Does height matter when your a running back?

[minderofmencia]

Aight, i've been comin on here for a while now and i just felt like makin an acc to ask this question. I'm gonna be a sophmore this comin up year, and plan on playing football. I would've played last year, but i had an ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair from basketball season, and that really pissed me off. But anyway, I was plainning on being some sort of running back (tail-back, full-back, half-back) and i think i'm a pretty good candidate for any of those. I'm decently strong, not all that fast (5.0 40), but what really gets to me is my height. I'm only 5'6", and i weigh 175.

Will the coaches just dismiss me from having a chance at being a running back because of my height?

[Asparagus333]

It depends, the lower you are, its harder to tackle you done. Leverage is everything and when you're short, you already got leverage most of the time. Taller runningbacks often get tackled around the legs, increasing the chance of injury down there. Look at Brandon Jacobs (My favorite runningback), he is 6'4 265 lbs yet he has to get knee surgeries every year practically. Maurice Jones Drew is 5'7 yet he's a human bowling ball. Lots of coaches rather have a short runningback rather than tall ones. Tall runningbacks do have the advantage of having more weight (Usually) and better vision. It also helps them catch.

[minderofmencia]

It depends, the lower you are, its harder to tackle you done. Leverage is everything and when you're short, you already got leverage most of the time. Taller runningbacks often get tackled around the legs, increasing the chance of injury down there. Look at Brandon Jacobs (My favorite runningback), he is 6'4 265 lbs yet he has to get knee surgeries every year practically. Maurice Jones Drew is 5'7 yet he's a human bowling ball. Lots of coaches rather have a short runningback rather than tall ones. Tall runningbacks do have the advantage of having more weight (Usually) and better vision. It also helps them catch.

that seems true. Last year i could always out power and or slip away from the bigger linemen and such, and then it would always be the little safety that would catch my ankle in the end lol. But since i do weigh more then the other backs, even tho they're taller, that makes my 40 yard time about .3 slower. Does it really matter that much?

[panaxxIX]

i dont know much about this but considering ray rice of the ravens is about your height, aslong as you can prove you can run the ball with power and speed i dont think it should be a problem

[kanderson17]

Dont think height matters that much. You are starting to see alot of smaller backs. Sproles, Maurice jones drew, Jaquizz rodgers(Plays for Oregon State University). If your good you are going to play.

[gnarsurf]

i think shorter is better. our rb was 5'5'' or 5'6'' 140 and he started over another one who was 5'9 190, ran the same exact 40 times and both were AMAZING. but the shorter one would slip through tackles

[abgolfer]

Aight, i've been comin on here for a while now and i just felt like makin an acc to ask this question. I'm gonna be a sophmore this comin up year, and plan on playing football. I would've played last year, but i had an ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair from basketball season, and that really pissed me off. But anyway, I was plainning on being some sort of running back (tail-back, full-back, half-back) and i think i'm a pretty good candidate for any of those. I'm decently strong, not all that fast (5.0 40), but what really gets to me is my height. I'm only 5'6", and i weigh 175.

Will the coaches just dismiss me from having a chance at being a running back because of my height?

I would say the height is not a big problem, right now the biggest hurdle for you to overcome is your speed. Work on your speed and quickness along with your strength. If you can get your speed under a 4.7 that would be ideal. What kind of runner do you plan on being, speed or power? That would also help dictate what the focus of your training should be.

[wllcr]

I would say, now i am not hugely experienced in this... but from what i have learnt about American Football... even a relatively slow quarter back will get his game...as long as he can get past those tackles and make up yards. If your gaining more yards than whatever running back your playing against...then your gonna get your game. A super fast guy with no vision, that cant miss a tackle.... is worthless to anyone.

Someone already summed it up really... If ur good you will play.

[FB4ME]

Like everyone else said if you are good you will play. HOWEVER, it definitely means you will have to work hard to show that you deserve to play over a physically superior RB.

[Dennis71]

being a small runningback. U better be able to do at least 1 of two things

1. Outrun everyone on the football field
2. be able to block

[zmcdole]

Your height won't matter as long as you can make plays. someone already mentioned it, but there are some really good RB's in college and the pro's who are 5'8 or shorter.

As for your 40 time, yes you should try and get as fast as possible. However, some people put too much stock in a 40 time. Your pad speed should be what you should be worried about. My best friend was a QB in high school. Every time we ran 40's I don't think he ever ran faster than 4.7, but when he was on the field, you would think he ran a 4.4. I played against Carnell "Cadillac" Williams in high school and Cadillac was the only person I ever saw run my buddy down from behind.

As I said, get as fast as you possibly can, but make sure you're working on the stuff that is gonna make you the best on the field. And don't worry one bit about your height. oh yeah, I'm 5'7 and was a two time all conference OLB in college.

[hateinyaeyes32]

Aight, i've been comin on here for a while now and i just felt like makin an acc to ask this question. I'm gonna be a sophmore this comin up year, and plan on playing football. I would've played last year, but i had an ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair from basketball season, and that really pissed me off. But anyway, I was plainning on being some sort of running back (tail-back, full-back, half-back) and i think i'm a pretty good candidate for any of those. I'm decently strong, not all that fast (5.0 40), but what really gets to me is my height. I'm only 5'6", and i weigh 175.

Will the coaches just dismiss me from having a chance at being a running back because of my height?

HELL NO, 5'6 is probably like the lowest alotta coaches will go though, but the thing is your 40 time, being 5'6 the coaches will want you running like atleast a 4.6 or lower to play tailback/halfback, and theyll want you to put on atleast 20 lbs and get it 4.8ish for fullback, and thats if you want to be serious about it

[Onisac]

You're still young and will probably grow a few inches anyways so don't worry about your height. You seem to weight a bit too much for a 5'6 guy though, you could lose a bit of pounds which will in turn make you faster.

[jgood]

Darren Sproles I think is only like 5'8" .... so it doesn't matter alot but I'd guess the average is around 5'10-11". Thats also older guys though .... I have a friend that grew 1 foot in his sophmore to junior years.

[ampec]

I would say it is better to have the height problem of being a shorter running back than taller. Anymore taller running backs are far and few between...due to longer body it takes them longer to change directions. Todays game is about change of direction and power at the running back position.

[Bludgeoner]

Darren Sproles I think is only like 5'8" .... so it doesn't matter alot but I'd guess the average is around 5'10-11". Thats also older guys though .... I have a friend that grew 1 foot in his sophmore to junior years.

I was thinking Darren Sproles too. But he is actually 5'6" according to wikipedia

[jgood]

I was thinking Darren Sproles too. But he is actually 5'6" according to wikipedia

Yeah I couldn't remember ... I just knew it was 5'8" at the tallest.