The Fight to Accelerate is centered on the tackler’s ability to generate force through the feet into the ground while providing sustained pressure and generating power in the tackle. Of the Five Fights, the Fight to Accelerate is the Fight that is often executed most poorly. There can be a disconnect for some players when it comes to truly accelerating through the tackle. The Fight to Accelerate can be the difference between the ball carrier falling forward, potentially gaining more yards, or a strong knock-back tackle, which is the gold standard of the Advanced Tackling System. 

RELATED CONTENT: Part III of the Five Fights “Film to Field” series on USA Football’s Coach and Coordinator podcast features Coach Rob Pomazak

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the Fight to Accelerate are: 

• Roll Over the Front Foot
• Cleats in the Grass (always generating controlled power)
• Leg Drive
• Control the Ball Carrier 
• Fight to Regain Feet
• Acceleration Through Torque
• Never Stop Working 

 

Coach Lord shares that tracking was a deliberate focus for his defense last year. The tackle study conducted by Coach DiGaetano indicates that they tracked well. Accelerate and Finish were areas that the tackle study illustrated as areas most in need of improvement. One challenge that most coaches will face when working on accelerating through the tackle is the bags that are used. Since we don’t drill tackling by tackling players, the alternative is typically very light bags that don’t require the Leg Drive and Cleats in the Ground that make a successful tackle. Coaches must be aware of this and demand focus and attention to the KPIs so that players don’t begin to form a false sense of security. The standard cannot alter as a result of the equipment being used to train, which presents a challenge. 

One of the key strengths of the Advanced Tackling System lies in the assessment component. The fact that the system allows coaches to go far beyond make/miss, yes/no or satisfactory/unsatisfactory not only helps to instill confidence in the players by providing insights to what they may be doing well, but it also arms coaches with various tools to assist in helping players get better. The classic, “run your feet” coaching point can be replaced with corrections like, “Work to keep your cleats in the ground,” or, “Be sure to roll over your front foot after connection has been made.” These detailed corrections can be discovered through assessment and help create more knowledgeable and aware football players. The more players know, the less they have to think and the faster they play. 

Accelerating through the tackle and initiating a drive finish with Cleats in the Ground versus a drag finish can often be the difference between a ball carrier falling forward and being knocked back. Approximately 40 tackles are made in a typical high school football game. This can certainly vary, however, in the games that were studied for this series, 40 was the average. If, on every one of those tackles, the ball carrier falls forward, the defense stands to give up an additional 60 yards after contact. This is significant. 

RELATED CONTENT: Part II of the Five Fights “Film to Field” Series on USA Football’s Coach and Coordinator podcast features Coach Ryan Fullen

Realistically, as a result of the number of variables that exist during each play of a football game, we know that players are not always going to be in position to make dominant tackles. Players must constantly be reminded to own what they can. For instance, on a roll tackle players won’t be able to accelerate through active feet and leg drive and will need to generate circular speed by rolling the body. In this case, it is important to note that hips count as feet. If the tackler can get multiple hips in the ground on a roll finish, they can create the force required to finish on top of the ball carrier. On a roll tackle, a dive and flop versus a hit that includes a deliberate drop of the hip and shoulder with a solid clamp will create very different outcomes. 

Along this line of thought, it is also important to drill players in regaining their feet, which may be necessary in the case of poor initial contact. Players should constantly work to keep cleats in the ground as it is the ground that is their foundational source of power. We don’t want baseball players leaving their feet in the batter’s box in order to hit a baseball because they lose their primary and foundational source of power. The same goes for tackling. We generate our force from the ground up. 

The Advanced Tackling System rewards good work and at the end of each play, defenses want offenses to have to line up again. It is crucial for coaches to emphasize the importance of tacklers never giving up on a tackle simply because they don’t have a particular advantage. Even a fall-forward tackle is a tackle and 1.5 yards is better to give up than six points. Players must not stop working their way back into tackles. 

RELATED CONTENT: Part I of the Five Fights “Film to Field” series on USA Football’s Coach and Coordinator podcast  features Slade Calhoun

The Fight to Accelerate can be a major player when it comes to limiting yards after contact. Tacklers that accelerate their feet, consistently work their way back into tackles and use their hips as anchors on roll tackles set themselves up for success and help dictate the potential number of additional first downs given up by your defense as a result of yards after contact. Once the proper habits have been formed with regard to acceleration, defensive units can turn the corner from a sound tackling unit to a dominant tackling unit.