How to Play Nose Tackle
Nose tackle is arguably the most important defensive position in American football. Team sports are all about sacrificing for the good of the overall team's goals, and nose tackle exemplifies this notion perfectly.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Possess the correct body type. A nose tackle must be large. Typically, the nose tackle plays against players who weigh at least 250 pounds at the high school level, and 350 pounds or more on the professional level. While not an absolute, it helps the nose tackle to be shorter (6'4" and below) than an average defensive linemen. The nose tackle uses leverage to play the position and the taller a player is, the harder it is to get leverage on an opponent.
-
2
Be a selfless individual. The nose tackle's primary job is to contain blockers so other members of the defense can make plays. If a player has too big of an ego, he may want the glory of the big play for himself. Nose tackles seldom get the opportunity to make the big play.
-
-
3
Have the ability to rapidly identify blocking schemes. A play takes seconds to develop and the nose tackle must recognize his assignment and move immediately. Any hesitation can result undermine a play.
-
4
Know the tendencies of the opposing offense. If a nose tackle can recognize what play is coming, based on formation or initial movement of the offensive line, he can thwart the play before it begins. Knowing tendencies requires long hours of studying film of the opposing team.
-
5
Learn not only your nose tackle responsibilities, but the other defensive players as well. The defense in American football is often referred to as a unit, and this unit functions best when every player knows the defensive responsibilities on a given play.
-
1
Resources
More Like This
Comments
-
I made the next level out of highschool at 6ft 265 and I feel that if I was 6'4 I could be a leaner 280 and be faster and more spread out lol. at 6ft I'm my fastest at 250.
-
Keep your eyes open to watch for my son, Lake, who will be playing nose tackle in the NFL (hopefully, for the Chiefs!) in the next 12 or so years! After two years of tedious flag football and now finally tackle football this year, he has found his position and is a beast!
-
Snuggie Manburps
Jan 06, 2011
...middle. It's *offensive* linemen who have frequent changes in blocking schemes and variable "assignments." (5) Of all the positions on a football team, only the kicker and the punter have less of a need to study game films. I don't say that to attack the intelligence of players at the position, but rather because it's the reality of where the nose tackle lines up, which limits both his potential vertical and horizontal movement on the field for any particular play. The best natural nose tackles tend to have size in their genes, are generally called fat by their peers growing up (or "husky" by their moms), and have an unusual amount of upper-body strength even before starting a formalized weight-training regime. If you see any similarities between this description and yourself, look into the nose-tackle position. The details will fall into place if the raw materials are there... -
Snuggie Manburps
Jan 06, 2011
...traffic jam in the middle of the line by drawing more than one blocker. Doing so requires backs to run horizontally along the line of scrimmage, reducing the potential yardage gained. (3) Having played at both the defensive tackle and nose tackle positions, I can say that a nose tackle has plenty of chances to make big plays when brought in for 5-3 and other run-blocking defensive packages. When fullbacks try to pound the ball in for a touchdown on 3rd and goal or 4th and goal situations, the first player that back's likely to meet at the line is the nose tackle. Nose tackles can be the primary reason that opposing teams' drives come to a halt short of the goal line. (4) It is rare for a defensive lineman's "assignment" to change from play to play. This is especially true of the nose tackle. His job is to attack the middle and pound anyone trying to carry the ball through the...
-
Snuggie Manburps
Jan 06, 2011
I am not in the habit of commenting on eHow articles, but I have to register my opinion for this one. The article misinforms from start to finish, but in an effort to be pithy, here's a short list of reasons why: (1) The weights given for high school and professional nose tackles is ridiculous. Most high school football programs do not have 250-lb linemen, let alone a line so gigantic that there is a 250-lb minimum suggested weight to play any position on the team. Equally silly is the idea that to play professionally requires "at least" a 350-lb body; there are fewer than 25 players in the NFL who weigh more than 350 pounds, and most are considered to be overweight, even for linemen. The average offensive lineman is in the 310-320-pound range. (2) The purpose of a nose tackle is to tackle running backs who run through the offensive line's 1 or 2 holes, and otherwise create a...
