Coach Bass: What Position Should I Play?

By Coach Tom Bass

During this time of year, one of my most frequently asked questions concerns picking a position for first time high school football players. It is important to understand that your position this year may change with each succeeding year.

As you grow and develop naturally and with the help of a weight program, there is a chance that you may grow into another position. Each new position will be better suited for your new body type, physical skills, strength and football attitude.

In my case, I started in the ninth grade as a running back and corner back. For the next two years it was full back and strong safety. I moved to tight end and outside linebacker during my senior year of high school. In college I played offensive tackle and defensive end and finally finished up playing offensive guard and middle linebacker.

The idea is you should understand that the choice you make this year is not necessarily a choice for life. You may want to change positions or the coaches may ask you to change for the good of the team. Either way, making a change is a positive move if it gives you more playing time in the game.

Many first year players look only at the high profile offensive positions. As you make your decision, try to consider both sides of the ball, both offense and defense. Often you will have an opportunity to play more if you focus on learning one of the defensive spots.

Now let's look at your decision for this year. As a rule of thumb, the closer you get to the ball before the play begins the bigger you should be. Also think about how many players at each position are used in the game at one time. There will only be one quarterback in the game while at the same time there will be five offensive linemen on the field.

What are the positions on the team for smaller size players? This group would include wide receiver, defensive back and running back. Each of these positions requires some special skills and some common athletic abilities. For all three positions you need to have quickness and speed and have endurance to run full speed during a majority of practice and the game.

A running back needs special ball-carrying skills, the mental toughness to accept being tackled and the willingness to block and be involved in contact on most offensive plays.

A wide receiver needs to have excellent hands and receiving skills, know how to get open, be able to concentrate on the ball when being hit and be a willing blocker on running plays.

A defensive back needs to have the physical ability and technique to cover a wide receiver on pass plays, have good hands to make an interception, be willing to come up on running plays plus be a sure tackler.

If you are smaller than most guys on the team think about trying out for one of these three positions. Ask yourself, Do you like to hit someone or be hit? If you think you like to do the hitting then you should think about being a defensive back. If you do not necessarily like contact on every play, you might choose wide receiver over running back.

The next choice will be for the players who are not the smallest in stature but certainly are not the biggest. If you are an in-between size player, you might want to look at tight end, full back or linebacker.

Both full back and tight end will require more blocking than at running back or wide receiver. You will have lots of contact at either position. Tight end does put more emphasis on your ability to catch and run pass patterns correctly. At full back, you may get to carry the ball on a few plays so you will need running skills.

As a linebacker you need the skill and agility to move laterally, the strength to take on and defeat the blocks of the offensive linemen and the speed and quickness to play pass defense. You will be involved in a majority to the defensive plays during the game, so you do need to enjoy tackling.

The bigger players should think about trying out for either the offensive or defensive line. Strength, agility and balance are needed for these positions in addition to size and bulk. On either side of the line you will be involved in the action on every play.

An offensive lineman needs the leg strength to drive forward and to push the defensive players off the line away from the ball carrier plus the balance to set up and pass protect the defensive players away from the quarterback.

A defensive lineman has to be able to react to anything the offense presents to him, the strength and quickness to get rid of blockers and the desire to go 100 per cent to get to the player with the ball and be part of the tackle on every play. Bigger defensive linemen who may not have great speed should think about playing on the inside of the defensive line, lighter, quick players can be defensive ends.

Finally there is the quarterback position. I have left this position to last because many young players think that this is the only position that they want to go out for on the team.

It may be the so-called glamour position on the team, but it is also the one that can have the most stress and pressure. Make certain that you understand all that it takes to play quarterback and that you are not just looking at the recognition that comes to the position.

Quarterback is a special position on the team that requires positive leadership, mental concentration and unique physical ability. Not only do you need to know your assignments, but you should also know the assignments for every offensive player. You must have the ability to make split second decisions on both running plays and pass plays.

What special skills you will need will depend on the type of offense your team is going to run. If your team is an option running team, you will need to have great running sense and ability plus speed and quickness. Passing skills and the ability to find open receivers will be necessary when you are on a passing team. Developing these skills will take hours of practice time on your own.

Do not forget to tell your coach if you have any kicking skills, either punting, placekicking, kicking off or if you have the ability to snap the ball for punts or placekicks.

When you go out for the football team and have a position that you think you would like to try out for, keep an open mind if your coach asks you to play another position.

He may see something in your physical makeup or the way you practice that indicates to him that you will have more success at this new position. If this happens, stay positive and throw all your energy into learning the new position.

Good luck to each of you, and I hope this year is both rewarding and fun, Coach Tom Bass.

To submit your question to Coach Bass, send an email to "Ask Coach Bass."

"Play Football The NFL Way" is the first Instructional Manual for Football Players and Coaches ever published by the NFL. It is the ultimate position-by-position guide of techniques and drills for Offense, Defense and Special Teams. Author Tom Bass is a former NFL coach with more than 20 years of experience with the Cincinnati Bengals, San Diego Chargers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

For a personalized autographed copy of "Play Football the NFL Way," plus information on Coach Bass Sport Maps--the new Official NFL Licensed Football Guides to watching, enjoying and understanding all the action on the field, for all fans--please visit www.CoachBass.com.

For information on Coach Bass' In-Depth Coaching Clinics, please visit Coach Bass' Clinics and Consultations.

Article originally published on June 18, 2003.

Copyright © Thomas L. Bass 2006. All rights reserved.