Live tackling in college football practices is nearing extinction, which means teams with tackling issues like Tennessee must find creative solutions.

The Vols’ latest approach is making players watch every tackle they’ve ever missed in their college career. Every diving whiff. Every misfired bump. Every time a ball-carrier ran over them.

They watch it again and again.

This offseason, veteran special teams coach John Bonamego and UT staffers created an individualized tackling film for each defensive and special teams player on the roster. They can watch every made and missed tackle ever captured on film in college.

The project was an eye-opening discovery for new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles when he arrived at Tennessee.

“When I came here, (Bonamego) had a whole tackling report he did along with the individual cutups, so you can sit there and watch,” Knowles said on March 19 during spring practice.

“You can put (the tackles) into categories on the ones that were successful and why they were successful, the ones that weren’t and why they weren’t. You can show each guy their own tackling reel throughout their career.”

Jim Knowles: ‘You have to mentally tackle’

Presumably, those tackling films were created under coach Josh Heupel’s direction. He knows poor tackling was among the key factors that took UT from a dominant defense in 2024 to sub-par in 2025.

The Vols missed 147 tackles in the 2025 season compared to only 118 missed tackles in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus. Granted, missed tackles are subjective, and those figures come from an independent scouting service.

But even the untrained eye could see the growing problem of missed tackles for UT last season.

That’s where coaches hope detailed game film can help. Breaking down how players missed tackles and teaching them proper techniques is a step toward improvement, especially since live tackling is limited during practice.

“We don’t tackle anybody in practice, right?” said Knowles, who endorses UT’s approach to coaching tackling. “So you have to really be coaching body position, and it becomes more of a mental game. I try to teach the guys like, ‘You have to mentally tackle.’”

Why don’t Vols tackle in practice? They do, sort of

Of course, that raises an obvious question: Why not tackle in practice?

The truth is that few college football teams these days have “take to the ground” tackling in practice like they do in games. Instead, “thud” tackling has become more common to teach fundamentals while preventing injuries.

“Thud” tackling means a defender initiates contact with the ball-carrier at full speed using proper tackling form, but he never takes him to the ground. Coaches believe all the elements that make for a good tackle can be done in “thud” tackling. Tennessee mostly uses “thud” tackling throughout spring and the season.

In past eras, “take to the ground” tackling was a staple of building toughness like three-a-day practices and limited water breaks. Whether the modern approach is good or bad for the game is in the eye of the beholder.

Coaches don’t want players suffering injuries in practice and being unavailable for the game. And it can’t be overstated that NIL plays a part, too. Players are paid big bucks to play on Saturdays, so a serious injury in practice can decrease their value.

What Jim Knowles thinks about new approach to tackling

Knowles has witnessed the erosion of old-school tackling in practice over his nearly 40 years of college coaching. He doesn’t believe it will ever return.

“I don’t think so. I’m sure Coach Heupel will put us in some live tackling situations, but you don’t do it that much because you’re trying to save the player on both sides, offense and defense,” Knowles said. “And even when you’re live against your own team, you’re not going to cut tackle or tackle low. That can build bad habits.”

Knowles has consistently coached some of the best defenses in college football, most recently at Oklahoma State, Ohio State and Penn State.

In 2024, his Ohio State defense missed only 8.4 tackles per game, according to Pro Football Focus, en route to winning the national championship. Compare that to Tennessee’s average of 11.3 missed tackles per game last season.

Knowles thinks limiting live tackling in practice is a positive step for the sport.

“It’s a difficult proposition. I’m glad we’ve adjusted to it for the health of the player,” Knowles said. “But now you have to be creative in how you teach them with these tackling breakdowns, drills and even in a non-tackling situation, your body position.”

How Tennessee uses tackling film to fix problems

That’s where film of tackling can help. UT players watch their good tackles and missed tackles. They review their best form and their worst.

And the individualized nature of the film allows coaches to correct problems that only plague that particular player.

“You can build an individual tackling reel and teach for each player, which is really unique,” Knowles said. “You can put the film up there (and say), ‘What kind of tackle were you going to use right here?’ He says one thing, but your body is not in a great position to use that tackle.