Spear is it or isn't it legal hit anymore?

[jksmith269]

I've noticed this preseason that more and more players are leading with the crown of there helmets when making tackles. Is this type of hit now legal? The hit that Cards player put on the cheifs player on the punt should have been flagged IMO granted it was a awesome hit, but he led with the crown of his helmet back in the day that was a penalty, and I've noticed more and more players are making hits like this.

 

[TheDuke]

as far as i know it's still illegal. i haven't noticed any rule changes about it.

 

[dougonthebench]

as far as i know it's still illegal. i haven't noticed any rule changes about it.

same here.I've been preaching to my stepson about tackling.He is starting his first year of youth football.I told him"NEVER" takle with your head down.That is a real good way to get hurt.

 

[TheDuke]

same here.I've been preaching to my stepson about tackling.He is starting his first year of youth football.I told him"NEVER" takle with your head down.That is a real good way to get hurt.

it's good to hear your teaching him the right way. hey maybe you can start grooming him to be our next free safety...we might still be looking for one when he's ready

 

[dougonthebench]

it's good to hear your teaching him the right way. hey maybe you can start grooming him to be our next free safety...we might still be looking for one when he's ready

I'd like too.But...he is only 10,5ft 6 and 119 lbs.Let's give him a few years,and see how much he loves the game.(hopefully as much as I do!)

 

[Reed]

I played hs football and lots of people spear, every year before the season started the coaches showed us a video about spearing and how not to do it. The fact is, lots of dbs, and lbs spear, it produces much greater hits and the couches dont argue with the result. It also pokes the ball out. It is extremely dangerous though in very small percenteges.

 

[dougonthebench]

I played hs football and lots of people spear, every year before the season started the coaches showed us a video about spearing and how not to do it. The fact is, lots of dbs, and lbs spear, it produces much greater hits and the couches dont argue with the result. It also pokes the ball out. It is extremely dangerous though in very small percenteges.

I was always taught to SEE what you hit.You can have your head down just a little and still SEE who you are hitting.

 

[Reed]

ya they tried to teach us to put your head on the ball, like your face mask, then lift your head up, it mostly resulted it some spearing. The game is so fast that when your runnign full speed and your opponent is running full speed its hard to run at him put your face on the ball, then look up before you hit, a lot of times a spear hit will just result.

 

[playit12]

I've noticed more and more guys leading with their helmet down, but aiming for their shoulder to make contact around the players chest. This has the nice effect of often striking the ball with the top of the helmet and causing a fumble. Perhaps more guys are just trying to cause turnovers but don't have the aim down yet.

 

[Chuck 54]

depends on who you are and whom you spear.

Safety spears a WR...illegal.
DE spears a QB...illegal.

LB, or anyone else, spears a RB...legal.
OL spears a DL or LB not looking...legal.

NOt legal on paper, but legal on the field. The hits that aren't allowed against WRs and QBs are almost routine when tackling a RB, where helmit to helmit hits are pretty much ignored.

It's not unlike calling a penalty for just letting a defensive players hand brush across the face mask on the way to a tackle versus allowing the RB to push his hand into the DB's facemask, bending his head back, and riding it for 5 yards, as long as he doesn't actually grab it.

 

[jterrell]

I have serious disk issues and when I turn my head you can hear the creaking in my neck from spearing. It is not a good idea!!

My bad form was generally in jr high and high school but it didn't really show to be a problem until much later on.

Every time I do squats now I get swelling in that area of my neck and every few weeks I'll wake up with a ridiculously stiff neck.

 

[THUMPER]

Spearing is the result of wanting to make that big hit and get noticed. It usually results in bad angles and a missed tackle more often than not because it shows poor technique and you can't really wrap the guy up properly with your head down.

I watch guys take that flying leap with their heads down and miss the ballcarrier almost every time. On those rare occassions when they DO connect, it ends up on SportsCenter and all the highlight clips and everyone talks about what a great player the guy is because he obliterated some poor WR or RB when in fact he missed several tackles before finally connecting with one big hit.

Making solid tackles consistently is much more valuable to the team than making the big hit, but the big hit is more valuable to the player because he gets noticed and will get endorsements and a higher contract because of his greater popularity.

It is all about individual goals vs team goals.

 

[jterrell]

Spearing is the result of wanting to make that big hit and get noticed. It usually results in bad angles and a missed tackle more often than not because it shows poor technique and you can't really wrap the guy up properly with your head down.

I watch guys take that flying leap with their heads down and miss the ballcarrier almost every time. On those rare occassions when they DO connect, it ends up on SportsCenter and all the highlight clips and everyone talks about what a great player the guy is because he obliterated some poor WR or RB when in fact he missed several tackles before finally connecting with one big hit.

Making solid tackles consistently is much more valuable to the team than making the big hit, but the big hit is more valuable to the player because he gets noticed and will get endorsements and a higher contract because of his greater popularity.

It is all about individual goals vs team goals.

Proper tackling technique is awkward. Head up tackling by throwing your face mask at someone is great technique but it feels odd. You really need to have that technique demanded by coaches. My coaches would teach it in drills but as soon as contact drills started and I lit someone up with a spear they were cheering like crazy.

At lower levels when you are simply a better player than another guy you can not only get away with spearing but it is a punishing tackle that can change games. Even now they teach putting your helmet on the football if you can. Easiest way to do that is to spear because the ball is carried at just above wasit level.

As you start to face quicker athletes they will see you lower your head and you will end up eating turf, lol. I did that a few times on special teams at Tech until I learned to keep my head up through contact. I really wish I had used proper technique and calling it a good personal decision is completely erroneous.

Woody tended to spear and he rarely missed doing so. Its all in the timing.

 

[smashmouth]

When I played Semi-Pro lot's of years ago, I watched a kid spear and broke his neck he was paralyzed. I wouldn't do it.

 

[Yeagermeister]

It also depends on the player. RW and Woody got called a few times when it wasn't an illegal hit.

 

[dougonthebench]

When I played Semi-Pro lot's of years ago, I watched a kid spear and broke his neck he was paralyzed. I wouldn't do it.

thats my biggest fear for my boy,..thats why I've been telling him to see what you hit!

 

[Future]

I'd like too.But...he is only 10,5ft 6 and 119 lbs.Let's give him a few years,and see how much he loves the game.(hopefully as much as I do!)

5'6" and 119 at age 10?? I'm a big sorta guy myself but i wasnt that size at age 10. I think we could fit him in at RT better than FS

 

[Spontae]

FWIW, I played high school and college football (late 80s-early 90s) and remember being coached that Mike Singletary was the poster boy for proper tackling, i.e., smashing your grill against whatever you hit (he broke some unreal number of facemasks while playing at Baylor.) If you think about it, the best way to deliver your momentum with your helmet and still be able to see is to be driving up with your hips and thighs at the moment of impact (e.g., Roy Williams on most hits), so that, if you weren't wearing a helmet, the space of your forehead just above and between your eyes would make first contact. Those whose spines are straight and are staring at the dirt while trying to spear someone violate the rules, show poor coaching and no respect for their fellow players and risk serious permanent injury, at any level. Just say no to spearing.