There was a time not all that long ago when prep football coaches were heard on the sideline yelling “stick your helmet in his gut!” or something similar. Not anymore.
The impact of anti-concussion regimens like the NFL’s “Heads-Up” tackling program is helping. So is the rugby-style tackling employed by the defending World Champion Seattle Seahawks and a small band of believers in the Bay Area — the Menlo School Knights.
“I think’s it’s a good thing,” said Knights’ coach Mark Newton, a 1988 Menlo grad who also played at UC-Davis. “The game is evolving and there’s been an evolution and that’s good. As coaches we have to make sure we’re doing things the right way and the safe way and ensuring our kids have the strength and flexibility to stay low and keep our heads up.”
Toward that end Menlo has adopted a method of shoulder-leverage tackling as opposed to using one’s head as a weapon — a reason for many concussions in the old days, experts have said. In August the Knights (2-2) were introduced to rugby-style tackling where defenders lead with their body and not the head.
Newton, in his 11th year as coach at Menlo, employed national and collegiate rugby coach Gene Mountjoy to teach the rugby tackling techniques to the Knights and things have been going well so far, said Newton and a handful of his players.
Mountjoy is co-founder of the Bay Area-based USA International Rugby Academy. He coaches the sport at Santa Clara University and formerly coached at Boston College. He emphasizes 10 principals of safe and effective tackling. Such basics as footwork and wrapping up an opposing player are taught.
“I can see how the kids are progressing. We want them to get low, so they’re in a safe body position,” Mountjoy said. “The idea is ‘Don’t use your head as a missile. You cannot lead with your head and have no regard for your neck. Hands in front, track players with your hips and attach hands to your opponents core.”
Despite some of the Knight players learning different techniques in youth football, they adapted quickly. The fact Seahawks’ coach Pete Carroll is emphasizing similar methods hasn’t hurt.
“The players bought in right away,” Newton said. “We told them the philosophy behind it, explained that the Seahawks were doing a similar type of tackling — we’re not doing exactly the same thing — but they put a lot of trust in us. It took a little while to change some of their patterns.”
Menlo defensive lineman Charlie Roth said it took some time to perfect the techniques, but the Knights have taken to the new approach.
“We’ve all been playing since we were freshmen and even before that, and have all been taught one way,” Roth said. “Switching it was a whole different world for us, but once we got it down, we really clicked and we’re tackling really well.”
Said Menlo safety/receiver Jack Marren: “It doesn’t matter the size of the tackler – with this way, you can tackle any player of any other size. “It’s a rugby-way of thinking; the technique is all the same no matter the size.”
At Piedmont Hills, veteran coach Matt Kiesle doesn’t call it “rugby-style” tackling but he said the Pirates are tackling in a more safe and sane method than in years past.
The Pirates practice progression tackling, as explained in a Guy Stewart instructional video.
“He teaches a tackler who is right next to an offensive player to take a step and wrap up the player and use proper footwork as opposed to just running and hitting someone,” Kiesle said. “Even from a foot away you can step and grasp, wrap up and shoot your hips and go body to body instead of using your head and shoulders. It’s worked for us the last few years.”
Concussions were a hot topic during the off-season as the CIF limited the amount of time teams can spend doing full-contact drills, in an attempt to reduce concussions. Kiesle was out-spoken against the reduction of full-contact time, his theory being it would give him less time to teach proper tackling to his players, some of whom have had limited football experience.
He also said the hubbub about concussions across the land, has created a need for coaches to show they’re teaching proper methods and keeping players safe.
“Myself and my peers have discussed it and we feel pressure to show football is not bad for kids, but that it’s just a physical game,” Kiesle said. ” I’m actually kind of tired of hearing about it. We’ve worked hard to tackle differently (than in the old days) and be head-conscious so that players aren’t just going for the big shot and leading with their head. It’s when you can’t see what you’re hitting that you hurt yourself.”
The veteran coach and educator said he is doing a research paper on the topic as he pursues a masters degree in Athletic Administration and has learned some interesting things. Included are that girls’ soccer is second to football in concussions sustained — because the players’ heads are often small in relation to the object used and also because players purposely use their heads to corral or propel the ball, Kiesle theorizes.
The gymnastic skills needed and risky pyramid maneuvers of those who root for the athletes are hazardous as well, he noted.
“We’ve had more ambulances out here for cheerleaders than football players the last few years,” Kiesle said.
TOP GAMES
FRIDAY
Willow Glen (2-1) at Santa Teresa (2-1), 7 p.m.: Willow Glen depends upon the talented backfield of Hakeem Mays, Isaiah Sires-Wils and QB Josh Landers, while Landers ran for 173 yards and threw for 101. Mays rushed for 239 yards and four scores and had two catches for 50 yards last game. Junior QB Richie Avalos leads the Saints. He completed 13-of-16 for 210 yards last week in a win against Live Oak.
Leigh (1-2) at Oak Grove (0-3), 7 p.m.: Oak Grove has traveled a tough road so far, losing to Valley Christian, St. Francis and San Benito -- the latter by just two points when a two-point conversion try failed. The Eagles are led by QB Fredrick Salazar, RB Rasaan Fontenette and WR Tajhel Johnson. Leigh RB Anthony Chavez rushed for 136 yards and three scores last week in a 36-14 win against Andrew Hill. Other players to watch for the Longhorns are WR Greg Le, RB Grant McGee and defenders Mason Pekarthy and Jon Hagen.
Prospect (2-1) at Branham (3-0), 7 p.m.: Quarterback Samuel Adams threw three TD passes to Tamell Pollard last week in a 35-28 win against Gunn, including a 55-yarder. Pollard had 146 yards receiving. Branham has scored about 30 points per game and is paced by QB Luke Morin who has passed for 146 yards and seven TDs (no interceptions) and rushed for 193 yards and one TD. Other Bruins to watch are RB Larry Atkins (41-203, 2) and WR Sean McPherson (9-174, 4).
Soquel (2-1) at Menlo (2-2), 7 p.m.: Brad Tompkins, the son of former iconic Soquel coach Dewey Tompkins (the field at Soquel is named after Dewey), is in his first year as the Knights' coach. Soquel had defeated Los Altos (33-13) and Seaside (7-0) and fell to Monterey (61-20). Menlo has been outscored by a combined 96-31 the last two weeks in losses to Alvarez and Half Moon Bay and have just 24 players on their roster. But the Knights have some playmakers in QB Austin D'ambra (835 yards passing, nine TDs, three INT), QR Jack Marren (18-433, 5) and RB Sam Ferguson (9.6 yards per carry, two scores).
Sacred Heart Cathedral (3-0) vs. Mitty (2-1) at Foothill College, 7 p.m.: Mitty's only loss was to a talented Los Gatos team. The Monarchs have victories against Palo Alto and El Cerrito and are paced by QB Brett Foley, RBs Luke () and Dakari Monroe and TE Tommy Hudson. The Fightin' Irish are resurgent under second-year coach Ken Peralta who led Riordan to a WCAL title in 2000. Running back Jamar Sheppard-Williams leads SHC.
Salinas (1-3) at San Benito (3-1), 7:30 p.m.: San Benito squeaked by Oak Grove 21-19 last week, scoring 14 points in the final quarter. The Balers are led by Justice Felice whp rushed for 91 yards on 18 carries against the Eagles. Salinas has already played three defending section champions in compiling their deceptive sub-.500 record. The Cowboys also have a two-game winning streak against San Benito.
Monterey (4-0) at Alvarez (4-0), 7:30 p.m.: Junior QB Carter Aldrete leads the Toreadores; he has committed to ASU for baseball and also stars in football and basketball. He paces an offense averaging close to 50 points per game by averaging 26 yards per completion. Toreadore Ryan Reynolds averages 26 yards per catch and has five special teams' scores and RBs Skye Keller and Akili Jones are both averaging about 10 yards per carry. Alvarez has its own star at QB in senior Edric Gamble. He's led wins against Soledad (25-11), Alisal (49-6), Menlo (48-18) and North Monterey County (49-6). But the Eagles have also taken a big step up this season, competing in the MBL-Gabilan instead of the weaker MBL-Pacific.
Serra (1-2) at Valley Christian (2-1), 7:30 p.m.: Both teams were without arguably their best players due to injury for this meeting last season (a 28-7 Serra win). The Padres were missing Matt Dickerson and V.C. was without Kirk Johnson. The Padres this season are without star RB Kava Cassidy (broken collarbone) and have a converted RB at QB in raw-but-talented soph Leki Nunn. Kirk Johnson and brother Collin Johnson are ready to roll for the Warriors. LB James Outman and DB Kelepi Lataimua lead the Serra defense.
SATURDAY
Bellarmine (3-0) at St. Ignatius (3-0), 1 p.m.: The Bells have surprised this season by marching to an unbeaten non-league record and are now being called by some the team to beat in the WCAL. RB Kyle McCauley paces Bellarmine. St. Ignatius also marched to an eye-opening perfect non-league slate with wins against Terra Nova, Marin Catholic and St. Mary's-Stockton. QB Ryan Hagfeldt paces the Wildcats.
Woodside (1-2) at Sacred Heart Prep (4-0), 3 p.m.: Sacred Heart Prep could be vulnerable if the Gators are without pre-season all-state LB Ben Burr-Kirven (a Washington commit with a leg injury). QB Mason Randall leads SHP. Woodside represents another big, public-school foe the Gators that has some talent in RB David Teu, utility man Dylan Maynard, TE/DE Nick Montalbano and OLB Colin Kloezeman.
