Coach Tom Bass brings more than 30 years of coaching experience to USA Football. Along with answering youth coaching questions, he also receives emails from young players. You can email the coach at NFLAskTheCoach@aol.com.
Brandon from Mesquite sent the following question:
Coach, how do I get off the ball quicker?
Hi Brandon,
You did not say if you play offense or defense. If you are on offense, you can start training yourself to hear the snap count and anticipate the beginning of the play so you move at the start of the snap. If you are on defense, you need to focus on the ball and the hand of the center so you explode the instant he starts his snap.
In both instances, you need a good balanced stance, weight on your down hand that allows you to move forward with your first step and does not make you come up in the air so that you are not moving across the line but instead are standing up on the snap.
Remember your first step should be a short quick powerful step that gets you moving in the desired direction and puts you in position to continue your play on the other side of the line of scrimmage.
Coach Tom Bass
Ryan from Crawford, Texas sent the following question:
I am a 6-foot 170 pound junior in high school, and I go to a 2A school. Next year I will most likely be starting both ways - quick guard on offense and right tackle on defense. We will most likely be the smallest school in our district next year. Also, our line will average about 190 if nothing changes. What do I need to focus on this offseason and what kind of a mentality do I need to have for next year in order to be successful?
Hi Ryan,
My feeling as a coach was to try to have my players concentrate hard on their positive attributes and to continually work on a steady basis perfecting the other areas of their game.
In your case, it would seem to me that while you may not have great size, you do have quickness. With quickness you can perfect great technique that will allow you to have great success at either position.
This offseason, work on continuing to develop your speed and quickness and spend as much time as possible focusing on developing the skills and techniques needed to play either offensive guard or defensive tackle.
On offense, if you are: drive, angle, hook or trap blocking, pulling to lead the play or stepping back to pass protect, your first step is the most important. That first step, either straight ahead on a drive block, at an angle to the inside for an angle or down block, laterally to the outside for a hook block, back and laterally for a trap or pull, or backing away from the line on pass protection, is the key for you to position yourself to make any block and to have an advantage on the defensive player. Practice making this a short powerful directional step as you work on each block.
On defense, I would make certain to work on drills that would include firing straight ahead, slanting inside and looping outside on the snap of the ball. In addition, it is very important to work on understanding and perfecting your block progression reads so that you know the order that blockers will come at you and the type of block that they will use to try to take you out of the play.
This would include: 1) man in front drive, hook and pass block, 2) man outside angle block, 3) off guard trap block, 4) FB lead block. Allow your mind to go from one to four until you determine who is blocking you, picture the block they will use (your offensive work will help), defeat the blocker and then in a game, find the ball carrier.
You should do strength work (supervised lifting), but do not add bulk if it takes away from your speed and quickness, and include a twice weekly distance run. The time you spend on perfecting the small important techniques needed to play each position will pay great dividends in the fall.
Coach Tom Bass
Steve from Montrose, Colo., sent the following question:
My son is the center on his freshman high school team, and in his last game, the nose tackle opposite him would try and swat the ball out of his hands when he went to snap it. The nose guard was never able to get the ball, but it bothered my son really bad. Is this even legal and if it is, what would you recommend he try to help him deal with this?
Hi Steve,
What was happening to your son on the snap is not legal. The first time it happens, your son should tell his coach and ask him to speak to the game officials who should warn the defensive player. Then if it continues, the officials should call an unsportsmanlike penalty on the offending defensive player.
This communication should go from the coach to the official and never from the player directly to a game official.
You may want to make sure your son works on getting the ball back as fast as possible, that he is not moving prior to the snap and that he is anticipating the snap count.
Knowing when the play will begin is a tremendous advantage the offense has over the defense and it is important to exploit this advantage to the fullest (especially at the center position).
Make certain he practices moving in every direction (right to left, forward to back) as he works on perfecting the fastest snap possible.
Coach Tom Bass
Mell from Saginaw, Minn., sent the following question:
My son was going to join football but got a consumption ticket for alcohol. Can he still play? Or is he out for good?
Hi Mell,
Playing on an athletic team is a privilege, and as such, has certain rules that are required of the students who participate on the team.
These rules may be set by the district, league, athletic department or the individual coaching staff. Everyone who wishes to be part of the team needs to understand and accept not only the rule, but the result if the rule is broken.
This is not to say that individuals do not deserve a second chance because they often do. The key right now is to approach the coach and see what must be accomplished to have your son reinstated as a potential member of the team.
If the opportunity presents itself for your son to rejoin the team, please make certain that he understands all of the rules and what will happen if the rules are not adhered to completely.
Speak to the coach and see if he will give your son another chance next season. Most coaches I know want to work hard on including, and not excluding, as many players as possible in the football experience.
Coach Tom Bass
Tony from Houston sent the following question:
I'm a 14-year-old freshman in high school who just recently began football and play ROLB. I know my assignment, but it's just that I need to learn how to tackle and cover better. You do not have to tell me the info on coverage but mainly on tackling.
Hi Tony,
It is important to understand that you generate your power on a tackle with the big muscles in your legs, especially the leg on the side of your body of the shoulder that you are going to make contact with for the tackle.
As you near the ball carrier, you want to shorten your stride, spread your feet a little wider and bend your knees. At this point, your back should be straight and your head up with your eyes wide open. Decide which shoulder you are going to use to make the tackle. Take a short power step at the ball carrier with the foot on that side of your body; explode up and through the mid-section of the ball carrier and make contact with your shoulder pad as your helmet slides to the side of the ball. If you are tackling at an angle, you want to slide your head in front of the ball carrier.
From here, you need to pound both arms around the ball carrier, grab his jersey in both hands, lift and drive him back.
However, many times in a game you will only be able to reach out and grab the jersey of the ball carrier. But you should try to use good form in tackling whenever it is possible, and never use your helmet to make contact on a tackle.
Coach Tom Bass
Coach Tom Bass, the technical writer and advisor for USA Football, is a 30-year NFL coach who has also authored several books, including "Play Football the NFL Way" - the first "how to" book ever authorized and published by the NFL. Coach Bass is happy to personally autograph his books to you. Book ordering information can be found on http://www.coachbass.com/.
