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Post by bluedevil4 on Mar 25, 2010 22:21:31 GMT -6
I had a player last year with a situation that every team has probably had before.
This kid was one of the fastest, smartest, hard working players, and he always got back up when he got railed. Had an awesome mentality and heart for the game. On the contrary, he was by far the shortest, lightest, and weakest player. He just could never get off the jam when playing WB/Receiver, and he could never finish the tackle when he played corner. His form and technique was always right too. He lifted weights just as much as any other player as well. Needless to say, I felt bad for the kid.
Besides playing D-line, are there any other ways to help these players (tackling better/ getting off jams and blocking, etc) so they could get on the field more?
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wash51
Freshmen Member
Posts: 39
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Post by wash51 on Mar 26, 2010 8:23:19 GMT -6
Just wondering what year this student is (soph, jr, sr)? Coming from small school coaching experience I feel that these kids can be the backbone of your program. You need them for scout team and they can bring so much energy and enthusiasm to your team by playing hard. As far as positions, he might not see alot of playing time as a jr. However, if he does everything you ask of him and coach him up for four years, then hopefully there is a spot for him when he is a sr. If there isn't then I feel that you work him in on specials he has earned this by the dedication he has put in to your program. My perspective comes from small school coaching...
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Post by dubber on Mar 26, 2010 8:33:01 GMT -6
Let me get this straight........he was your fastest player?
We have a kid exactly like that.......and we don't let him play defense except in a NICKEL situation. He's a Deion Sanders, only a worse tackler.
We just leave him on offense.
Next year, during any defensive period, he and the QB will just go throw......
The getting off Jam's thing is a technique thing, not a strength thing, per se.........
And hell, you can't get jammed on Jet Sweep.
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Post by tothehouse on Mar 26, 2010 8:47:51 GMT -6
We put them at nose guard and let them get by the slow centers and guards. Works great with our D and gives the players a boost of confidence. In 2004 we had one of these kids...was an all league NG. In 2005 he wanted to play corner. He ended up being good enough for that as well. 2004 1st team all league NOSE. 2005 1st team all league CORNER. Crazy, but it worked out for us.
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Post by wingtol on Mar 26, 2010 9:05:16 GMT -6
Put him in the slot/off the line and motion him so he can't get jammed.
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coachood
Sophomore Member
Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. -Vince Lombardi
Posts: 173
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Post by coachood on Mar 29, 2010 0:16:49 GMT -6
could be valuable as a kick returner
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Post by coachorr on Mar 29, 2010 6:26:09 GMT -6
It seems like LSU always has a player like that, not that can't get off the line, but small and fast. They use players like that as a key part of their offense in special situations and get this type of player open with motions, slot receiver, swing passes.
After reading the book Our Boys, I realized one of Smith Center's best Rb's was one of their smallest players and would use him to sweep a lot.
Some kids might be so small that by playing them at nose guard a lineman can block them with one hand. How big is this kid? I am guessing 5'2" 120-130 lbs.
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Post by superpower on Mar 29, 2010 7:28:15 GMT -6
The Smith Center RB that coachorr referred to is about 5'6 and 135 lbs. They ran him off tackle with tremendous success. He has signed to play at Pitt State.
I like having a small, quick, tough wingback in our DW because he is hidden behind our pulling linemen so the defense can't locate him. The one drawback is usually a lack of blocking from that position.
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Post by airtrafficcontrol on Mar 29, 2010 18:13:25 GMT -6
Stick him on d and move him around as your blitzer
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Post by formrbcbuc on Mar 30, 2010 10:14:05 GMT -6
You can Grand Valley State/ USC him. Like Air Traffic said make him a rover and blitz him all over the field or use him as extra coverage/double team WR.
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Post by tiger46 on Mar 30, 2010 16:59:20 GMT -6
As the person that was the smallest player on my team, I can suggest- with much reservation- that you do what my DB coach did for me. He looked me dead in the eye and said, "Get your butt in gear and do your job!" I can't say I was a good football player. I just had the desire to play. I wasn't going to let being small stop me. Personally, I felt that I had to get vicious or get replaced. My other option would have been to sit on the bench and wait for a growth spurt that never really came. So, I did whatever it took to make a tackle. I was never afraid to make a straight on tackle. What I lacked in mass, I tried to make up for with velocity. But, I was probably responsible for more opponents' bloodied shins than any other player. I won't go into what I used to do to WR's. I don't think coaches here would approve. My coach certainly didn't always think too highly of some of my tactics. I was also a pretty good practitioner of what I've heard is called 'spider' tackling. I didn't know a name for it back then. If I could get my hands on the RB I wrapped and locked my arms & legs around him and shook my little body back and forth. It unbalanced the RB and he'd hit the ground or, be severely hindered. My teammates could clean him up if he didn't go down- which wasn't often. I got laughed at a lot- by fans, opponents and even my own teammates. But, I did my job. And, that's what my coach told me to do.
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