TJ Weist, Assistant Special Teams Coach, Baltimore Ravens presents strategies, drills, and game application footage for teaching gunner tackling.
The Ravens philosophy is to keep it simple.
The main things they focus on for the gunners are:
1. Getting off the line of scrimmage and run
2. Front the Ball
3. Make the tackle (or force a fair catch)
To front the ball:
🏈Take long strides and set your angle.
🏈 When you close to the football take short strides and close the gap.
🏈The aiming point is the near hip of the returner.
🏈As the gunner is waiting for the ball to be caught, he should come to balance and stay square with the objective of preventing a vertical return.
To make the tackle:
🏈You tackle with your feet. Keep them under you.
🏈Run through the returner's near number.
🏈Head across, center of chest, eyes up--see contact, punch through and get the football out, run your feet through the contact.
🏈If you miss, go past the returner.
🏈Retrace and strip. Punch the ball out.