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.
Nathan sent the following question: I am a high school senior football player. Several football coaches have invited me to their schools and one has telephoned me, but nothing has been mentioned about a scholarship. Is it always the rule that a coach will offer a scholarship? If not, then when and how is the right way to ask for scholarship assistance?
Hi Nathan,
Many colleges will not offer scholarships to players until the end of their football season. Often they will need to know what their needs are and then begin offering scholarships. Some colleges will offer a super star high school player a scholarship prior to the end of the football year and try to get that player to make an early decision and commitment.
You should ask the coaches about how they offer scholarships when you accept an offer to visit a college. Be direct with your questions and they should not have any problem answering you in an honest and straightforward way.
It is a good idea to only visit schools that you really have an interest in attending.
Coach Tom Bass
Jerrad sent the following question:
I am a RB/CB. I am having trouble with my pass blocking on rollouts by my QB. I do not seal the DE and the QB gets sack. I also have trouble with going up and picking the ball off. Can you give me some pointers?
Hi Jerrad,
Making a good seal block, so the QB can get outside, starts with the path that you take coming out of your stance. You will usually fail to make the block if you take a path to where the defensive end is lined up prior to the snap.
Pick a spot 2 yards outside of the defensive end's alignment and sprint to that point. Anticipate the defensive end moving to the outside as the play develops. If he stays inside, you can easily adjust your path to seal him inside.
Make your block turning your body back to the inside and come from an outside- in position using your inside shoulder to block his outside hip.
As a running back, you spend most of your time catching a ball while moving away from the quarterback and the ball. As a defensive back, many times you will be coming toward the ball and the quarterback.
Most potential interceptions are deflected to the ground because the defensive back does not cock the palms of his hands slightly back with the thumbs together. When the palms of the hands are not cocked back, the ball hits the palms of the hands and automatically is directed to the ground.
Try to get a fellow player to throw you passes before or after practice. Start 20 yards away to the right, left and directly in front of the passer. Then have him throw the ball as you move forward to make the catch.
Interceptions are great, but never forget that when you knock a pass down that is just the same as stopping an opponent's running play for no yards and that is a great play.
Coach Tom Bass
Ryan sent the following question:
When I am running the ball I have great vision but have trouble squaring up my shoulders and going through the hole. My coach says I juke around too much. Do you have any advice on how I can go strong into the gap and not "slide" into it?
Hi Ryan,
The general rule for a running back is to only make one cut on the offensive side of the line of scrimmage. By doing this, you always have the opportunity to square your shoulders and to have your body pointing up the field.
Once you are through the line and are at the second level- the area where you will find the linebackers - you can make a second cut if necessary. The same would be true if you reach the third level in the defensive backfield.
If you think in this way, you will find that when you decide to make the first cut you will automatically accelerate through the hole.
Making a number of cuts on your side of the line of scrimmage only allows the defensive players a greater opportunity to move toward you and be part of the tackle.
Listen to your coaches, think in terms of the three levels, square your shoulders to the line after your first cut and have a good forward lean as you burst through the hole.
In your mind, always think of running for first downs and not touchdowns each time you touch the ball. The touchdowns will come when your offensive line and wide receivers block exceptionally well for you or when the defense makes an error in their play.
Always remember that it is very hard for the offensive line to block the defensive players correctly if you are not going to run in the hole called in the huddle.
Coach Tom Bass
Lucas sent the following question:
I was just wondering if you had any tips or hints for me. I'm trying out for the middle school team next year as a cornerback. I was wondering if that is hard and what is important about that position? What can I do to improve?
Hi Lucas,
Playing corner is a great challenge and is a fun position to play. You will need to be able to cover the wide receivers on pass plays, come up on some wide running plays to your side, make interceptions, break up passes and make tackles.
The things you can work on right now and until next season are having a good stance, getting a good start, learning to run backwards correctly and learning to leave your backward run and go to a forward run without losing any of your speed or momentum.
Because the position requires a great deal of running, it will be very important for you to do a great deal of running between now and the start of next year's football season. If you can, do some of your running in football shoes so you can feel what it is like to run in cleats.
You can learn the other skills of coming up for the run, reacting to patterns and the ball and tackling when practice actually begins.
Corner is a great position to play, and I know that you will ready to move in and play next year by doing these drills at least four times a week.
Coach Tom Bass
Alan sent the following question:
I play WR. I usually catch a lot of passes but have trouble catching when I cut to the outside and inside. What can I do to start catching it more anywhere on the field?
Hi Alan,
This happens to a lot of wide receivers. The cause is usually that they do not turn their upper body back to the quarterback so that their chest is facing the ball.
If your upper body is not turned back to the quarterback, your hands are out in front of you. You see the ball but not your hands. As the ball comes in, you are forced to quickly turn your head and try to find your hands. When you do this, you will often take your eyes off the ball, and consequently, you will not make the catch.
When you do turn your body back to the quarterback, you are in position to reach out with both hands and see the ball and your hands at the moment of the catch.
Start practicing right now to turn your upper body back to the quarterback the minute you make your break and get your hands in front of you so that the catch is one smooth motion.
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/.
