The Football Faq!((PLEASE READ BEFORE STARTING A THREAD ABOUT FOOTBALL Q's))

[davidvicky]

Good to see this thread is still stickied...

I spent some time as a college football coach (even though I've been out of it for a hot minute now), as always I'm still willing to help with any questions y'all may have.

Oh, before and after pictures from where I started a while back. Before pic was ~265 pounds, after pic is current weight. Feel so much better.

[kk98]

I'm new to this, so here goes my best:

I'm currently a junior offensive lineman and am looking to play college football. My stats are as follows: bench 270, squat 335 (estimated), power clean 235, 40 yard dash is around a 5.5 could be less or more, and I'm 6'4" easy and 270. All of those numbers, are obviously in pounds, so please don't think I'm a total stud. I do not have a lot of varsity film, but I did get a few starts and lots of reps, and didn't do that bad.

My question is, do I stand a chance of getting a d1, d2 or d3 offer? Please understand, I'm not a disillusioned gear head who thinks he'll get an offer from msu, but I still think d2 is a possibility. Please let me know what you think, and if I need to work at anything in particular to make a difference, let me know aswell.

Also, if I was too wordy or asked this in the wrong place, tell me so I don't keep screwing up.

[sowilson]

There's a lot of material out there for recruiting that you need to familiarize with. The NCSA (a paid recruiting service) has some free stuff info that's pretty good. Since you're a Junior you need to do the following

1) Register with the NCAA. This costs you $70 and you will send ACT/SAT scores and transcript to the eligibility center. All D1 and D2 programs use this.
2) Make a film reel - easiest is HUDL (if that's what your school uses to capture game footage), but any will do. If not HUDL then make sure you have it somewhere accessable
3) A web presence with your recruiting information. You can spend thousands on this (NCSA) or not much (CaptainU) but it's a place you can put your stats, link to film, and as a basis for reaching coaches.
4) Go to camps - this is what you will do all of June and part of July this year. Earliest camps start in a week or so - plan on attending some. Since you're a lineman go to BigMan camps. Remember that a D1 sponsored camp will also have D2 and D3 coaches attending, especially BigMan camps.
5) Train a get prepared for combine measurements - 40yrd dash, long jump, vertical jump, 225lb bench for reps, pro agility shuttle
6) Fill in recruiting information forms at the schools you would like to go to school
7) Study, get great grades and retake your ACT/SAT tests to get the best scores possible

At 6'4" you have height that will qualify you as a D1 lineman. You are a bit weak in your lower body (squat should be over 475lbs by now)

Remember than only D1-FBS offers 85 so called full-ride scholarships, every other level offers less and they are generally partial scholarships (D1-FCS 69, D2 39, D3 none). A D2 scholarship is generally 1K or 2K, a good D1-FCS scholarship is half-ride. Also, at D1 and D2 programs you will be expected to commit to 30-50hrs/week and take 5 years to finish your schooling. Also, at a lot of schools certain majors (like pre-Med or Engineering) will be highly discouraged.

[RickyOlsen]

Awesome articles
Nice thanks for the help man.
Thanks so much!

[RickyOlsen]

I'm new to this, so here goes my best:

I'm currently a junior offensive lineman and am looking to play college football. My stats are as follows: bench 270, squat 335 (estimated), power clean 235, 40 yard dash is around a 5.5 could be less or more, and I'm 6'4" easy and 270. All of those numbers, are obviously in pounds, so please don't think I'm a total stud. I do not have a lot of varsity film, but I did get a few starts and lots of reps, and didn't do that bad.

My question is, do I stand a chance of getting a d1, d2 or d3 offer? Please understand, I'm not a disillusioned gear head who thinks he'll get an offer from msu, but I still think d2 is a possibility. Please let me know what you think, and if I need to work at anything in particular to make a difference, let me know aswell.

Also, if I was too wordy or asked this in the wrong place, tell me so I don't keep screwing up.

Awesome post. Thanks for your advice!!

[RickyOlsen]

I am a former college basketball player and current basketball skill trainer. "theworldofhoops.com"

First things first...you want to divide your training year. Training in the off-season (season is a long ways away) vs. prepping for the upcoming season (season is just around the corner) must be treated differently.

Next...you want a dynamic and varied workout schedule. You should also keep in mind that in one workout you can combine elements of training...(i.e. Plyos + Olympic Lifts). But keep in mind every week will not (and should not) look exactly the same.

An example of what one week might look like.
Start every day off with a dynamic movement & mobility workout (10-20 minutes). This should include something to get the blood flowing (short row/jog/airdyne, maybe an isometric hold - planks, then some dynamic range of motion movements for entire body (wrist circles, arm circles, side stretch, hip circles, scorpian, spiderman lunge, samson stretch, bow and bend, leg swings)

Day 1:
Lift/Plyo GPP workout:
5x OHS @ 75% of your 1RM
10x box jump @ 32" box (or something challenging for you to get 10 reps)
15x sit-ups
Rest 3 minutes
5 rounds

Rest 15 minutes (or wait until later in the day) then:

Skill workout - 30 minutes:
(I would program specific exercises, but for the sake of space I'll just outline)
Ball handling
Form shooting
Off the catch shooting (15 footers & 3's)

Day 2
Warm-up

5x Heavy squat
As many pull-ups as possible without coming off the bar
5 rounds


Day 3
Warm-up

Very hard and intense Skill workout (Ball Handling, Finishing, Shooting, Passing). Should be 45 minutes long, and you should leave it all on the court, don't save anything.


Day 4
Rest & Recovery Day


Day 5
12x Clean (full squat clean)
12x plyometric push-up
Rest 3 minutes
9x Clean
9x plyo push-up
Rest 3 minutes
6x Clean
6x plyo push-up


Rest 15 minutes (or wait until later in the day) then:

Dedicated Shooting and Ball Handling workout (30 minutes)


Day 6
Rest & Recovery Day


Day 7
10x down and back sprints as fast as possible (or you can do 40 yard dashes)
rest 30 seconds after each

Dedicated shooting workout (30 minutes)


Day 8
5 sets of 5 Heavy Deadlifts

.....
check out my site or shoot me an e-mail and we can discuss in more detail

Do you have any programs for football? Thanks

[RickyOlsen]

Well we had our second pre-season game on saturday, it was split into 4 20mint loats in which they chnaged the teams to get everyone some game time. I didn't really warm up before hand and played so bad for the first 5 mins then the rest of the game when i was on i played good!

Something to note here, out of the two pre-seaosn games i've played now the Ref's in the midland England arn't playing all the ELV's. He said he don't agree! So that was a strange game.

Also went to see the Northampton Saints play on Sunday 66-0 they beat Trevisco (Italian club). One thing to note, Northamptons smaller fitter pack ran rings round the Italians BUT the game looked a lot like Rugby League with all the little chins and runs etc.


So any thoughts on the Guiniess Premership this year? I think Sale has a really good team!

Thanks for your advice! Awesome .................

[HBMasseuse]

Don't forget about recovery!

[HBMasseuse]

Do you have any programs for football? Thanks

check out crossfit football

[tarew]

Wondering if I could get a little bit of insight on my stats and tips on what I should be doing to improve (gain weight, lose weight, programs, etc...). Keep in mind I'm in Canada, so the competition to get into a good school for Football is a lot lower. I have 2 seasons of Football left until I'm done of high school looking to get into University and figured now is probably the best time to start preparing to play at that level and taking this seriously.

16 years old, 5'8ish 175lbs (probably around like 18% I'd say might be wrong and I might gain an inch or two but not much more) Running back. Bench 175, Squat 315 and Deadlift 405. I've been doing a Push/Pull/Legs split for a little while that I threw together myself and I've seen strength gains, but I feel like my progress would be a lot better if I followed a program made by someone a bit more knowledgeable than myself. Any tips at all are greatly appreciated.

[Hazard2]

good job bros

[chplaya]

I think if it is best to schedule the day to play football

[diethealthcare]

Great helpful information, thanks a lot.

[BoB0Tiller]

Thanks for the info!

[athlete64]

Deez nuts

[shnji]

You don't seem to know about football like at all,where did u hear this from

[fionakeaton]

Thanks for the valuable information

[harryfis]

he is a genius!

[mifdklunch]

[QUOTE=teriyakisaki;10015111]Choosing a position

alot of people come on here asking about what position they should play as they are new to the sport. others just want a position change. In most cases, especially the latter, its best to discuss it with your coach as they will know where you would fit into the system the best. here is a basic break down of body type and skills of each position.

Offense:

Quarterback (QB):
Most important is they can throw very well. both accuracy and distance is key. body type really does not matter as long as they can move within the pocket pretty well. if they can run well it gives them even more weapons. they need to be a great leader on the field and will typically be the smartest person on the field when it comes to football. They also need to be able to have good field vision and know what every person is doing during every single play. a good place to think about playing if you are a pitcher.

Running Back/Half Back/Tail Back (RB/HB/TB):
probably the most athletically inclined person on the offensive side of the ball. their main job is to run the ball however they also go out for passes so catching ability is key and they will also do some lead blocking and pass/blitz protection. They are usually shorter guys with great speed (breakaway/straightline) AND agility (side to side, change directions/juke well), and are pretty strong. There are running backs which are more of a power runner (lendale white, jerome bettis, eddie george), but they still have the ability to change directions well. they are also tough as they do a lot of hitting in games. Field vision and seeing the holes are very important. Gaurds (more typically point gaurds) make great running backs.

Full Back (FB):
These are basically big running backs. they do more Blocking and are generally big bruiser type guys so they are also strong as hell. They still run the ball and go out for passes so speed and catching ability is important. generally not as quick/agile as running backs but they run hard. again field vision is key. Catchers have similar body types.

Wide Reciever (WR):
Generally taller guys (although it is not necessary, height does help) who are fast as hell. maybe not the best guys when it comes to juking guys out of their shoes, but they run fast as hell. since their only real job is going out for passes, being able to catch is key. a good verticle jump helps aswell. guys who play 3, 4, or 5 are usually pretty good recievers if they have good speed.

Tight End (TE):
The most athletic of all linemen. many times it is simply the wide recievers who are bigger and a little bit slower. It can also be a person who simply does not have the speed to play wide reciever, but can still catch very well. because they are on the offensive line they also do a lot of blocking, so size and strength is also important. again, guys who play 3, 4, or 5 (forwards and centers) would fit in best here, most commonly the powerforwards and centers. catchers would fit well here aswell.

Offensive line (OL):
Tackles (OT) are typically the biggest and strongest guys allthough your offensive linemen will be big, strong guys, who aren't necessarily that fast. if youre fat, youll probably play here. Gaurds (OG) are a little bit smaller than tackles but they are usually faster and quicker and have better feet as they move around more (like pulling). Centers vary in size but usually have the same quickness as gaurds. They also need to be able to snap the ball to the quarterback.


I will discuss defensive positions when i come back on later.[/QUOTE

[mifdklunch]

I think that a coach should pick a players based on there size and skillset so that they can get a chance at the next level

[mifdklunch]

[QUOTE=mifdklunch;1575046011]

Choosing a position

alot of people come on here asking about what position they should play as they are new to the sport. others just want a position change. In most cases, especially the latter, its best to discuss it with your coach as they will know where you would fit into the system the best. here is a basic break down of body type and skills of each position.

Offense:

Quarterback (QB):
Most important is they can throw very well. both accuracy and distance is key. body type really does not matter as long as they can move within the pocket pretty well. if they can run well it gives them even more weapons. they need to be a great leader on the field and will typically be the smartest person on the field when it comes to football. They also need to be able to have good field vision and know what every person is doing during every single play. a good place to think about playing if you are a pitcher.

Running Back/Half Back/Tail Back (RB/HB/TB):
probably the most athletically inclined person on the offensive side of the ball. their main job is to run the ball however they also go out for passes so catching ability is key and they will also do some lead blocking and pass/blitz protection. They are usually shorter guys with great speed (breakaway/straightline) AND agility (side to side, change directions/juke well), and are pretty strong. There are running backs which are more of a power runner (lendale white, jerome bettis, eddie george), but they still have the ability to change directions well. they are also tough as they do a lot of hitting in games. Field vision and seeing the holes are very important. Gaurds (more typically point gaurds) make great running backs.

Full Back (FB):
These are basically big running backs. they do more Blocking and are generally big bruiser type guys so they are also strong as hell. They still run the ball and go out for passes so speed and catching ability is important. generally not as quick/agile as running backs but they run hard. again field vision is key. Catchers have similar body types.

Wide Reciever (WR):
Generally taller guys (although it is not necessary, height does help) who are fast as hell. maybe not the best guys when it comes to juking guys out of their shoes, but they run fast as hell. since their only real job is going out for passes, being able to catch is key. a good verticle jump helps aswell. guys who play 3, 4, or 5 are usually pretty good recievers if they have good speed.

Tight End (TE):
The most athletic of all linemen. many times it is simply the wide recievers who are bigger and a little bit slower. It can also be a person who simply does not have the speed to play wide reciever, but can still catch very well. because they are on the offensive line they also do a lot of blocking, so size and strength is also important. again, guys who play 3, 4, or 5 (forwards and centers) would fit in best here, most commonly the powerforwards and centers. catchers would fit well here aswell.

Offensive line (OL):
Tackles (OT) are typically the biggest and strongest guys allthough your offensive linemen will be big, strong guys, who aren't necessarily that fast. if youre fat, youll probably play here. Gaurds (OG) are a little bit smaller than tackles but they are usually faster and quicker and have better feet as they move around more (like pulling). Centers vary in size but usually have the same quickness as gaurds. They also need to be able to snap the ball to the quarterback.


I will discuss defensive positions when i come back on later.[/QUOTE

I think coaches should pick there player position by size and skill set so that they will have a chance at the next level

[newflex]

There was me hoping this would be about ‘soccer’!

[Osvterson]

Player manager is another way of looking at it. A large number of managers pick players based on their physical condition rather than footballing ability. It's a shame because a good physical condition and an attractive profile can make you look good.

[sgred18tips]

Thanks for this information. It really helps me a lot as I struggle to learn football.

[jessiebu]

Thanks for this information. It really helps me a lot as I struggle to learn football.

You can learn football from a coach!

[thanhdatdental]

thank you for share

[laojuntasa]

This comprehensive guide to tackling in football offers valuable insights not only into the physical aspects but also the mental and strategic components of the game. It's fascinating how the principles of tackling can be metaphors for life's challenges and how maintaining control and aggression in the face of adversity can lead to success. Your detailed breakdown of head-on and angle tackles provides a deeper understanding of the game's nuances. I appreciate the parallel between this athletic pursuit and the journey of self-discovery and enlightenment, a theme that resonates with my philosophical pursuits. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and insights in this thread.

[Raquel0]

Choosing a position

alot of people come on here asking about what position they should play as they are new to the sport. others just want a position change. In most cases, especially the latter, its best to discuss it with your coach as they will know where you would fit into the system the best. here is a basic break down of body type and skills of each position.

Offense:

Quarterback (QB):
Most important is they can throw very well. both accuracy and distance is key. body type really does not matter as long as they can move within the pocket pretty well. if they can run well it gives them even more weapons. they need to be a great leader on the field and will typically be the smartest person on the field when it comes to football. They also need to be able to have good field vision and know what every person is doing during every single play. a good place to think about playing if you are a pitcher.

Running Back/Half Back/Tail Back (RB/HB/TB):
probably the most athletically inclined person on the offensive side of the ball. their main job is to run the ball however they also go out for passes so catching ability is key and they will also do some lead blocking and pass/blitz protection. They are usually shorter guys with great speed (breakaway/straightline) AND agility (side to side, change directions/juke well), and are pretty strong. There are running backs which are more of a power runner (lendale white, jerome bettis, eddie george), but they still have the ability to change directions well. they are also tough as they do a lot of hitting in games. Field vision and seeing the holes are very important. Gaurds (more typically point gaurds) make great running backs.

Full Back (FB):
These are basically big running backs. they do more Blocking and are generally big bruiser type guys so they are also strong as hell. They still run the ball and go out for passes so speed and catching ability is important. generally not as quick/agile as running backs but they run hard. again field vision is key. Catchers have similar body types.

Wide Reciever (WR):
Generally taller guys (although it is not necessary, height does help) who are fast as hell. maybe not the best guys when it comes to juking guys out of their shoes, but they run fast as hell. since their only real job is going out for passes, being able to catch is key. a good verticle jump helps aswell. guys who play 3, 4, or 5 are usually pretty good recievers if they have good speed.

Tight End (TE):
The most athletic of all linemen. many times it is simply the wide recievers who are bigger and a little bit slower. It can also be a person who simply does not have the speed to play wide reciever, but can still catch very well. because they are on the offensive line they also do a lot of blocking, so size and strength is also important. again, guys who play 3, 4, or 5 (forwards and centers) would fit in best here, most commonly the powerforwards and centers. catchers would fit well here aswell.

Offensive line (OL):
Tackles (OT) are typically the biggest and strongest guys allthough your offensive linemen will be big, strong guys, who aren't necessarily that fast. if youre fat, youll probably play here. Gaurds (OG) are a little bit smaller than tackles but they are usually faster and quicker and have better feet as they move around more (like pulling). Centers vary in size but usually have the same quickness as gaurds. They also need to be able to snap the ball to the quarterback.


I will discuss defensive positions when i come back on later.

Good.

[selohalal]

Hand-Off
Running play where the quarterback hands the ball to a back.

Hang Time
Length of time a punt is in the air.

Heisman Trophy
Award presented annually by the Downtown Athletic Club of New York to the best college football player in the country.

Holding
Foul where a player impedes the movement of an opponent by grasping or hooking any part of his body or uniform; punishable by a penalty — 10 yards if against the offense, 5 yards + first down if against the defense.

Home Field Advantage
Benefit a team gets by playing games in the area where it is based, due to fan support, familiarity with its surroundings and the lack of required travel.

Home Game
Game played in a team’s own stadium.

In Bounds
Region of the field inside the sidelines and end lines.

Incomplete Pass
Forward pass that touches the ground before being caught.

Intentional Grounding
Foul called against a quarterback who purposely throws an incomplete forward pass solely to avoid a sack; cannot be called if the pass lands at or beyond the line of scrimmage.

Interception
Pass caught in the air (picked off) by a defender whose team immediately gains possession of the ball and becomes the offense.

Kickoff
When a player kicks a ball from a tee at his own 30-yard line (35 in college) to the opposing team, whose player tries to advance it the other way; used to start the game, the second half and overtime, and to restart play after each score.

Lateral
Pass thrown to a teammate backwards from the team’s line of scrimmage or parallel to it; unlike a forward pass (which can be thrown only once per play), players may lateral the ball as often as they want.

Line of Scrimmage
Imaginary line which no player may cross before the snap; each team has its own line of scrimmage, separated by the neutral zone.

Lineman
Player who starts each play within 1 yard of his line of scrimmage.

Live Ball
Ball becomes live as soon as it is snapped or free kicked (as in a kickoff); opposite of a dead ball.

Loose Ball
A ball that is not in possession of either team, such as after a fumble or a kickoff; it can be recovered by either team.

Man-in-Motion
A single player on the offense who is permitted to move prior to the snap; he may only run parallel to the line of scrimmage or away from it.

Midfield
The 50-yard line, which divides the length of the field in half.

Necessary Line
Imaginary line the offense must cross to achieve a new first down.

Neutral Zone
Region that contains the ball as it sits on the ground before each play; the area between the two lines of scrimmage.

NFL (National Football League)
Major professional football league in the U.S., its headquarters are in New York.

NFL Championship
Game held from 1933 through 1965 to decide the champion of professional football; renamed the Super Bowl in 1966.

Nickel Defense
When a defense brings in a 5th defensive back to replace a linebacker on the field, increasing its pass coverage.

Offending Team
Team that committed a foul.

Offensive Tackle
Responsible for blocking defenders from the man w/ the ball, creating running and throwing lanes.

Offside
When any part of a player’s body is beyond his line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped; a foul punishable by a 5-yard penalty.

On Downs
Term used to describe a team’s loss of possession if it fails to reach the necessary line on a fourth down play.

Open Receiver
Player who has no defender closely covering him.

Out of Bounds
Region of the field touching or outside the sidelines and end lines; as soon as a ball carrier or the ball itself touches out of bounds, the play is over

Pass Defender
Defensive player who covers an opposing receiver.

Pass Patterns or Pass Routes
Pre-determined paths receivers follow to help the passer quickly locate them so he can more easily get them the ball.

Pass Protection
Blocking by offensive players to keep defenders away from the quarterback on passing plays.

Pass Rush
Surge by defenders to get past blockers and sack the quarterback.

Personal Foul
Foul that might cause injury; punishable by a 15-yard penalty.

Picked Off
Ball that is intercepted by the team on defense.

Pitch-Out
Lateral tossed from a quarterback to a running back.

Place Kick
Kick towards the goalpost for a field goal or extra point; held between the ground and another player’s finger.

Play
Spurt of action that begins with a snap and ends with a dead ball.

Play Clock
Clock displayed above each end zone that limits the time teams may take between plays to 40 seconds (30 in college); the ball must be snapped before the clock runs down to 0.

Play-action Pass
Passing play after the quarterback has faked a hand-off.

Playoffs
Post-season tournament that determines the NFL champion.

Pocket
Area behind the offensive line, where the quarterback is protected by his blockers.

Point-after-Touchdown (PAT)
Place kick taken from the opponent’s 2-yard line; awarded to a team that has scored a touchdown, it is worth 1 point if it goes through the goalpost.

Possession
To be holding or in control of the football.

Previous Spot
Where the ball was snapped to begin the last play.

Punt
When a player 10 yards behind the center catches a snap, drops it and kicks it before it hits the ground; an opponent tries to catch and advance it the other way.

Pylon
Short orange marker at each of the end zone’s 4 corners.

Quarterback
Leader of a team’s offense, he takes the snap from the center and either hands the ball to a running back to run with, passes it to a receiver or runs with it himself; he also communicates each play to his teammates.

Reading the Defense
Recognition by the quarterback of the defensive formation; he may then call an audible to adjust the offense.

Receiver
Offensive player who catches or attempts to catch a forward pass.

Recovery
To gain or regain possession of a fumble.

Return
An attempt by a player who has just caught an interception, punt, or kickoff to advance the ball the other way.

Roll Out
When a quarterback runs parallel to the line, looking for a receiver.

Rookie
First-year player in the NFL.

Rush
Running play; also, a pass rush.

Sack
Is a tackle behind the line of scrimmage of a player attempting a pass.

Split End
Receiver who lines up on the line scrimmage on the side away from the Tight End.

Tackle
Player position on both the offensive and defensive lines; there is usually a left and right offensive
tackle, and a left and right defensive tackle.

Tackling
Contacting a ball carrier to cause him to touch the ground with any part of his body except his hands, thereby ending the play.

Territory
Half of the field a team protects against its opponents.

Third-and-Long
When the offense faces a third down and is more than a short running play away from a first down; usually third-and-5 or greater.

Tight End
Offensive lineman a big receiver primary job is to catch passes and block.

Touchback
When a player who gains possession of a ball in his own end zone kneels to the ground and automatically starts the next play at his own 20-yard line; also awarded if his opponent kicks the ball across the end line.

Touchdown (TD)
When a team crosses the opponent’s goal line with the ball, catches a pass in the opponent’s end zone, or recovers a loose ball in the opponent’s end zone; earns a team 6 points.

Turnover
Involuntarily loss of possession of the ball during a play, either by a fumble or by throwing an interception.

Wide Receiver
Main job catch passes and take some of the biggest hits of the game.

Wild Card
Team that makes the NFL playoffs by having one of the 3 best records among non-division winners in its conference.

Winning Percentage
Percentage of its games a team has won during a period of time, given by the following formula:
Winning Percentage = (#wins + #ties/2)/(#games played)

Zebras
Nickname given to the officials because of the black and white striped shirts they wear.

great post