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.
Daniel sent the following question:
I'm in eighth grade, and I played Cornerback. On bump and run coverage I was beat deep for a touchdown. Can you give me any hints on playing the bump and run?
Hi Daniel,
Players get the idea that they must hit their opponent on every play when they play bump and run coverage. In order to do this, they step forward to try to make contact.
Unfortunately if you miss your bump, the receiver is by you and you will end up chasing him all the way up the field - probably giving up a touchdown.
Ideally, you will only get the chance for a bump if the receiver comes straight at you or moves to the inside. If he decides to release wide to the outside, you may not have a chance to get the bump.
Try to always think of taking your first step back with your foot on the side of his release and striking him with the palm of the hand on the side of your first step. Aim for a spot right in the middle of his numbers.
This bump should slow down his release and allow you to be in front of him or on his shoulder as the two of you run down the field. Try to maintain this position and not get into the position where you are behind him running down the field.
Every defensive back gets beat sometime in his career so you are not the only one to ever allow a touchdown. The important thing is that you realize why it happened and then wipe the play from your mind.
Coach Tom Bass
Nick sent the following question:
I play football for a seventh grade team, but I will be in eight grade. I would love to be a running back more than anything, and I have more motivation, hustle, determination and heart than anyone. But my coach doesn't really give me too big of a chance to fight for the position. I am very good at juking but my coach loves power backs so he is never really impressed. I know I have the capabilities to be running back but I don't know how to impress my coach. I'm thinking about talking to my coach, but I don't know if that would only lessen my chances at the position.I wouldn't know what to say either. What should I do?
Hi Nick,
You did not mention what position you played in seventh grade. If you played another position on the team and had success, your coach may feel that your previous position is not only the best for you but also the position where you can make the greatest contribution to the success of the team.
Either way, you really need to have a discussion with your coach. I realize that this may seem like a difficult thing to do, but coaches are there to not only teach you how to play the game but also to listen to your dreams and aspirations.
Be honest with your coach, tell him you are dedicated to doing everything possible to become a successful running back and make a significant contribution to the play of the team.
Tell him that you realize he likes power running backs but that you can gain yards for him by making people miss. Ask him if he will give you a chance early in the season for you to prove to him that running back is an ideal position for you.
I think you will find that once you sit down with your coach and let him know that playing running back is your life long dream, you will be given the opportunity to prove your skill to everyone.
Make the appointment to meet with your coach right away so that he understands how you feel and make plans about the composition accordingly.
Coach Tom Bass
ANT sent the following question:
I'm 13 and I'm going into high school. I'm not big at all - about 5-foot-4 and 115 pounds, but I have great talent. Do you think I should get another year of Pop Warner or play high school football?
Hi ANT,
One consideration is the coaching you will receive at both levels. If you feel that you have good coaches now in Pop Warner, then you may be more comfortable playing with them for one more year. Each season you want to get better, want to improve and want to continue to learn new techniques.
In football there is a saying that you either get better each day or you slip back. You never have the luxury of staying the same, so give some thought to the coaching you will receive at each level.
You will have to make the decision based on what feels right for you. You may want to stay with your teammates if they will be moving up to high school ball, and this could be a very important consideration as you decide what to do.
Every time you move up you will meet and get to play with new players so expect to have new teammates if you make the decision to play high school football.
There is a chance that you will get more playing time and get in the games more if you play another year with your Pop Warner team. Playing is really important, especially for a young player like you, so think about how important it is for you to be on the field rather than on the sidelines.
You should certainly talk to your parents and the coaches of both teams before you make a final decision.
Coach Tom Bass
James sent the following question:
Is juking dealing with speed or is it dealing with just talent?
Hi James,
Making people miss is a skill that requires technique that can be learned. Speed helps but it must be controlled and having natural balance and quick feet help also. The important thing is to know in your mind exactly what you are going to do to make a player miss before you get close enough for him to get his hands on you.
One thing to focus on is the direction that the defensive player is coming from. Remember his momentum can and should be something that you can use to your advantage.
This is especially true if the player has come a long way across the field and is running at full speed. In this case you should think about cutting back in the opposite direction as you near the defensive player. It will be very hard for him to change direction and make contact.
Try to develop one or two moves that you can do without having to slow down to get them done. You can use a crossover move where you step just to the outside of the defensive player with your left foot, turn your head and fake in that direction with your head and shoulders, step directly at the center of his body with your right foot and then lean your upper body to the right and use a crossover step with your left foot to get by the defensive player.
Take your first step to the outside when you are about 3 feet away from the defensive player. The faster you become in making the move, the closer you can get to the defensive player.
There are other techniques that you can learn like the spin technique, but I would focus initially on learning to master and use a cut back and crossover technique right now.
Coach Tom Bass
Martin sent the following question:
Can you explain the inside zone blocking rules for covered and uncovered lineman, and what is their aiming point? Does it matter if the defensive front is odd or even?
Hi Martin,
It really doesn't matter if you are facing an even or odd front. Most coaches start with two players on two players, usually two offensive linemen versus a down lineman and a linebacker. This blocking technique helps a great deal if you face a team that has linebackers that flow quickly from one side to the other.
The initial block is with both offensive players blocking on the defensive lineman. Both blockers step in unison laterally with their foot on the side of the defensive lineman.
The blocker directly in front of the defensive lineman drives his opposite hand into the chest of the DL stopping his charge. At the same time, the other blocker drives his hand on the side of his first step into the DL.
Now we have two blockers on one player. Today many OL coaches are coaching their blockers to think of this as a double team and to drive the DL back into the LB rather than thinking about one of them coming off the block.
The other way to execute this style of block is to start the double team and then the blocker on the side of the LB movement comes off his initial block and uses a running drive on the backer.
When the linebacker moves behind the DL, the blocker on that side would release off the DL and move up the field and drive block the backer. When the backer comes straight ahead, the blocker on that side of the DL would release and drive block the backer back to the inside of the formation.
You can also use a full line combination where all the offensive blockers step with the same foot in the same direction on the snap and block the first defensive player, on or off the line, with whom they make contact. In this case, the contact point is the center of the defensive player's chest with the hand on the side of the first step. hey then try to work their body around the defensive player so that they end up in between the defensive player and the ball carrier.
This is an effective way to block a stunting defense or when you have the luxury of having a great running back that has the vision, balance and skill to cut back across the formation to any hole that comes open on the line.
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/.
