NFHS Survey up

I favor having a ban on horse collaring in football period. It's a tackle that shouldn't be taught. I used to do horse collaring when I played back in the 80's, and my coaches would yell at me for doing it, because they felt it was dirty playing. The butt-chewing I endured would even heighten when I caused injury to the player I horse collared.

Many of you talk about the lack of injuries resulting from horse collaring at the HS level. Yes, the injuries are far and few, but the ones that do happen can be nasty. I know one kid who had his knee completely pulled out of joint from a horse collar. Another one suffered a broken leg. Matter of fact, one horse collar tackle I made in high school left a gash on the quarterback's arm, because when I pulled on him, and then started to turn him towards the sideline, the momentum pulled him in the air and he slid right into the team bench. The grass was a bit wet, and boy, I look back on that and regret it to this day.

[OverAndBack]

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch

I favor having a ban on horse collaring in football period. It's a tackle that shouldn't be taught.

Does anybody really teach this tackle, or is it more of an instinctive, oh-my-god-i-can-only-get-one-hand-on-the-runner-and-when-i-do-i'm-pulling kind of a deal? if guys were in better position or could tackle normally, maybe they wouldn't be in bad positions where their last resort is to reach out and pull.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by OverAndBack

Does anybody really teach this tackle,

I was thinking the same thing -- that the previous poster was under some kind of misconception that collaring was a coached technique. It's such a difficult take-down, and so rarely useful, that nobody would waste time coaching it.

or is it more of an instinctive, oh-my-god-i-can-only-get-one-hand-on-the-runner-and-when-i-do-i'm-pulling kind of a deal? if guys were in better position or could tackle normally, maybe they wouldn't be in bad positions where their last resort is to reach out and pull.

A horse collar can only be done from behind the runner, and from there it's almost the only kind of tackle that can be done, unless you're faster than the runner and can overtake him. If you're not, about the only other way is to launch yourself at the runner's legs, which not only risks a kick in the face, but also can produce an ACL injury to the ballcarrier if you manage to get your shoulder on a leg. So it seems to me that allowing the horse collar would be safer than banning it.

Robert

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

A horse collar can only be done from behind the runner, and from there it's almost the only kind of tackle that can be done, unless you're faster than the runner and can overtake him. If you're not, about the only other way is to launch yourself at the runner's legs, which not only risks a kick in the face, but also can produce an ACL injury to the ballcarrier if you manage to get your shoulder on a leg. So it seems to me that allowing the horse collar would be safer than banning it.

And a horse collar can't cause an ACL injury? I believe the NFL banned it because some players were suffering serious knee injuries because of it.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch

And a horse collar can't cause an ACL injury?

Not that it can't, only that it's much less likely to do so than a hit on the leg.

Originally Posted by OverAndBack

Does anybody really teach this tackle, or is it more of an instinctive, oh-my-god-i-can-only-get-one-hand-on-the-runner-and-when-i-do-i'm-pulling kind of a deal? if guys were in better position or could tackle normally, maybe they wouldn't be in bad positions where their last resort is to reach out and pull.

Maybe not directly taught, but indirectly implied when teaching tackling. In other words, coach says "if you miss a shot at wrapping his legs up, and you're behind him, do whatever you gotta do!"