Tidbit on the MSU game - pressuring the QB

B1GTide

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When they lined up that big TE at WR several times and threw it out to him. For whatever reason Tony Brown and the other guys were trying to tackle him high rather than hitting him below the waist. I'm not sure how many times it happened, but everytime they did that he "drug'em" another five to six yards. But overall I agree. Bad tackling all night.
They were also tackling the RB and QB high the entire game. Really bad form. They had almost all of their yards after contact in that game.
 

Snuffy Smith

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They were also tackling the RB and QB high the entire game. Really bad form. They had almost all of their yards after contact in that game.
I kept saying all night to the group we were watching with “I don’t think I have EVER seen a Saban coached Alabama team tackle this poorly”. I think part of that was poor position hence poor leverage. I suspect we will see a lot of that cleaned up in 2 weeks.
 

BamaInBham

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Limiting their success on first down will be key as well. That killed us against MSU. They were gaining 4-6 yards on first down which kept their playbook wide open all through third and fourth downs. Regarding the Clemson game, it's hard to use that game as an example because since that game, development and adjustments have been made by the players and staff. So it's not really the same team. Gus does this about every year. His teams start out looking like they may not win five games all year. Then as the year goes on they get better each week and by the end of the year they are a very different team.
Sometimes yea: '13, '17, sometimes nay: '14, '15, '16. If there is a common thread to the yeas or nays, I don't know what it is.
 

oskie

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When they lined up that big TE at WR several times and threw it out to him. For whatever reason Tony Brown and the other guys were trying to tackle him high rather than hitting him below the waist. I'm not sure how many times it happened, but everytime they did that he "drug'em" another five to six yards. But overall I agree. Bad tackling all night.
They were also tackling the RB and QB high the entire game. Really bad form. They had almost all of their yards after contact in that game.
I kept saying all night to the group we were watching with “I don’t think I have EVER seen a Saban coached Alabama team tackle this poorly”. I think part of that was poor position hence poor leverage. I suspect we will see a lot of that cleaned up in 2 weeks.
RE: Tackling

It's been a lament of mine for the last few years about the "new" way of tackling, ie, trying to strip the ball instead of taking them to the ground. I seem to notice it more with the DB's than others. I personally don't think the first person to engage the ball carrier should try to strip the ball - that should be secondary, after the carrier is "in the grasp" of the first person.

One of the reasons I was so impressed with Anthony Averett, was his "text-book" tackling technique - or "old school" - depending on who you talk to :)

We've all noticed, I'm sure, what Bamabuzzard mentioned, about a ball carrier "dragging" or "carrying" a defender for additional yardage. Sometimes a lot more than 5 or 6 yards. That seems to be happening with more and more frequency.

Think I read somewhere a while back that we don't tackle in practice anymore - just wrap-up. I understand that is for safety reasons, but Saturday night's game caused me to wonder if that practice protocol is not affecting our tackling to some degree.

Just some thoughts :)
 

alwayshavebeen

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Count me as one that thought we could reload at LB and everything would be okay. What I saw Saturday night were LB's slow to get to the ball and poor tackling at that level. IMO we now have a good defense, not a great one, and will have to rely heavily on our Offense to win these games down the stretch.
This isn't a criticism but scoring 31 points down the stretch probably will not be enough. On the bright side I firmly believe our offense is capable of "carrying" us.
 
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B1GTide

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RE: Tackling

It's been a lament of mine for the last few years about the "new" way of tackling, ie, trying to strip the ball instead of taking them to the ground. I seem to notice it more with the DB's than others. I personally don't think the first person to engage the ball carrier should try to strip the ball - that should be secondary, after the carrier is "in the grasp" of the first person.

One of the reasons I was so impressed with Anthony Averett, was his "text-book" tackling technique - or "old school" - depending on who you talk to :)

We've all noticed, I'm sure, what Bamabuzzard mentioned, about a ball carrier "dragging" or "carrying" a defender for additional yardage. Sometimes a lot more than 5 or 6 yards. That seems to be happening with more and more frequency.

Think I read somewhere a while back that we don't tackle in practice anymore - just wrap-up. I understand that is for safety reasons, but Saturday night's game caused me to wonder if that practice protocol is not affecting our tackling to some degree.

Just some thoughts :)
Well this is the first poor tackling game for Alabama , so I don't see your point.
 

gman4tide

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Well this is the first poor tackling game for Alabama , so I don't see your point.
I see oskie's point and agree whole heatedly. Tackling...sticking/head across ball carrier, wrapping up and running thru is becomming a lost art. Arm tackling, or roll tackling is replacing it due to injury concerns. Throw in, tackling doesn't take place in most practices...fundamentals are lost during the year.
 

B1GTide

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I see oskie's point and agree whole heatedly. Tackling...sticking/head across ball carrier, wrapping up and running thru is becomming a lost art. Arm tackling, or roll tackling is replacing it due to injury concerns. Throw in, tackling doesn't take place in most practices...fundamentals are lost during the year.
So Alabama has been losing their ability to tackle? LOLOLOL
 

uafanataum

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So Alabama has been losing their ability to tackle? LOLOLOL
I think when the adrenaline is pumping and there is no time for thought that repetitive practice of tackling will yield greater results. Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you cannot get it wrong.
 

TIDE-HSV

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I understand the concerns but I also believe we're overreacting some. We had guys who were never expecting to be on the field, starting at this point. You can't tackle well when you're out of position. In addition, our DBs are beaten up. Add that this was the Saturday after LSU and you have a perfect trap game. The LSU fans were greatly worried that they might lose to the Hogs after being beaten up by us. They'll bounce back, I believe...
 

RT27

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Watching football for decades I see the lack of contact in practice hurting the game. Not just Bama but all teams. Basic fundementals of real blocking and realtackling have slowly been lost over the years. I know injuries are a concern, but how was it we were able to play hard in practice before and still make it to a game? I see so many tackles that make me want to scream, the shoulder hit, never even attempting to wrap a guy up. I do remember a few years back one team was killing our run, they were wrapping the feet together. I hated it to see us get shut down that day but man I had respect fr the team doing it. I know they did not shut us down but they slowed our BIG BRUISER runner, cause they proved, no matter how astrong or big, no one runs without their feet. They totally negated his size and strength advantage, they went low to the feet every time they could.
 

TIDE-HSV

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Watching football for decades I see the lack of contact in practice hurting the game. Not just Bama but all teams. Basic fundementals of real blocking and realtackling have slowly been lost over the years. I know injuries are a concern, but how was it we were able to play hard in practice before and still make it to a game? I see so many tackles that make me want to scream, the shoulder hit, never even attempting to wrap a guy up. I do remember a few years back one team was killing our run, they were wrapping the feet together. I hated it to see us get shut down that day but man I had respect fr the team doing it. I know they did not shut us down but they slowed our BIG BRUISER runner, cause they proved, no matter how astrong or big, no one runs without their feet. They totally negated his size and strength advantage, they went low to the feet every time they could.
If you're going to try for shoestring tackles, you'd better not ever miss...
 

Ledsteplin

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I recall several Miss St games following the LSU game where we seemed flat or drained a bit physically and emotionally. Throw in the young guys, and the mix makes for a long day. I think I heard CNS say some didn't blitz when they were supposed to.
 

RT27

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If you're going to try for shoestring tackles, you'd better not ever miss...
Was not talking shoe strings but actually wrapping up the legs and just tackling low. For a long time most tackles seemed to be from the waist down. I was just saying it seems so many now seem to be looking to shoulder hit and not wrap artms around waist or leags and actually bringing the guy down with out the BIG SMASH HIT. Saw something on TV about this a yr or so ago, they said ESPN top 10 hits seemed to spark kids to want to make the BIG HIT not just a good form tackle. I feel that TV highlights and lack of contact in practice has hurt tackling form big time. Go back and watch old football film, it will surprise you how differently they tackled back then. In my opinion guys did not bounce loose as much, less arm tackling more form tackling.
 

TIDE-HSV

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Was not talking shoe strings but actually wrapping up the legs and just tackling low. For a long time most tackles seemed to be from the waist down. I was just saying it seems so many now seem to be looking to shoulder hit and not wrap artms around waist or leags and actually bringing the guy down with out the BIG SMASH HIT. Saw something on TV about this a yr or so ago, they said ESPN top 10 hits seemed to spark kids to want to make the BIG HIT not just a good form tackle. I feel that TV highlights and lack of contact in practice has hurt tackling form big time. Go back and watch old football film, it will surprise you how differently they tackled back then. In my opinion guys did not bounce loose as much, less arm tackling more form tackling.
I think they were so tired (and uncertain) by the MSU game they were happy to get them down any way they could...
 

oskie

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I understand the concerns but I also believe we're overreacting some. We had guys who were never expecting to be on the field, starting at this point. You can't tackle well when you're out of position. In addition, our DBs are beaten up. Add that this was the Saturday after LSU and you have a perfect trap game. The LSU fans were greatly worried that they might lose to the Hogs after being beaten up by us. They'll bounce back, I believe...
... agree - being out of position was definitely a factor. Understand the new guys being tentative, but I noticed a few "veterans" falling prey to the same malady - whatever it was.

... might be a combination of things, including the "judgment call" nature of the targeting penalty - and the potentially severe punishment of said penalty - that have the guys a little gun shy about " laying the wood".
 

RT27

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I think they were so tired (and uncertain) by the MSU game they were happy to get them down any way they could...
Oh I agree was just talking over all tackling in college all the time. This Miss ST game was a matter of us being injured tired and still getting over LSU game. Seems we always struggle a little after LSU game last few years, it is always so physical. I was speaking in genral in all college football, tackling just seems to have lost some of the basics in form tackling. Normally we are one of the best at tackling, especilly in open field one on one tackles. This defense is so beat up I am surprised we stopped them as well as we did. Any other defense would be dead at this point. Our depth has at least allowed us to compete.
 

B1GTide

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... agree - being out of position was definitely a factor. Understand the new guys being tentative, but I noticed a few "veterans" falling prey to the same malady - whatever it was.

... might be a combination of things, including the "judgment call" nature of the targeting penalty - and the potentially severe punishment of said penalty - that have the guys a little gun shy about " laying the wood".
In the LSU game, both teams were absolutely "blowing people up". It is a part of that game, and one of the reasons that both teams have a hard time the following week. But you are right - against MSU Alabama was not bringing the pain. I believe as Earle believes - that it was tied to the circumstances, not the practicing. Alabama has been practicing this way for years now.
 

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