Tackle Advisory Committee
This committee assisted in developing a tackle progression model to benefit America's youth football community. The step-by-step process for youth coaches teaches tackling fundamentals in proper order, further strengthening player safety and building confidence in youth players by appropriately introducing them to contact.
Pat Fitzgerald
The head football coach at Northwestern University, he has guided the Wildcats to three consecutive postseason berths and four consecutive years of bowl eligibility, both school bests. Twice named an All-America linebacker at Northwestern, Fitzgerald was a leader on NU's 1995 and 1996 Big Ten Championship teams, earning consecutive National Defensive Player of the Year awards. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
Merril Hoge
A youth football coach since 2005, Hoge was an NFL running back from 1987-94, mostly with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The head coach of the 2011 U.S. Under-15 National Team in football, Hoge is a member of USA Football's board of directors and is an NFL analyst for ESPN.
Chris Merritt
The head football coach at Miami Christopher Columbus High School has led the school to seven district titles and four undefeated regular seasons (2005, '07, '08 and '10). Merritt has been either the head coach or an assistant on the past three U.S. Under-19 National Teams in football. He played collegiately at Indiana University from 1988-93 as a defensive back.
Jim Mora
A longtime NFL coach, including head coaching tenures with the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks, in 2004 Mora became the fourth rookie head coach in NFL history to win 11 games and led the Falcons to the NFC Championship. Mora was a walk-on linebacker at the University of Washington (1981-83) and presently serves as a studio analyst for NFL Network.
Dr. David Yukelson
Yukelson serves on USA Football's Football & Wellness Committee and is the sport psychologist for Penn State University and the 31 varsity sports within the school's athletics program. His expertise is identifying ways for youth coaches to build confidence in players and appropriately introduce them to contact.
