Cougar Tackling Woes Go Deeper Than Technique
by Brian Floyd on Sep 30, 2010 2:24 PM PDT
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PrintIt's no secret that the Cougar defense has a serious problem with tackling this year. Oklahoma State running back Kendall Hunter exposed the defense in the opener and the problem has only gotten worse -- save for a decent game against SMU. Is there any fix in sight for WSU? Why has the tackling been so terrible this year?
Listening to the WSU players and coaches, it's clear that there's more to the problem than simply not knowing how to tackle. At this level, players know what they're doing. They've risen through the ranks and made it to division one, demonstrating an ability to tackle along the way. Technique is part of it, but there's more to the issue than meets the eye.
After the USC game, Paul Wulff said, "Some of this does have to do with youth. You know, it really does. We work on it all the time. Size, and strength and confidence has a big part of being a good tackler. You gotta be able to match up to people and have that kind of confidence. I think that's part of it."
Confidence is definitely part of them problem. Watching the Cougars on Saturday, then watching some of the highlights again later, that much was clear. Players just didn't look like they wanted to hit somebody at times.
Travis Long also made it noted that being in the wrong position -- perhaps being too aggressive -- also played a part.
"A lot of times, we're overpursing. The flows getting too far one way and they're just able to cut back on us." Long said, "We need to slow down and take better angles and quit lunging and reaching. When we're flowing too fast one way, we need to reach and try to make the tackle and that's not the proper way."
Watch these video highlights from Saturday. Take note of what happens on Havili's run on USC's first play from scrimmage.
On the run, you see all three factors of poor tackling at work. Players are well out of position as Havili hits the hole, cuts back and breaks into the second level. Later in the run, Daniel Simmons drops his head while going in for the tackle, deciding to make a bee-line towards the stands for a hot-dog instead. He looked down and never touched Havili because of it. Finally, you see the confidence issue. Chima Nwachukwu plays patty-cake with Havili down the sideline before throwing in the towel and taking Nolan Washington out of the play.
Combine players out of position, poor technique and a lack of confidence and it adds up to 30+ missed tackles.
Now fast-forward to about 2:55 in the video. Deone Bucannon has a series of plays where he puts on a tackling clinic for the Cougs. First, he goes low on David Ausberry, taking him out at the knees. He didn't wrap, but he stepped-up, squared-up and delivered a blow. On the next play he does it again, this time wrapping the tight end's legs up. The play after that, he over-pursues Ronald Johnson, recovers and makes the tackle on the sideline. While he's moving in to deliver the hit, Johnson cuts back, leaving Washington grasping at air after he over-pursued.
Finally, skip ahead to about 3:45. With Allen Bradford running down the sideline, Deone Bucannon -- who else -- runs straight through Johnson and drops Bradford in one fluid motion. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a player that wants to hit.
In an effort to find that killer instinct, the Cougs have gone full-contact this week in practice. Previously, they've shied away from hitting for the full week, hoping to preserve the depth that's already so thin. I don't blame them after seeing players fall left-and-right in camp, including losing LeAndre Daniels permanently and Toni Pole for the season.
The WSU defense has to figure out how to tackle. Players need to be placed in the right position to make plays, they need to square up, using the proper form and, most importantly, they need to have a hitters' mentality.
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Does anyone else feel like
after reading all of Brian’s breakdown posts, we could start a Cougcenter team that could go out and play better football than we are seeing?
Cougar999 version 2.0. Now with a shorter name!
Running the spread offense, 3-4 defense,
plus we know how to tackle!
Cougar999 version 2.0. Now with a shorter name!
How much of the "angle issue"
is the lack of speed during practice. Not that Stanley Havili has 4.3 speed or anything, but just in general?
I don't know if it is at all
The bigger problem, as Long highlights, is the flow of the defense and overpursuit. Play flows one way, defense loses contain and the next thing you know a running back is cutting against the flow, leaving defenders reaching to tackle. I don’t think there’s as a big a problem with pursuit angles as there is a lack of discipline in containment and pursuit. When they did get to Havili, it was almost as if there was no effort to take him down.
In short, these guys have enough speed to be effective, but don’t have the discipline needed to keep outside-containment.
I can’t even tell you how angry I got watching that play over and over. Down the sideline, they have Havili hemmed-in, yet didn’t simply lay a hit to knock him out of bounds.
That run by Havili
…and the long run by Hunter (somebody posted a gif of it after the OSU game) aren’t going to win Ledgerwood any awards. In both of those plays, he perfectly illustrates how NOT to play the linebacker position. Yeesh.
Against Havili, it actually looks like he’s in position to step up and make a play on the ball carrier. Then a WR runs in front of him and it seems like he loses his mind for half a second. Meanwhile, Havili runs around him and Ledgerwood does his best Superman impression trying to grab his heels.
Cougar Athletic Supporter
Sighhhhh... it's funny cuz it's true.
Later in the run, Daniel Simmons drops his head while going in for the tackle, deciding to make a bee-line towards the stands for a hot-dog instead.
Even though it was basically a pathetic effort.
I can’t help but laugh when I see him run right by Havili. I picture Simmons making airplane noises as he goes by.
I want to apologize to Washington
I had typed in here it he who WHIFFED. Simmons… was the guilty party- my bad Nolan.
If you can't Go Cougs... don't go.
by hollyweirdcoug on Oct 1, 2010 11:38 AM PDT up reply actions
They have to 'go standard' at the start
Forget flow and react only to the ball. After a series or two, work in the stunts and gaps shoots and, just saying, let’s just forget the twist and spin for a while… we end up just shpved out of the play too often on this… uh… Laurenzi and Bernard…
The odd thing in re-watching the games (SMU/USC) is that they over pursue and then when fooled, they under pursue to get back. I mean it is like they give up after biting on the fake. Quite a young move. Also- don’t count on too much back side help. Everybody go get it. Swarm tackle, gang tackle, rip tear and the hog if a guy is stood up- but get after it please. Waiting to see how they get run over is hard to view… I want them to stay home and ball react for an entire game.
I say use the “Gilligan” against UCLA. Put those DB’s on an island and drop 8 in the box and run stuff as best you can- try to set up Price for 3rd and longs. He is hurt so i am guessing his scramble will be limited.
I won’t be surprised if it is close as long as we take care of the ball. The Bruins had 6 turnovers inside the 30 in the two big wins. Field position has been on their side in the victories. Might get a few picks… the Bruin QB’s throw them. Go Cougs
If you can't Go Cougs... don't go.
Tackling & Experience
Yes, I think people can get better at tackling, but I think tackling is a gift. Derting wasn’t the most gifted athlete but boy could he tackle. Just because you have athletic ability, speed and size doesn’t make you a great tackler. This maybe a little bid of a recruiting issue. Wulff is going for players with potential, but this doesn’t necessarily mean they are good at tackling. Bucannon is just a natural and so is Mizell. They have a nose for tackling. When I watch Casey Locker I get the same feeling. I have seen guys that are 6ft plus can squat and bench a ton, but can’t dunk a basketball. Some people can just do certain things. I can’t explain why Griffey, Gutierrez and Cameron are such great outfielders. They naturally take great angles and get good jumps on the ball, something that comes naturally…I am sure this is something they were good at since the 1st day they played. Some guys just have a knack for being around the ball, that can’t be taught.
"John, I was first team All-State. I can put the ball anywhere I want to. I'll make it rain out here." - Jeremy Grey
You read my mind, he is the one I was exactly thinking of when I wrote this.
The guy has all the measurables — big, fast, looks the part — but I just don’t see that natural, ball-sniffing ability. I hope he eventually proves me wrong and I hate to be critical, but we all see it. I know he hasn’t played a lot of football, so he may improve a little bit. Also, even players who have the size, speed and understand game still need that game-time reaction and natural ability. You can understand a play in the game film, but recognizing it during the game in .01 seconds and reacting — while shedding blockers and timing the correct angle according to a running backs speed — is a different story.
"John, I was first team All-State. I can put the ball anywhere I want to. I'll make it rain out here." - Jeremy Grey
I still dont get:
How we can hold a much more talented and driven Pete Carrol led team to no points for the greater part of 3 quarters in LA last year. Our D held the USC offense to several 3 and outs, yet the very next year in Pullman, where our D is supposed to showcase greater athleticism and talent, we look like a wet paper bag. They moved the ball at will. Don’t get me worng im still on the PW band wagon, at times I find myslef borderline slipping off though, mainly while watching couagr football on saturday. Then I read these blogs and analysis and have a better feel going into the next week. However I’m not going to lie, I had high hopes last week after a good D performance against a spread, pass happy offense. Yet it seems to me, proving we are a much better football than the one PW brought in last year to LA would be a difficult assumption to make based on x’s and o’s and the margin of defeat from last year’s SC game to this one.
I don't buy this theory floated that
this SC team is worse than last year’s team. Where does that come from? That SC team went 8-5 and was clearly overrated. Barkley is far better and the offensive line is much better than last season. Experience is vital… SC has a lot of it. None of the sanctions has hit them yet. The scholies lost start now- the bowl ban starts now… I think this SC team looks better than last year.
If you can't Go Cougs... don't go.
by hollyweirdcoug on Oct 1, 2010 12:35 AM PDT up reply actions
excuse me- 9-4 for SC
I was just researching some Stanford stuff and had their record in my head.
If you can't Go Cougs... don't go.
by hollyweirdcoug on Oct 1, 2010 12:38 AM PDT up reply actions
They sure looked that way on Saturday
Also, anyone who watch Oklahoma State last night would conclude that’s probably not a middling Big 12 team.
I have stated before
OK ST is a burgeoning power program- solid coach, good long term plan and system, and T-Bones dough— they are a top tier team in the making.
If you can't Go Cougs... don't go.
by hollyweirdcoug on Oct 1, 2010 11:40 AM PDT up reply actions
LB's coming in.
I think with LB’s Mayes and Su’a coming in next year they could help with tackling. Hopefully, Chester Su’a doesn’t change his mind, he looks like he could be an animal. Su’a and Mizell (both 4-star LB’s) could become a great tandem. Watching these two guys on video it seems like they have a knack for being around the ball.
"John, I was first team All-State. I can put the ball anywhere I want to. I'll make it rain out here." - Jeremy Grey
I think part of the problem is that
last year we were mostly in survival mode – With all the injuries (only 15 players suited up on defense for the Apple Cup???) we weren’t really able to focus on teaching and a lot of the experience that we gained wasn’t particularly helpful.
So fast forward to this year, and now the coaching staff is working on getting a bunch of young kids into the right place, working on containment after they get to the right general area, and then tackling when the player is in the right spot.
That’s a lot to teach when you don’t have savvy veterans to help build around. It’d be a lot easier if we only had to work on one or two things but we’ve got to teach everything all at once to some of these kids.
My hope is that we can just keep learning every game and continue to get better and better. Now if we can just stay healthy enough to have some continuity…
by All Cougar all the time on Sep 30, 2010 5:37 PM PDT reply actions
Enjoying your analyses
helps get my brain engaged in something besides the agony from watching the prior week’s game. I’m still on the CPW train, and it’s direction (recruiting successes), but I’m not so sure about it’s speed. Five years may not be enough.
Brian, thanks a bunch for all the time and thought you put into your posts.
Where is Arthur Burns?
Wasn’t he recruited to run the ball? I watched him play for Centennial and he played huge in big games. Due to the Anemic running game why not give this a try?
Like Bland
The Cougs see him as another little engine that could. Regarding the LB chatter- I hope Sua can RS a season. Ellis, Mizell, Ledgerwood, Markle, Bland and Burns along w/ a couple of others, give the Cougs some depth for next season there.
If you can't Go Cougs... don't go.
by hollyweirdcoug on Oct 1, 2010 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions
I agree
we need talent in there not depth. Yes, we are trying to develop the LBs, but I am starting to see the LBs as our weakest position. Hopefully, Su’a doesn’t change his mind and Mayes puts on some weight his senior year. If Mizell stays around (and reduces his mistakes) we will have some talent with him, Su’a and Mayes. If Markle was good I think he would have seen some action by now.
"John, I was first team All-State. I can put the ball anywhere I want to. I'll make it rain out here." - Jeremy Grey
Do you think that is best? He never played defense in HS.
by throughtheview on Oct 1, 2010 12:13 PM PDT up reply actions
I do
He’s actually done well out there. His speed is needed in the SLB spot and he’s a great depth addition. He’s actually been there since he got to WSU, really. They switched him during his RS year, I believe.
by Brian Floyd on Oct 1, 2010 12:31 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
I'm pretty sure Jerome Harrison wouldn't do well behind this line.
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Twitter!
by Craig Powers on Oct 1, 2010 11:44 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Harrison would do well
behind “The Little Giants” line. come on man
Hopefully, Sankey stays with us
and we may see what this OL has next year. Especailly, with Galvin back. I dream of watching Sankey and Galvin splitting time at the RB position. I am sure Galvin is really working out the legs while his arm is healing.
"John, I was first team All-State. I can put the ball anywhere I want to. I'll make it rain out here." - Jeremy Grey
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