Written by Andrew Walker

It’s no secret that tackling was a main point of emphasis heading into the season under new defensive coordinator Kane Wommack. While the Ball State game wasn’t exactly the most exemplary showcase of the Hoosiers’ tackling ability, it laid the groundwork for what needs to be improved upon. The Hoosiers missed 25 tackles according to head coach Tom Allen. Those missed tackles allowed Ball State to gain 181 yards.

Sometimes a plan of attack is more valuable than not having any issues, and I think Wommack and the defense knows that. Head coach Tom Allen said today in the Monday press conference, “...We're going to keep finding creative ways to work on it, you know, and I actually thought, that's why -- and I said it after the game. I was -- I was disappointed because I -- you're always going to have some. But I thought we had too many, you know, and -- way too much. So that was the disappointing thing for me because you all know it's going to happen a little bit and because of all those variables you just mentioned. Once again, very fixable and I think that once you've got three hours of live tackling, you know, that you never get that the entire process.”

Tackling is an extremely unique aspect of football that cannot be simulated to the fullest extent in practice. Allen knows that, Wommack knows that, and the defense knows that. There’s no better preparation for tackling in a game, than tackling in a game.

Allen expressed a challenge in the balance of full contact practice and keeping guys healthy. The more full contact a coach initiates in their players, stating, “...To stay healthy truly has to be worth it. Losing a guy, he can't make any plays for you if he's not out there. So the true challenge is how do you keep them healthy and also tackle enough to get ready to play the game and I do. I think it's a very difficult task.”

The missed tackles on Saturday didn’t lose the game for Indiana, but missed tackles contributed to the outcome of the game being closer than it should’ve been. Wommack remarked, “No if’s, and’s or but’s about it,” referring to the lack of tackling. He expects this Hoosier team to tackle better in the open field.

Indiana linebacker Reakwon Jones, who paced the Hoosiers with 11 tackles said Monday that, “It was good for us to see those mistakes early on” so that they can be corrected in practice.

With concerns about player safety and keeping players healthy through the long season, tackling drills in practice have changed. Jones told reporters that, “it's a lot different, especially when you're tackling a pretty big back who you know can run through arm tackles and stuff like that. So It's good, you know, you don't really know what to expect when (you’re just) tackling bags and tackling stuff has been stationary all this time.”

Now that the Hoosiers are 1-0, they have another opportunity against Eastern Illinois on Saturday to prove they’ve made some changes. Allen and Wommack will surely simulate as much as possible full contact tackling. When Indiana Football takes the field on September 7th, the defense will be looking for redemption.

The Huddle

Allen, Wommack Make Tackling a Priority Heading into Week Two

Hoosier Huddle