Submit your question to Coach Bass.

Note: Coach Bass receives nearly 100 email questions every week from NFLHS.com visitors. Because Coach Bass tries to respond to every question, you may not see your question answered immediately.

Many NFLHS.com visitors have very similar questions. Before you submit a question, be sure to read Coach Bass' columns about getting faster and getting bigger. Also, check out his columns about getting started in high school football.

Stephen from Dublin, Ireland sent the following question:

Hey Coach, I'm 17, 5"8 and 195lbs. I'm not blessed with great speed but I do have solid hands. My question is what position would suit me best Safety or Running Back? Thank you.

Hi Stephen,

It is nice to hear from a player in Ireland.

If you enjoy playing each position equally, my suggestion would be to try the defensive side of the ball first as a safety. My reasoning is that as a safety you will not take the physical beating that you will absorb as a running back, and that the competition will not be as great for the two safety positions as opposed to one running back spot.

Safety is also a spot where there is the opportunity to be in a large percentage of the defensive action and make a significant contribution to the success of the team.

Good luck and let me know how it is going. Coach Tom Bass.

ADR from Waco sent the following question:

I played tight end for 2 years but this year I don't want to waste my speed so I want to run the ball. I want to play fullback or tailback and I need some tips for me to be a better fullback. THANK YOU

Hi ADR,

I am not sure I agree with your logic about wasting your speed at the tight end position. Every year college coaches evaluate numerous high school tight ends to recruit who can catch and block but there are very few in this group who have great speed for the position. It will separate you from the other tight ends as it provides a coaching staff with the option of designing running you on deep as well as medium route pass patterns.

Now, to give you an answer to your question. Playing fullback requires a real commitment to blocking and a majority of the blocks will be on the move and start from a distance away from the defensive man. The key to making many of these blocks will be practicing a good start, taking a correct path, then understanding which shoulder you should use to make your block, and what the contact point should be on the defensive player. You can place a towel on the ground to designate the location of a defensive player and then line up and work on your movement to the various positions on the field that you will need to move to make your block.

If a quarterback is available, you need to work on coming out of your stance, receiving the handoff, securing the ball and bursting through the correct hole. At the same time you could work on learning the different pass routes that you will use as a fullback. The receiving should not be a great challenge to you with your tight end experience, but running a pass route out of the backfield is different than running a route as a tight end on the line of scrimmage.

Once practice begins, your ability to pass block and protect the quarterback will be an area that will require additional time and practice. Talk to your coach about the move, he is in the best position to help you make the decision to shift back into the back field. Coach Tom Bass.

Jim from Dartmouth sent the following question:

Hey Coach, first off, your website is extremely helpful, so thank you. My question is about a young family friend who I have been preparing for his season next year. He's going into his first year of organized football (freshmen level) and wants to play running back where there will be plenty of competition. He is average sized, not very quick and somewhat uncoordinated. I have gone over his stance, steps and vision, but I would like to know what I could do to improve his special team ability as it will help his chances of playing more. What are good drills when only having 2 people available to train? Thanks coach -Jim

Hi Jim,

I want to congratulate you on your desire and dedication to help this young player and thanks for your kind words about the site. Playing on any phase of the kicking game requires some special skills that many players do not consider in their preparation.

The kicking game requires players on the punt team who will block at the start of the play and then must switch to defense and cover the kick, once the ball is in the air. The two of you can work on this area by having the player line up in a two point stance with his outside foot back and, then as you rush, have him drop straight back and block your rush by hitting out with both hands and shuffle back for two or three hits until the ball would have been kicked. You can vary your rush from the outside to the inside of his position.

To work on coverage you can position yourself down field about fifteen yards, have the player simulate a block [for a punt] or come down the field [for a kickoff] and you can try to position yourself to block him either to the inside or outside of the field. He can work on avoiding your block, without stopping his run, then getting back in the area of his run down the field [his assigned coverage lane], and then breaking down in control to assist in making the tackle.

You can then turn the drills around and you become the player on the kicking team and have the player become the rusher and blocker down field as a member of the return team.

It might be good to have him work on catching and returning punts and kickoffs. Have him move in front of the path of the ball, reach up with both hands [little fingers together, palms up] so that he sees the point of the ball and both hands as he makes the catch. He should secure the ball and then sprint up the field.

Talk to him about the options he has when fielding a punt [catch and run, fair catch, allow to roll dead] as opposed to a kickoff [free ball that can be recovered by either team after traveling ten yards].

Work on his body control and positioning and talk to him about the tremendous desire it takes to have success on any of the teams connected with the kicking game. Coach Tom Bass.

Antonio from Miami sent the following question:

Hi Coach, ever since I was 9 years old I enjoyed playing football. I love getting hit and my favorite position is WR. I only had the opportunity to play street football until I hit 17 years of age and could not play football in high school due to personal situations. Now I'm 19 and I'm 5'9" and weigh 185 lbs. I wanted to know if it's possible for me to be a walk on for FIU and make the team. I'm in the process of intense training and very well dedicated. do you have any advice, is it possible for me to make it, and what should I do?

Hi Antonio,

The policy for allowing students to walk on for the football team will differ from college to college. Often it depends on the actual number of participants they are allowed to have as part of the team.

In order that you are not disappointed, I would suggest that you make an appointment and visit with the coaches at FIU and determine if their policy will allow you to walk on.

You may find that they do not encourage students to walk on and, in order to take advantage of all your hard work, it might be advisable to consider one of the many other colleges in Florida.

If you find you can walk on, I would advise you to really study and try to understand the terminology, your assignments, the practice routine, and what the coaches are looking for at your position. With your lack of experience playing for an organized team, you will need to spend extra time in all of these areas.

Every year walk on players end up starting and making significant contributions to their team, so it is possible although it is a very difficult path to take in any college program. Coach Tom Bass.

Christian from Fremont, CA sent the following question:

Hey Coach, I really want to play football in college. But the problem is I don't know how to contact schools. I've filled out recruit forms online but I feel that has gotten me no where. Can you please give me some specific tips on how to contact schools? Thank you

Hi Christian,

It is my belief that the more personal your contact is with any college coaching staff, the more consideration you will receive. Try to visit any schools that you may have an interest in attending academically and participating in their football program.

If you can, set up appointments at a number of schools in your area to visit the campus and speak with the coaches. Call the football office and explain that you are planning to visit the campus and are interested in playing football there and would like to make an appointment to meet and talk with the coach.

Go prepared. Have folder that includes a letter of recommendation from your high school coach, a cover letter with all your personal information, a separate page with your grades, test scores, strength and speed numbers. Make sure that you ask one of your teachers to go over all the material to check that it is correct before you duplicate the material and prepare the folders.

At your visit, make sure you tell the coaches of your desire to be part of their program and ask what additional information you can provide them with in addition to the folder.

Give your self a wide range of schools from D1 to NAIA and of course JC teams as backup that will allow you to continue playing at a high level of competition while taking required underclass requirements.

Today it may require that you become much more proactive in order to get the attention of coaches at a school of your choice. 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.

Copyright © Thomas L. Bass 2007. All rights reserved.