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CFL has eliminated contact and pads during practice

PlayerRep

Well-known member
"In September, the league barred players from deliberately slamming into one another during regular-season practices, and while they still wear helmets, they no longer wear shoulder pads and other protective gear in practices."

"Since 2011, N.F.L. teams have been allowed to hold only 14 contact practices during each season, down from an unlimited number before."

"Buddy Teevens, the coach at Dartmouth, a member of the Ivy League, said the number of concussions in practices and games at his college had fallen by 80 percent since 2011, when he stopped contact practices during the season and began focusing on better tackling techniques using robotic dummies. The reduction in head hits during the week has also made players less vulnerable on game days."


https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/24/sports/football/canadian-footballs-big-steps-to-reduce-hits-a-contrast-to-the-nfl.html?module=WatchingPortal&region=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=10&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F11%2F24%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2Fcanadian-footballs-big-steps-to-reduce-hits-a-contrast-to-the-nfl.html&eventName=Watching-article-click
 
PlayerRep said:
"In September, the league barred players from deliberately slamming into one another during regular-season practices, and while they still wear helmets, they no longer wear shoulder pads and other protective gear in practices."

"Since 2011, N.F.L. teams have been allowed to hold only 14 contact practices during each season, down from an unlimited number before."

"Buddy Teevens, the coach at Dartmouth, a member of the Ivy League, said the number of concussions in practices and games at his college had fallen by 80 percent since 2011, when he stopped contact practices during the season and began focusing on better tackling techniques using robotic dummies. The reduction in head hits during the week has also made players less vulnerable on game days."


https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/24/sports/football/canadian-footballs-big-steps-to-reduce-hits-a-contrast-to-the-nfl.html?module=WatchingPortal&region=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=10&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F11%2F24%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2Fcanadian-footballs-big-steps-to-reduce-hits-a-contrast-to-the-nfl.html&eventName=Watching-article-click

I would expect to see this happening everywhere. Safety has to be the NFL, NCAA, etc, and to some extent NHL, KHL, and juniors - biggest concern in regard to head injuries.

I highlighted the other because many posters this year were posting that the tackling dummy had caused tackling techniques to go down. I was surprised to see that statement.
 
ordigger said:
PlayerRep said:
"In September, the league barred players from deliberately slamming into one another during regular-season practices, and while they still wear helmets, they no longer wear shoulder pads and other protective gear in practices."

"Since 2011, N.F.L. teams have been allowed to hold only 14 contact practices during each season, down from an unlimited number before."

"Buddy Teevens, the coach at Dartmouth, a member of the Ivy League, said the number of concussions in practices and games at his college had fallen by 80 percent since 2011, when he stopped contact practices during the season and began focusing on better tackling techniques using robotic dummies. The reduction in head hits during the week has also made players less vulnerable on game days."


https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/24/sports/football/canadian-footballs-big-steps-to-reduce-hits-a-contrast-to-the-nfl.html?module=WatchingPortal&region=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=10&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F11%2F24%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2Fcanadian-footballs-big-steps-to-reduce-hits-a-contrast-to-the-nfl.html&eventName=Watching-article-click

I would expect to see this happening everywhere. Safety has to be the NFL, NCAA, etc, and to some extent NHL, KHL, and juniors - biggest concern in regard to head injuries.

I highlighted the other because many posters this year were posting that the tackling dummy had caused tackling techniques to go down. I was surprised to see that statement.

I think it's possible to teach proper technique with the dummies and with live contact. The rugby technique's that are being taught are great because they get the head out of the way. The problem becomes that in rugby for the most part taking the man to the ground is the goal regardless of whether the runner gets an extra yard or two. In football sometimes you are hitting to stop momentum and hold a line, hard to keep the head out of those hits. Think goal line stands.
 
Pete Carrol has been teaching the roll tackle for years now. Some call it a gator tackle, but you don’t need live hitting to do it right. Standup dummies, or a step over pad is suffice.

Plus the gator tackle is not one I want my own guys practicing on each other. Heck Florida used to run out GA’s for their drills.


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We’ll all be watching Tom Brady lead the Pats to the 2042 NFL Flag Football Super Bowl. Science, common sense, and lawyers are winning-like it or not.
 
MontanaJack2006 said:
We’ll all be watching Tom Brady lead the Pats to the 2042 NFL Flag Football Super Bowl. Science, common sense, and lawyers are winning-like it or not.

Yeah but the Pats will have clued their flags to their pockets and be using side-line robots to steal the other teams brain waves.
 
That’s awesome that a whole league is committed to being shitty at tackling.


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I think, at least from my perspective as a coach and a defensive one at that, people need to evolve their thinking on what is reflective of good tackling. Been reiterated to me many times, but how many tackles do you get a game where you are square to a guy. 3/4ers of the tackles in a game for an individual occur at angles.

The era of teaching guys to put their facemask in the chest of the ball carrier is gone. The roll tackle is genius really. Gets tacklers in the right area, your inertia carries you in the right direction and is far better technique to teach in the open field.

Watch this video. This is Pete Carrolls Hawk tackling.
https://youtu.be/t1etzT-Cgho
 
Interesting, 24. Have never seen that video or been aware of Hawk tackling. Didn't know the NFL was affirmatively teaching it. Thx.

While I was taught the face of helmet in chest tackle in college, I was also taught the shoulder and shoulder-roll tackle in both high school and college. And, then, in rugby, used the shoulder and shoulder roll. I already knew that tackling technique so didn't have to learn it in rugby.

In rugby, as has been pointed out, stopping the runner for little or no further gain is almost never required or relevant, except perhaps at the goal line. In rugby, it is desirable for the runner to go to the ground, and not be stood up, because the runner must release the ball and not grab it again within about a second of going to the ground. Runners stood up can too easily turn and hand the ball to teammates supporting them from behind, or creating a "mall".

Rugby rules are allow only tackles below the shoulders and above the knees, even the runner ducks and puts head down. Also, tackles must be done with both arms and with the intention to wrap the runner. No protecting the tackler's body or chest, by folding arms in front of chest. Same with tackles on the sideline. Must use both arms and wrap.

Not placing the head ahead of the runner also reduces the potential for injury, altho that was not the way we were taught in high school or college. Often, tho, it was not possible to get the head in front of the runner anyway, so the head often ended up being to the side or behind the runner.

These rules reduce serious injuries significantly.

I have felt for a few decades that looking at rugby tackling and tackle rules would improve the safety of football.

The Dartmouth stats for reduced injury are quite amazing. Coach Buddy Teevens of Dartmouth is a good friend of mine, and my brother's best friend in college, so I've talked to Buddy about this subject over the years. But for the amazing improved injury stats, I wouldn't have supported, or sort of supported, no live tackling in practice. I loved to tackle.
 
maroonandsilver said:
Dick Butkus once said that the simple answer was take facemasks away. Then no one will tackle with their heads.

That's what my rugby playing daughter said :thumb:
 
PlayerRep said:
Interesting, 24. Have never seen that video or been aware of Hawk tackling. Didn't know the NFL was affirmatively teaching it. Thx.

While I was taught the face of helmet in chest tackle in college, I was also taught the shoulder and shoulder-roll tackle in both high school and college. And, then, in rugby, used the shoulder and shoulder roll. I already knew that tackling technique so didn't have to learn it in rugby.

In rugby, as has been pointed out, stopping the runner for little or no further gain is almost never required or relevant, except perhaps at the goal line. In rugby, it is desirable for the runner to go to the ground, and not be stood up, because the runner must release the ball and not grab it again within about a second of going to the ground. Runners stood up can too easily turn and hand the ball to teammates supporting them from behind, or creating a "mall".

Rugby rules are allow only tackles below the shoulders and above the knees, even the runner ducks and puts head down. Also, tackles must be done with both arms and with the intention to wrap the runner. No protecting the tackler's body or chest, by folding arms in front of chest. Same with tackles on the sideline. Must use both arms and wrap.

Not placing the head ahead of the runner also reduces the potential for injury, altho that was not the way we were taught in high school or college. Often, tho, it was not possible to get the head in front of the runner anyway, so the head often ended up being to the side or behind the runner.

These rules reduce serious injuries significantly.

I have felt for a few decades that looking at rugby tackling and tackle rules would improve the safety of football.

The Dartmouth stats for reduced injury are quite amazing. Coach Buddy Teevens of Dartmouth is a good friend of mine, and my brother's best friend in college, so I've talked to Buddy about this subject over the years. But for the amazing improved injury stats, I wouldn't have supported, or sort of supported, no live tackling in practice. I loved to tackle.

Good write up. One tiny correction; there is nothing in the tackle law in rugby that prevents tackling below the knees. Anybody who has ever experienced the frustration of being in the open field and getting ankle tapped can attest to this. (I myself, was never fast enough to be in the open field so I take others words for it in terms of the level of frustration).
 
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