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Post by fantom on Oct 27, 2022 10:13:02 GMT -6
Reading the the "Not coaching next year" thread got me wondering about how good of a player most coaches were.
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moose18
Junior Member
"If it didn't matter who won or lost, they wouldn't keep score"
Posts: 286
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Post by moose18 on Oct 27, 2022 10:16:03 GMT -6
2 Year starter. Wing-T Guard. 6'1 200lbs
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Post by RunThePistol on Oct 27, 2022 10:27:37 GMT -6
1 year role guy, 1 year starter. Wing-T WR 5'9 155.
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Post by flballcoach on Oct 27, 2022 10:29:46 GMT -6
Team leader in tackles JV year, special teams and played some senior year. Started both ways senior year, led team in sacks then was a career backup and special teams guy at a D3 college. So better than average I guess in high school and not very good in college. I stuck with it because I knew I wanted to coach so I wanted it on my resume.
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Post by jgordon1 on Oct 27, 2022 10:45:01 GMT -6
1 year starter at offensive guard. I ended up walking on and earning a scholarship to UMass. was a 2 time captain too. I guess I was a late bloomer
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CoachK
Sophomore Member
Posts: 185 
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Post by CoachK on Oct 27, 2022 10:51:35 GMT -6
I was awful. Soccer/baseball kid that just happened to love the wrong sport. I went to a giant Texas HS and was a 5th string LB at one point. On my freshman team. I was soft and had no idea how to work hard to improve myself. I was a natural on the diamond and had no idea not everything was going to be that way.
It's interesting look back at my HS experience and how I coach now. I generally do better with the average athletes that need guidance than I do with the more naturally gifted players. Really good football players are still like aliens to me in some ways.
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Post by bulldogsdc on Oct 27, 2022 10:56:21 GMT -6
2 year starter at Apopka. 1 year starter at Tusculum.
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Post by wolverine55 on Oct 27, 2022 12:51:25 GMT -6
A two-year starter at center in high school. My school didn't get football until my junior year. Played four years at a D3 college and was always the 6-7th offensive lineman, but never started a game. Played in 30 of my 40 career games.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2022 13:02:55 GMT -6
Defensive end who had no business playing defense at all. And on the team I played on, I was never going to see the light of day on the offensive line EVER.
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Post by tothehouse on Oct 27, 2022 13:05:54 GMT -6
All league DB junior/senior year. Kicked, punted. I was decent at a mid sized school.
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Post by blb on Oct 27, 2022 13:25:43 GMT -6
Played C-MLBer 8-10th grades.
Got moved to QB as a junior (unnecessary but funny story).
Wasn't big (5-9, 165) or athletic enough to play much (school in biggest classification in the state) which I realized early on so I taught myself how to place kick-punt just so I could get on the field.
The latter got me a D-I scholly-two years worth of college paid for.
Which was a good thing because I learned a lot about football and how to coach it then.
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Post by wink1111 on Oct 27, 2022 13:43:21 GMT -6
Three year varsity starter as a SS/LB at a 5A school. Coaches never let me play any offense because...well...skillet hands.
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Post by woodyboyd on Oct 27, 2022 14:57:27 GMT -6
All state as a junior and senior. Got hurt 2nd week of practice in college. Never played again. Started coaching the next season at age 19/20.
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Post by Defcord on Oct 27, 2022 15:22:55 GMT -6
Before a big game once our head coach told me I was the best offensive linemen in program history. But I heard him tell older guys that before me and I have it on good authority he told many others the same. When he said it, I believed it and we beat our rivals on a 2 point play after we scored on the last play in regulation. It’s a find memory even if a tall tale.
I was a first team player in our conference and media all area. I was honored with academic all state but even at the time realized that was more about my grades than my play.
I was decent enough to get put up on a wall but just an 8 x 10.
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Post by bignose on Oct 27, 2022 15:49:47 GMT -6
When I think about the "Good old days", I wasn't that old and I wasn't that good.
I was a back up in a first year program, but even then I knew.......48 years later I am still semi-active doing video work after 47 years coaching out on the field.
I tell my players that I was an End, Guard, and Tackle.
I sat on the end of the bench, I guarded the water bucket, and I tackled anyone who got near it.
(Actually, I was a backup center by default. Originally I tried out as a TE, got moved to FB for about 15 minutes, and after the coaches evaluated me, I was made into a center).
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Post by 44dlcoach on Oct 27, 2022 15:52:25 GMT -6
2 year starter on a below average team. The best of bad options.
These were the first two years as HC for my HC, he had a contender the year after I graduated and has had a HOF type of career since. I tell people that I played on his last bad team.
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Post by tog on Oct 27, 2022 16:28:22 GMT -6
Played C-MLBer 8-10th grades. Got moved to QB as a junior (unnecessary but funny story). Wasn't big (5-9, 165) or athletic enough to play much (school in biggest classification in the state) which I realized early on so I taught myself how to place kick-punt just so I could get on the field. The latter got me a D-I scholly-two years worth of college paid for. Which was a good thing because I learned a lot about football and how to coach it then. ummm, we need to hear the story.... |
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Post by tog on Oct 27, 2022 16:30:53 GMT -6
When I think about the "Good old days", I wasn't that old and I wasn't that good. I was a back up in a first year program, but even then I knew.......48 years later I am still semi-active doing video work after 47 years coaching out on the field. I tell my players that I was an End, Guard, and Tackle. I sat on the end of the bench, I guarded the water bucket, and I tackled anyone who got near it. (Actually, I was a backup center by default. Originally I tried out as a TE, got moved to FB for about 15 minutes, and after the coaches evaluated me, I was made into a center). that was an old coach joke that kid could play end guard or tackle love those kids though |
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Post by larrymoe on Oct 27, 2022 17:30:01 GMT -6
6'1ish 275 in HS. 2 year HS starter at RT and DT. Captain my Sr year on the best team in the school's history and first playoff team ever.
Went on to play D3 at a school that is now good, but was real bad then. Fr/So year I played RG, but halfway through my So a string of injuries depleted the DL and I started to practice and see the field at DT. The highlight of the season was I ended up playing the 2nd half of one of our games both ways. Played DT my Jr/Sr years. Saw playing time against run dominant teams as I got up to 290 by the time I was a Sr, but didn't play against pass happy teams. Learned a lot of what not to do as a coach in those 4 years.
Also wrestled for 2 years in college until I got sick of cutting weight and not being varsity despite pinning our varsity Hwt in a tournament. Was a 3 year varsity wrestler in HS as a Hwt. Our team got 2nd in state my Jr year and had a huge let down my Sr year (undefeated and ranked #1 all year) and got 4th.
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Post by s73 on Oct 27, 2022 18:50:30 GMT -6
I was defensive MVP & all conference in HS. I was above average on a mediocre high school team. My brain & ability to use leverage was my strong suit & helped me quite a bit.
I was always interested in the cognitive aspect of the game.
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Post by morris on Oct 27, 2022 19:31:14 GMT -6
Utility player and special teams player. I think my senior year I literally played every position on defense at some point. It was a game plan, depth, I knew everyone’s job type deal. It certainly wasn’t for athletic ability.
Special teams is what I was good at and most proud of. I didn’t return kicks. I was part of the middle wedge, the wedge buster on KO, gunner and the lead guy on our wall return. I loved it. My SR year we were pretty successful on returns and did a pretty solid job on covering kicks. At 5’11” 145/155 I figured that a good HS football player could come in all kinds of different shapes and sizes.
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Post by tripsclosed on Oct 27, 2022 22:50:14 GMT -6
6'1ish 275 in HS. 2 year HS starter at RT and DT. Captain my Sr year on the best team in the school's history and first playoff team ever. Went on to play D3 at a school that is now good, but was real bad then. Fr/So year I played RG, but halfway through my So a string of injuries depleted the DL and I started to practice and see the field at DT. The highlight of the season was I ended up playing the 2nd half of one of our games both ways. Played DT my Jr/Sr years. Saw playing time against run dominant teams as I got up to 290 by the time I was a Sr, but didn't play against pass happy teams. Learned a lot of what not to do as a coach in those 4 years. Also wrestled for 2 years in college until I got sick of cutting weight and not being varsity despite pinning our varsity Hwt in a tournament. Was a 3 year varsity wrestler in HS as a Hwt. Our team got 2nd in state my Jr year and had a huge let down my Sr year (undefeated and ranked #1 all year) and got 4th. Dang man at 6'1 275 you were a fkn monster even in your day (yes I know you are not THAT old just saying) |
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Post by blb on Oct 28, 2022 4:58:14 GMT -6
Played C-MLBer 8-10th grades. Got moved to QB as a junior (unnecessary but funny story). Wasn't big (5-9, 165) or athletic enough to play much (school in biggest classification in the state) which I realized early on so I taught myself how to place kick-punt just so I could get on the field. The latter got me a D-I scholly-two years worth of college paid for. Which was a good thing because I learned a lot about football and how to coach it then. ummm, we need to hear the story.... When Pre-Season practice started I was third or fourth string C-LBer. One day before our evening practice (we had Three-A-Days then) I had badgered our HC enough to where he came out to watch me kick a little. I had some footballs, set the tee up, kicked the balls, then ran down to where they were and threw some of them back toward the tee. Rinse, repeat. Next morning after Calisthenics I headed down to Line coach for Individual when HC yelled at me, "Hey, Bendix -- don't you look at the board (we had one of those big wooden boards that coaches hung discs with our names on as depth chart)? You're a QB now!" Apparently he liked how I threw the balls back after kicking them the night before. That's how I went from snapping the ball-blocking for QB to taking snaps and being one. |
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Post by rsmith627 on Oct 28, 2022 5:44:53 GMT -6
All league bench warmer baby!!!!
In all seriousness, I was mediocre. Found my way into some roles in a powerhouse program. This was back in the day before kids transferring like crazy over PT. Probably could've started a mile down the road, but it wouldn't have been as enjoyable an experience.
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Post by 19delta on Oct 28, 2022 5:56:40 GMT -6
I was a DT my junior year on a pretty good team in the Chicago suburbs (largest classification in Illinois). Didn't play much. Maybe 5-6 varsity snaps the entire year.
I was determined to be a starter my senior year so I hit the weight room hard. Ran sprints every day. When the season rolled around I was ready to go. Started the season penciled in as the starter but I just wasn't good enough to hold on to it. Got beat out by a junior.
The OL coach needed a tackle so he converted me to offense. I wasn't great but started every game at tackle on a quarterfinal playoff team.
I then went to a middling D3 school and was a 3-year starter on the OL.
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Post by bluedevil4 on Oct 28, 2022 6:22:55 GMT -6
Career backup, but it clicked senior year. At 5'2" and just 130-135lbs, I wasn't gonna be going a whole game as a starter blocking or tackling players bigger than me. I had the fastest 40 time on the team, but just wasn't agile enough in open field (I could "truck" better than juke).
Like Tyrion Lanniser (I know, corny), I was small and couldn't fight with my body, but I could with my mind. I knew every position in all three facets of the game: Offense, defense, and special teams. I always memorized our entire game-plan and scouting report. I worked my way up to being the #2 guy in about 7-8 different positions. Got more reps than a lot of backups by simply being versatile. My senior year, pretty much the only places I didn't line up at were O-line, QB, and a few special team spots. In one game, I lined up at slot-back, fullback, split-end, safety, CB, nose guard, kicker, kickoff lane runner, kick returner, and 2nd row kick return. Led the team in scoring my senior homecoming night as a backup kicker when the starter went down (I was trained as a kicker though).
In practice, I often spent more time coaching teammates than getting reps. I was definitely the "Bluedevil4, remind me what I do on this play so coach doesn't yell at me again" guy. About halfway through my senior year, I was pretty running the scout team myself; getting players into positions, explaining how the systems of our opponents worked, etc.
I would have loved to see the field more, but I like to think I had a really fun and unique experience being such an X's and O's nut at such an early age.
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Post by cqmiller on Oct 28, 2022 6:28:43 GMT -6
1 year starter at QB. Played some RB and WR and FS as a soph and Jr, but ended up conference MVP senior year at QB. Was 6'1" 185 lbs and really loved football so I went and played at an NAIA school.
Have been doing playbooks and things like that since I was 10. Coaches in college gave me nickname "Coach Miller" my freshman year.
Been doing it ever since
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Post by larrymoe on Oct 28, 2022 6:33:35 GMT -6
Dang man at 6'1 275 you were a fkn monster even in your day (yes I know you are not THAT old just saying) I'm in a lot better shape now than I was then. Much stronger, better cardio. I wish I knew then what I know now. Heck, we never even squatted when I was in HS. My lower body was kinda gooey. I always wondered what would have happened had I been born 20-25 years before I was. |
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Post by CanyonCoach on Oct 28, 2022 9:01:56 GMT -6
Small school 9 man until senior year. All state a couple of times. Got to college and realized I wasn’t that good. Changed everything and got to start at NAIA for a year and a half. Love the game!
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Post by jstoss24 on Oct 28, 2022 9:29:23 GMT -6
I was a 5'9" 200 pound lineman. I was the number 2 at both Guards and Center. I was very smart and had really good technique, but I wasn't big, strong, or fast enough to ever really have a chance at playing anywhere. Our team was really good though, and I was more than happy to be an excellent teammate and scout team player. I'll always say the accolades I'm most proud of in my playing career are JV Most Improved Player as a sophomore and Most Valuable Teammate as a senior.
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