Saban Takes a STAND on the Cut Blocking Schemes...in defense of them!

[ckparrothead]

(On what to tell the players about their chop-blocking scheme) – “I don’t tell them anything. It wasn’t that blocking scheme that did anything to it. If you stay square and play the blockers right, you don’t get hurt. That is what I’d tell them. There is nothing wrong with this blocking scheme. People have been doing it forever more. Have we had anybody else get hurt? Did we outlaw how that guy got hurt? Wade Smith got hurt. He got hit with an elbow in the arm. Maybe we should cut everybody’s arms off so there are no elbows, and then we won’t have any problems. Come on guys. This is not a dangerous game if you play it right and you play it with pad level. People get hurt in every game.â€Â

I like it. And, I'm not necessarily a fan of a blocking system and coach that rewards his players for chop-blocking away from a play on a player who does not see it coming. I think Atlanta's OL coach probably rewards those kinds of plays because it shows a blocker finishing plays and taking responsibility to take any man he can out of a play, but there is an injury risk that I believe should outweigh that (especially if they are outlawing Roy Williams' horse collar tackling I mean come on).

Still, AS A COACH, I believe that Nick Saban has a responsibility to say what he has said. He has a responsibility to prepare his players for everything they will face, and the bottom line is the NFL is no closer to making a chop-block rule that would have prevented the injury to Vickerson than they ever have been. So Saban needs to tell his players basically, you don't get hurt if you play the right way. Play the right way, square up, have your head on a swivel, and play good defense. I really do like his taking a stand and not showing weakness by crying about it like, for instance, Jeff Fisher did a while ago.

 

[djfresh47]

It's legal, so I don't know what the big deal is. I think some of the rules the NFL has made are ridiculous, like the horse collar rule.

 

[newlownorder]

the horse collar rule I call the Roy Williams rule. It's insane.

 

[ckparrothead]

Yeah well Williams has really been the first one that was able to do it so effectively that it was a huge injury risk. He's that good. I guess I could see why they want to protect offensive players from something like that, serious concussion risk.

 

[Muck]

Yeah well Williams has really been the first one that was able to do it so effectively that it was a huge injury risk. He's that good. I guess I could see why they want to protect offensive players from something like that, serious concussion risk.

Kinda like Night Train Lane's clothesline.

 

[GRYPHONK]

Yeah well Williams has really been the first one that was able to do it so effectively that it was a huge injury risk. He's that good. I guess I could see why they want to protect offensive players from something like that, serious concussion risk.

Not only concussion but spinal injury risk as well.

Seriously those that say this tackle is no big deal needs to learn a little something about anatomy.

 

[Silverphin]

Not only concussion but spinal injury risk as well.

Seriously those that say this tackle is no big deal needs to learn a little something about anatomy.

Doesn't it also affect the legs?

 

[ckparrothead]

My guess is it can affect everything.

 

[Sgt.FinFan]

I like Sabans comments on cutting off everyones arms so they
don't nail someone with a elbow.

"When I was young we didn't have any arms when we played
in the NFL, we used to tackle each other with our legs."

 

[andyahs]

I like Sabans comments on cutting off everyones arms so they
don't nail someone with a elbow.

"When I was young we didn't have any arms when we played
in the NFL, we used to tackle each other with our legs."

Now that's funny!

 

[adamprez2003]

I doubt anyone on the defense appreciates Saban "taking a stand" on their behalf.

 

[HysterikiLL]

The horsecollar is something I eventually did pull for. Too many players were getting too many injuries as their legs were just buckling. It was probably a 35% chance you'd get injured on that tackle.

I don't normally rally behind the for's and against's of certain plays. I like the game how it is and I don't want strict calls interrupting the game when they don't need to. Chop blocking is fine in my opinion.