Defense is often seen as the part of the game manned by players who are ferocious and want only to destroy opponents with hard-hitting tackles. In the history of the game, devastating defensive players such as Hall of Famers Dick Butkus, Lawrence Taylor and Jack Lambert more than lived up to those standards. However, tackling does not always come naturally to all players. Many young players have a difficult time getting into the proper breakdown position and delivering an effective tackle.
Step 1
Watch the best tacklers on your team. See how low they get and how they drive their shoulder into the midsection of their opponent. Players who are afraid to tackle are much more upright and tend to grab with their hands, which is very ineffective.
Step 2
Bend down and get your shoulder to the level of your opponent's midsection in order to tackle properly and avoid getting hurt. When players get low while tackling, they are avoiding injury because they are delivering the hit rather than avoiding it. When a running back sees a tackler who is standing nearly straight up, the runner can deliver the punishment instead of absorb it. By failing to get low and tackle hard, you run a higher risk of getting hurt than by doing it the correct way.
Step 3
Make one hard tackle the way your coaches show you. Delivering the blow in that manner will bring you a feeling of satisfaction. That's one way to learn to do it correctly because it brings a strong feeling of accomplishment. "When I hit a running back the right way, it was so satisfying," said Hall of Fame defensive back Ronnie Lott, who earned a reputation as one of the hardest hitters in football history. "It felt great every time."
Step 4
Wrap up the ball carrier and drive him to the ground by keeping your feet moving and getting your arms around his midsection. Keep those feet moving to deliver the blow rather than absorbing the blow.
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