Will Gus allow tackling in practice?

[marshallcotiger 0]

I've read many times over the last few years that Chizik didn't allow tackling to the ground in practice and used the thud method instead. It has been said by some that the only time Auburn went fully live with tackling was during ADay and gameday. After seeing us struggle the last few years I have come to accept this as fact. My question is what is Malzahn's philosophy on tackling in practice?

[alexava 6,974]

probably will not be decided untill fall. you have to go full this spring i think. i remember in 09 chizik explained that it was not his preference to practice that way but lack of depth forced him to go that route. not sure about the last 3 years though. we still have no depth but we have no physicality or toughness either. i prefer having physical players get injured than a team of patsies. we shall see.

[CleCoTiger 1,957]

Are there any teams left in major D1 that go full contact in practice on a regular basis these days? I think they are few and far between.

[The Plainsman 948]

No way we hired the d staff we did to not allow some fun. I honestly think we will again hear of players saying this is the toughest spring- then 2 a days ever at AU during their time....... And it will be true

[mrdude 3]

I don't care about practice as long as he allows tackling in games.

[chimesAU 89]

I don't care about practice as long as he allows tackling in games.

I'm fairly certain it was allowed this past season, just not mandatory.

[homersapien 11,812]

Wow, things sure have changed since I played in High School.

[IronMan70 3,315]

To learn how to tackle properly and I know this is a novel concept, but you have to practice tackling properly. Line 'em up and let 'em butt heads. If a player gets injured well this is football after all. If I had a choice between losing a game where the 1st stringers were all in there but they couldn't tackle worth a hoot or lose a game where half the first string and half the 2nd string were in there and they could all tackle, I would take the latter.

[AURocketman 73]

It was eerie how much the bad tackling during the game looked like pre-season practice. Bad angles would get a whistle to stop play during practice. Our players seemed shocked that the whistle did not stop play during game. I think Gus will learn from Chizik's mistakes. Gus has never coached under Mack Brown.

[chimesAU 89]

It was eerie how much the bad tackling during the game looked like pre-season practice. Bad angles would get a whistle to stop play during practice. Our players seemed shocked that the whistle did not stop play during game. I think Gus will learn from Chizik's mistakes. Gus has never coached under Mack Brown.

Were you able to watch AU's pre-season practices? Also, did Chiz really model our program after Texas and Mack Brown? I mean, it would make perfect sense because Texas routinely does less with more than just about anyone else in the country...

[WarEagle10 77]

To learn how to tackle properly, you have to practice tackling properly. I know this is a novel concept but, line 'em up and let 'em butt heads. If a player gets injured well this is football after all. If I had a choice between losing a game where the 1st stringers were all in there but they couldn't tackle worth a hoot or lose a game where half the first string and half the 2nd string played and they could all tackle, I would take the latter.

I agree. I would hate for someone to get hurt in practice. But if you don't practice something, how can you expect to execute it in a game? We have to get back to being a physical football team. That has to be taught, in practice.

[AU88ME 0]

It ain't about that at all. It's easy to sum it up if you're just talking about practice. We're sitting here, and I'm supposed to be the franchise player, and we're talking about practice. I mean listen, we're sitting here talking about practice, not a game, not a game, not a game, but we're talking about practice. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game like it's my last, but we're talking about practice, man. How silly is that?

--Allen Iverson

[Turtle_Tiger 13]

It ain't about that at all. It's easy to sum it up if you're just talking about practice. We're sitting here, and I'm supposed to be the franchise player, and we're talking about practice. I mean listen, we're sitting here talking about practice, not a game, not a game, not a game, but we're talking about practice. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game like it's my last, but we're talking about practice, man. How silly is that?

--Allen Iverson

Haha nice

[AU88ME 0]

It ain't about that at all. It's easy to sum it up if you're just talking about practice. We're sitting here, and I'm supposed to be the franchise player, and we're talking about practice. I mean listen, we're sitting here talking about practice, not a game, not a game, not a game, but we're talking about practice. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game like it's my last, but we're talking about practice, man. How silly is that?

--Allen Iverson

Haha nice

It's what came to mind when I started reading all the posts about practice....and now back to your normally serious post ....

[IronMan70 3,315]

It ain't about that at all. It's easy to sum it up if you're just talking about practice. We're sitting here, and I'm supposed to be the franchise player, and we're talking about practice. I mean listen, we're sitting here talking about practice, not a game, not a game, not a game, but we're talking about practice. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game like it's my last, but we're talking about practice, man. How silly is that?

--Allen Iverson

Even though Iverson is a total jerk, even he wouldn't have said that if he couldn't have hit a 3 pointer.

[AUTiger2012 84]

IMO he better. To be honest, I don't have any 10 win season or better hopes this season, I feel like I know better than that. But a solid 6-7 wins with us being competitive in our losses is something that I would consider a goal, and even a success as far as I can see. And all that starts with learning to be mean and gritty. If we can start this team out right in the spring practices with tackling and hitting, (wouldn't mind the old oklahoma drills either) we may not play the most experienced, or highest rated, but we could very well play the meanest defense in the SEC, and that is something that can change the entire outlook of a team. Once they have an identity then they can work on the details.

[Tiger Refuge 6,692]

It's all in the details.

[Tiger 8,841]

Oh man, this is the biggest thing for me I think. It surely could make the biggest difference between coaching eras. I hope Gustav didn't buy the hype of not allowing tackling in practice due to winning a national championship with Cam.

That is probably the only way you can be successful without practicing tackling -- to have a legend type talent on offense.

[MIGMAN 16]

Are there any teams left in major D1 that go full contact in practice on a regular basis these days? I think they are few and far between.

Exactly.

[weagl1 1,793]

This team needs to be tackling every day they get the opportunity for a full contact scrimmage. Worst tackling team in the history of college football.

[theduke 5]

Maybe it's a self fulfilling prophesy. The defenses appear to be worse today than in the past. If most aren't tackling in practice maybe there is a connection. I had thought that maybe the improved offenses and rules were causing the poorer defenses but maybe it is a combination of loose practices and better offenses. The best offenses today couldn't stay on the field with the defenses of yesterday. Still has to be a coaching style today to get the players better trained. What do the better defenses today do that we don't? It's got to be more than a discipline problem, they just don't seem to have the fundamentals down. How can you teach tackling if you don't tackle?

[keesler 5,934]

Maybe it's a self fulfilling prophesy. The defenses appear to be worse today than in the past. If most aren't tackling in practice maybe there is a connection. I had thought that maybe the improved offenses and rules were causing the poorer defenses but maybe it is a combination of loose practices and better offenses. The best offenses today couldn't stay on the field with the defenses of yesterday. Still has to be a coaching style today to get the players better trained. What do the better defenses today do that we don't? It's got to be more than a discipline problem, they just don't seem to have the fundamentals down. How can you teach tackling if you don't tackle?

These players, highly rated coming out of high school I might add, KNOW how to tackle before they ever get to our campus. There are some really great HS coaches in the south that know how to fill their players with football fundamentals. IMHO, our (AU/Chizik's) problem has been that once the players actually get here, there's no one to take the new guys and start them off correctly - no one prepared them for the "next level".

When teams like LSU/UAT/UGA are playing the number of true-frosh & RS-frosh that they are playing every year, and are successful with those players, that tells me that those teams have a good system in place to train those young players from the minute they step on campus. They have a basic, fundamental approach that trains and develops those young players and gets them well equipped for the SEC environment.

We can only hope that Gus has had enough experience and wisdom to provide the same type atmophere for our players. Because that's the only way to be successful in this conference ~ You gotta get the talent in the door, and develope them when they are young so that you can build a foundation for the future.

[PoetTiger 1,901]

Like Gus said we are gonna get back to fundamentals......just that statement alone lets me know to expect a more physical fundamentally well tackling defense....plus CEJ is old school, he knows what to do....

[theduke 5]

I agree with that. However, I was always taught to wrap up and drive thru. I can't see that concept leaving once it is grasped and our guys don't do that. I wonder if our guys were so good in high school against average players and now against the LSU/UAT/UGA guys they just bounce off. I was not part of the next level but I remember the very talented new guys talking about the 'wake up calls' they got in their first college practices and you don't hear much about that any more, only the play calling. I agree, the upper classmen have to teach the new guys what the next level is about. Your peers are the most valuable teachers. I agree the coaches are critical but can just go so far, the atmosphere must be there to learn to get to the next level. Hopefully the Gus bunch will succeed in whatever approach the others have, I'm pulling for them.

[AUbritt 611]

To learn how to tackle properly, you have to practice tackling properly. I know this is a novel concept but, line 'em up and let 'em butt heads. If a player gets injured well this is football after all. If I had a choice between losing a game where the 1st stringers were all in there but they couldn't tackle worth a hoot or lose a game where half the first string and half the 2nd string played and they could all tackle, I would take the latter.

I agree. I would hate for someone to get hurt in practice. But if you don't practice something, how can you expect to execute it in a game? We have to get back to being a physical football team. That has to be taught, in practice.

Yep.