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.
Chris sent the following question:
I'm 13 years old, about 100 pounds, and I play ROLB and MLB, but most of the time I play MLB. I have also been playing organized football since I was 6 years old.
I haven't been doing as great as I should, so I was wondering if you would be able to help me on some things? If you could give me some tips, it would really help me because we have 40 kids on the team and I want to play linebacker and so do about 20 other kids.
Hi Chris,
Competition for a position only makes players work harder and become better. I am sure after your years of playing up to now that you understand the importance of competition for every position on the team.
One important fact you need to understand is that while both the positions you are playing are LB positions, they are different in assignments, challenges and how you play each position.
The similarities of both positions are: they require that you completely understand your assignments and responsibilities for each spot and that you know the assignments of the players lined up near you on either side of your position. Then you must understand who can block you, the order they can attack you, what type of block you can expect, and finally, the technique you must use to defeat each type of block.
On the inside at MLB, you must be able to see, key and react to the triangle of blockers in front of you for your first reaction, with potential blockers coming at you from both sides of the ball.
On the outside, you are focused on the man in front of you and then the next player to the inside on or off the line of scrimmage for your primary read, with a majority of the blockers coming straight at you or from your inside.
It is important that you let your eyes move to any potential blockers in an orderly fashion once the ball is snapped and to take care of your responsibility first.
Inside, your responsibility is to control from tackle to tackle and then pursue from the inside-out on any wide running play. On the outside, you will have from off-tackle to the sideline as your primary area of concern and then pursue behind the line of scrimmage on any play to the opposite side of the ball, alert for any cut-back run by the ball carrier.
Both positions will require pass coverage, both zone and man-to-man. On zone coverage at MLB your will normally be dropping into a hook zone after making certain it is not a draw play. You can usually back pedal to get the width and depth in your drop. At OLB, your zone drop may be to the zone on your side of the field that will require sprinting to get the needed width and depth for your coverage and always being alert for a screen pass to your side of the field.
Man-to-man coverage will usually be on a RB at both positions; but at MLB you may use inside technique staying on the inside shoulder of the RB, while at OLB you will be on the outside shoulder of the RB in your coverage.
You have the experience, now is the time to begin to mentally prepare for the game by reviewing your assignments and techniques away from the field on a daily basis.
Welcome the competition - it will only make you a better football player.
Coach Tom Bass
Joey sent the following question:
Last year I tore my ACL and I might have to quit football, but I want to stay involved with the game somehow. Doyou have any advice?
Hi Joey,
I am really sorry to hear about your injury. It will be up to you and your doctor as to whether you continue to play. However, having a serious injury that eliminates you from playing does not mean that you have to give up being a part of football.
During my junior year of college, I contracted polio during the middle of the football season and was never able to play again. That door closed but another opened two years later that allowed me to begin my coaching career.
If it is determined that you are physically unable to play, you might consider the following options. First, you can talk to your coaches and see if you can become a student trainer or work with the equipment. Both of these positions will keep you in contact with your teammates and allow you to be part of the game.
The other option, and one that you might really enjoy, is to contact your local officials association and start to learn to be a game official. You would probably need to take a course, study and pass a test and then you would start by officiating youth football games in your area. This option will not only allow you to make some extra cash, but it will give you the opportunity to be part of the game for as long as you desire.
Look for that open door and stay positive.
Coach Tom Bass
Jasmine sent the following question:
I am currently the only girl on my school's tackle football team. This upcoming year will be my first year playing tackle football for a team, but it has always been a passion of mine. I will be a part of the varsity roster by attending football camp, but I mainly look forward to put forth my best effort as a junior varsity cornerback.
I was rather inconsistent at that position. A good game would often be followed by a horrible one, in which someone scored a touchdown or caught a pass for a lot of yardage. I am not sure why exactly this happens and am concerned because I want a secure spot on varsity next year. If there is any advice you have - tips to improve my skill as well as my mental game - it would be greatly appreciated.
My coach guarantees me that the position is one of skill and concentration, and although I am a girl, I should be able to my job adequately. However, he has really failed to explain the job I need to do. Please help me improve as a player for self-gratification, along with the satisfaction of my coach.
Hi Jasmine,
Congratulations on becoming a part of your football team. Playing corner is really a mental position on the defense as well as a position that requires the development of physical skills.
You have to realize that every corner in the game is going to get beat at some time. The key is to try to figure out why it happened from a technique standpoint once you are on the sidelines. It may be that you allowed the receiver to get too close to you before you turned to run deep. It may be that you turned the wrong way and did not recognize the actual pattern that the receiver was attempting to run against you. It is essential you learn the various pass routes the offense will run against you and then work on recognizing each route as quickly as possible so you will know how to react correctly.
Mentally it is very important that while you are on the field, you concentrate on eliminating the last play, good or bad, from your mind and that you only focus mentally on your assignment and coverage for the next play.
Physically, I had my DB work on stance, start, back pedal, angle back pedal and going to a forward run at the beginning of every practice. These are techniques that you need to burn into your muscle memory bank so that they become automatic and you can then mentally concentrate of the defense called, the movement of the receiver and your proper reaction.
Good corners have great technique and a very short memory. Good luck this season and have fun. You are playing one of the most challenging positions on the defense, so enjoy every play.
Coach Tom Bass
Nathan sent the following question for Coach Bass:
I am a senior this year and play offense and defense. When I send out my letters of interest to the college coaches, would it help if I send something that looks like a resume along with my letter, listing my awards and all positions played during my high school career, or should I just send a letter?
Hi Nathan,
You should certainly send out a separate page listing all of the information that you listed. You want to give the coaches as much information as you can so you create an interest for them.
Make certain that you have someone you trust to edit and review everything you've prepared (for grammar, spelling and punctuation) before you send it out. The more thorough and professional your material is, the better it will be received by the college coaches.
You could also include a copy of any letter of recommendation you might have from your coaches in this packet, including the easiest way for a college coach to reach one of your coaches.
You are certainly on the right track and keep being proactive.
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/.
