Do head-up tackles and tackles at or above the waist improve tackling success rates compared to head-down and below-waist tackles in NCAA Division I Collegiate Football?
Head-up and above-waist tackling techniques are associated with higher success rates in collegiate football compared to head-down and below-waist techniques.
Head-up tackles, tackles made at or above the offensive player's waist, and inside-shoulder tackles had the highest success rates. Head-down tackling and tackling below the waist were associated with poor tackling methods, including head-across-the-bow and helmet-to-helmet tackles, which had lower success rates.
Hirase et al. (Sat,) studied this question.
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