Cal Football: Defense Focusing on Tackling, Tackling and More Tackling

Bears defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon suggests it is an aspect of defense that has been affected by pandemic-related concerns

Tackling: It is the most basic aspect of defense. It is also the aspect most adversely affected by this pandemic-constricted college football season.

Cal defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon (above) says tackling has been the focus of preseason camp, especially on days when players are in pads.

 "Every position group worked extensively tackling,' Sirmon said Thursday following the first day in pads Wenesday. "And we worked more on tackling than we did technique of any of the defensive calls we've had since we've been in shoulder pads and full pads.

"I don't watch a ton of football in terms of trying to find concepts or scheme, [but] the theme that I have seen when I watch football is defenses are not getting the ball on the ground efficiently."

You need only look at the high-scoring games in the Southeastern Conference, tradtionally known for its tough defenses, to see that tackling has taken a vacation early in the season.

"That could happen to any team in the conference," Sirmon said, "and that is not something that is not addressed early on at Cal. We are going to talk about tackling. We are going to talk about leverage tackling. We're going to talk about gang tackling. We're going to talk about getting to the ball. That's going to be something that right until kickoff is going to be stressed, re-stressed, emphasized and instructed and practiced."

Cal lost the nation's No. 1 tackling machine in inside linebacker Evan Weaver, a first-team all-America selection who led the country in tackles in 2019 and is now on the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad. The Bears do return inside linebacker Kuony Deng, who was fourth in the Pac-12 in tackles with 9.2 stops per game a year ago. However, the transfer of defensive end Luc Bequette to Boston College, the decision by outside linebacker Tevis Paul to opt out of the season and the departure of two standout tackling safeties (Ashtyn Davis and Jaylinn Hawkins) create some tackling concerns.

And Sirmon had a lukewarm assessment of how Cal defenders have done in terms of tackling over the first several practices this year.

"Needs of improvement, needs of improvement," said Sirmon, who is also the Bears' inside linebackers coach. "It's not for a lack of effort. It's for a lack of understanding. What we talk about at linebacker is, you're always trying to find your buddy -- who's going to support the tackle. Sometimes the buddy represents the sideline. Sometimes the buddy represents the D line in a chase opportunity. Sometimes your buddy ends up being your inside linebacker inside of you.  Sometimes your buddy is the cloud support."

Toward that end, Sirmon said Cal came up with a new leverage-tackle drill on Wednesday that it will continue to use as a teaching tool.

Cal won't know how effective its emphasis on tackling has been until it plays its Nov. 7 opener against Washington in Berkeley. The Bears had modest success against the Huskies' running game in Cal's 20-19 win in Seattle last season. Salvon Ahmed rushed for 119 yards and 5.7 yards per carry, and Richard Newton ran for 42 yards on nine carries for Washington in that game. Ahmed is gone, but Newton is back after getting extensive playing time last season as a freshman.

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Cover photo of Cal gang tackle by Kelley L. Cox, USA TODAY Sports 

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