "drop your head". Ask Adam Taliaferro or the family of Al Lucas what happens when you lower your head.*

*Assuming you're not talking about actually flexing at the neck, you're still talking about using the head as the first impact point. In the next 5-10 years, we're going to see an enormous increase in traumatic frontal lobe injuries to former linebackers who were taught that way.
 
#5
#5
Ohio Vol said:
Brush up on your physics before suggesting "drop your head". Ask Adam Taliaferro or the family of Al Lucas what happens when you lower your head.*

*Assuming you're not talking about actually flexing at the neck, you're still talking about using the head as the first impact point. In the next 5-10 years, we're going to see an enormous increase in traumatic frontal lobe injuries to former linebackers who were taught that way.
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:mf_surrender:
 
#6
#6
I used to like Kevin Burnett's technique.

He seemed to be able to to wrap people up without having to get knocked out of the game in the process.
 
#7
#7
milohimself said:
:mf_surrender:
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Don't think that I'm an ogre or have to show how much I know, but there's nothing in football that makes me snap quicker than seeing poor tackling. Bad blocking technique will irritate me (a lot, in fact), but bad tackling can be a matter of determining life and death, or the abundant independent life and one filled will wheelchairs and feeding tubes.
 
#8
#8
College coaches dont want to spend practice time focusing on fundamentals they were suppose to learn in high school. They focus more on coverages, playing different offsenses, etc.
 
#10
#10
oklavol said:
College coaches dont want to spend practice time focusing on fundamentals they were suppose to learn in high school. They focus more on coverages, playing different offsenses, etc.
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I agree completely, but the problem is that most high school coaches are either unfamiliar with proper technique or unwilling to learn/teach it.

The way I see it, UT draws recruits from the same talent pool as everyone else does. This means that nearly every player coming into D-1A football is behind the curve from a tackling standpoint (the exception being those who came from very fundamentally-oriented high schools). Thus a tackling coach would put UT further ahead than those who simply shrug their shoulders and go "Well, they should've learned and danged if we're going to teach it".
 
#13
#13
The big problem is today's players hit the back too high. You can not tackle a guy like J. Lewis or the cheese by hitting them in the shoulder pads. I know Kellen Winslow accused us of hitting his knees, and this is probably the reason we tackle up high these days. We're afraid of hurting someone.
 
#14
#14
BACKDOC said:
The big problem is today's players hit the back too high. You can not tackle a guy like J. Lewis or the cheese by hitting them in the shoulder pads. I know Kellen Winslow accused us of hitting his knees, and this is probably the reason we tackle up high these days. We're afraid of hurting someone.
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The problem with going low is that most of the time it means leaving the feet to make a tackle (pet peeve #1). The other problem is that, even if the feet remain on the ground, it means the defender putting himself in a dangerous position (pet peeve #2) or not being in a position to adjust based on what the ballcarrier does (pet peeve #3).

I see the opposite problem that you do. Of course, I watched Cleveland give up 295 yards to Jamal Lewis primarily because their DBs were diving low and he was either sidestepping them or hurdling them.
 
#15
#15
Ohio Vol said:
The problem with going low is that most of the time it means leaving the feet to make a tackle (pet peeve #1). The other problem is that, even if the feet remain on the ground, it means the defender putting himself in a dangerous position (pet peeve #2) or not being in a position to adjust based on what the ballcarrier does (pet peeve #3).

I see the opposite problem that you do. Of course, I watched Cleveland give up 295 yards to Jamal Lewis primarily because their DBs were diving low and he was either sidestepping them or hurdling them.
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Spoken like a true coach. That irritates the hell out of me as well.
 
#16
#16
You can only have how ever many coaches, and if the NCAA was to allow another coach, I would want a special teams coach before a tackling coach.
 
#17
#17
The vols should hire former All-American and free-throw guru Kyle Macy.

He needs a job right now, better snatch him up before Billy G hires him.

kyle_macy.jpg
 
#18
#18
Brian McCat said:
The vols should hire former All-American and free-throw guru Kyle Macy.

He needs a job right now, better snatch him up before Billy G hires him.

kyle_macy.jpg
Click to expand...

If someone doesn't hire him soon, I will be forced to stop listening to sports radio in Lex. :whistling:
 
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