The Physics of "Launching" Yourself at Someone

#1
Sheik Yerbouti

Sheik Yerbouti

Class of 2000
Joined
May 1, 2007
Messages
2,395
Likes
1,130
#1
UT has a good physics and engineering department, and maybe someone associated with it will read this and help answer.

Is "launching" yourself at someone in connection with a tackle inherently more dangerous than, say, remaining on your feet and driving through them?

I would guess not, but maybe it depends on the several factors I'm not considering.

Can any actual engineers or physicists help lead a legit discussion on this point?
 
#2
#2
The liberal media guys have a suggestion for fixing it. You ready? Here it is.......Two hand touch....
 
#4
#4
Cartervol said:
The liberal media guys have a suggestion for fixing it. You ready? Here it is.......Two hand touch....
Click to expand...

yeah...i'm going to say i'm pretty sure this isn't all a case of "the liberal media destroying college football's values" or any such. How does this even have anything to do with anything liberal or conservative period?
 
#5
#5
Sheik Yerbouti said:
UT has a good physics and engineering department, and maybe someone associated with it will read this and help answer.

Is "launching" yourself at someone in connection with a tackle inherently more dangerous than, say, remaining on your feet and driving through them?

I would guess not, but maybe it depends on the several factors I'm not considering.

Can any actual engineers or physicists help lead a legit discussion on this point?
Click to expand...

give me a few days and i'll try to get my friend who's an engineer to figure it out/ explain it
 
#6
#6
TrueOrange said:
give me a few days and i'll try to get my friend who's an engineer to figure it out/ explain it
Click to expand...

Thanks.

I would think that, as soon as you leave your feet, two things start happening: (1) you start decelerating laterally; and (2) your collision becomes much more elastic because you are not actively driving yourself forward with anything other than momentum. You might be accelerating toward the ground though. It just seems to me that a "launch" hit, delivered while the defensive player was off the ground, would be delivered with less force than a well-timed non-"launch" hit where the defensive player was on the ground and driving himself through the offensive player. But I'm no engineer and have been known to be wrong about these things...
 
#7
#7
Good thread. I was wondering the same thing. Looks like to me, more force would be applied if the defenders feet remained on the ground. Once he leaves his feet, factors such as gravitational pull, etc.. slow his forward momentum.
 
#8
#8
TrueOrange said:
yeah...i'm going to say i'm pretty sure this isn't all a case of "the liberal media destroying college football's values" or any such. How does this even have anything to do with anything liberal or conservative period?
Click to expand...
Sorry to offend you , you must be one. To be honest though i really don't care. They've planted the seeds all year long, beat it into our heads and now it's affecting the outcome of games. They don't even know how to interpret the rule so how in the world can you enforce it?
 
#9
#9
Cartervol said:
Sorry to offend you , you must be one. To be honest though i really don't care. They've planted the seeds all year long, beat it into our heads and now it's affecting the outcome of games. They don't even know how to interpret the rule so how in the world can you enforce it?
Click to expand...

Seriously, this thread is about something else. Thanks for the bump though. :hi:
 
#10
#10
You're asking a great question Sheik. I'm not a physicist (But my father is - does that count??)

....So speaking as the lowly offspring of a real bonafide physicist, I can tell you that there is no momentum gained while launched that was not present during the launch (while still on ground). Any upward momentum after launch would be decreased dramatically after launch by opposing gravitational force. Common sense really.

Any lateral forces from launch would not be increased, nor have the ability to be increased while in the air.

Mr Jackson 'launched' himself to meet the opponent at the earliest possible moment in the air and disrupt the catch - not to maximize possible impact. Unless the receiver got his foot down, it seems that Jackson was successful. The receiver began 'helicopter' motion in air and planted his facemask and shoulder first out of bounds. If this is what happened, Jackson was successful.
 
#11
#11
This thread could be dangerous if the wusses that run football rule making get ahold of it. They may actually find out that staying on the ground and using it as leverage is more dangerous. Next thing we know players will no longer be allowed to do that either.
 
#12
#12
The only thing I could see is that you lose control in the air. You're committed to the hit, can't let up, and can't adjust to avoid hitting helmet to helmet, etc. Similar to abs in a car. You don't stop faster with abs, but you lose control with a lockup.

Really it doesn't make sense. Maybe it just shows the deliberate intention to deliver a nasty blow. In reality it looks worse than it is. Using your legs allows for more devastating hits.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#13
#13
Cartervol said:
Sorry to offend you , you must be one. To be honest though i really don't care. They've planted the seeds all year long, beat it into our heads and now it's affecting the outcome of games. They don't even know how to interpret the rule so how in the world can you enforce it?
Click to expand...

My only view on politics is that most of the system is flawed and i'll leave it at that.

I just thought it was silly to blame a media here.
 
#14
#14
Sheik Yerbouti said:
Thanks.

I would think that, as soon as you leave your feet, two things start happening: (1) you start decelerating laterally; and (2) your collision becomes much more elastic because you are not actively driving yourself forward with anything other than momentum. You might be accelerating toward the ground though. It just seems to me that a "launch" hit, delivered while the defensive player was off the ground, would be delivered with less force than a well-timed non-"launch" hit where the defensive player was on the ground and driving himself through the offensive player. But I'm no engineer and have been known to be wrong about these things...
Click to expand...

I would have to wonder though:

I would think you have to factor in not just a loss of momentum (if there is one, depending on how much resistance air actually provides) but additional force/momentum added that comes with the jump forwards (the jump seems to have intention of either making up ground lost by travelling through the air OR perhaps it's intended to cover said ground quicker than on foot).

Force might be effected by the hit (if delivered with say the helmet) being delivered over a smaller area than a form tackle (force by area is pressure i believe?)



I'm not sure on it either, nor am I really the best one to be speaking on it (psych major). But I will try to get the answer from this guy and get back to you on it when I hear back.
 
Last edited:
#15
#15
There is no deceleration due to air resistance. You probably can propel harder during a dive than while running but that's counteracted by the fact that you can't accelerate forward during the hit.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#17
#17
Thrasher865 said:
There is no deceleration due to air resistance. You probably can propel harder during a dive than while running but that's counteracted by the fact that you can't accelerate forward during the hit.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

New rule for next year. (1) The defensive player must approach the offensive player and pull one of the two flags from the belt of the offensive players belt. No jumping, launching or aggressive behavior will be tolerated. (1a) The defensive player must smile at the offensive player before pulling his flag. (1b) The defensive player must then return the flag to the offensive player with a smile. (1c) The offensive player must then smile back and say thank you for returning my flag.
 
#18
#18
CountVolcula said:
Good thread. I was wondering the same thing. Looks like to me, more force would be applied if the defenders feet remained on the ground. Once he leaves his feet, factors such as gravitational pull, etc.. slow his forward momentum.
Click to expand...

Gravitational pull does not decelerate anything in a lateral direction. Nothing affects your forward velocity once you leave your feet until you hit the receiver

It's the fact that the receivers body decelerates yours with less force when you don't have your feet driving underneath you.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
Last edited:
#19
#19
FlVolunteer said:
New rule for next year. (1) The defensive player must approach the offensive player and pull one of the two flags from the belt of the offensive players belt. No jumping, launching or aggressive behavior will be tolerated. (1a) The defensive player must smile at the offensive player before pulling his flag. (1b) The defensive player must then return the flag to the offensive player with a smile. (1c) The offensive player must then smile back and say thank you for returning my flag.
Click to expand...
That's what I'm seeing happening in the future. The pussification of football marches on... :p
 
#20
#20
Thrasher865 said:
The only thing I could see is that you lose control in the air. You're committed to the hit, can't let up, and can't adjust to avoid hitting helmet to helmet, etc. Similar to abs in a car. You don't stop faster with abs, but you lose control with a lockup.

Really it doesn't make sense. Maybe it just shows the deliberate intention to deliver a nasty blow. In reality it looks worse than it is. Using your legs allows for more devastating hits.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

I think this must be it.
 
#22
#22
Great thread! I would think the leverage from the turf would help deliver a bigger hit. Once you are in the air you just bounce against/off of the target. I remember from my much younger days a martial arts guy said to always be in contact with the ground so you could maintain your composure. I would think that is why the rule is against launching. The launching player does not have the ability to adjust/protect himself or the other player.
 
#23
#23
TrueOrange said:
My only view on politics is that most of the system is flawed and i'll leave it at that.

I just thought it was silly to blame a media here.
Click to expand...

why? they are the problem. the reason this "issue" is as popular is because of the media. the idea that "launching" is more dangerous (although apparently very solidly disproved in the previous posts) is because it looks more dramatic on TV. therefore it must be more dangerous.
 
#24
#24
txvolsfangatorh8r said:
why? they are the problem. the reason this "issue" is as popular is because of the media. the idea that "launching" is more dangerous (although apparently very solidly disproved in the previous posts) is because it looks more dramatic on TV. therefore it must be more dangerous.
Click to expand...

Well, it might be more dangerous to the launching player. Remember when Travis Henry dove over the pile in that Vandy game (I think) at Neyland and landed on his head? Pretty scary moments there. I remember how quiet Neyland got.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.
Advertisement



Back
Top