Can I Do This?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

I am 18 years old, and I decided I want to play college football. Unfortunately not only have I never played organized football, I am in college right now. However I am only playing club sports, not varsity level, so I believe I still have eligibilty. Here’s a little more background:

I’m 18 years old, 6’8 and 220 lbs, around 14% BF. I’ve been training seriously for less than one year, and as far as I’m concerned this has been my “learning year;” I’m only now starting to make size and strength gains that I like.

My 40 is 5.1, withuout ever training for it, my vertical leap is 30" my bench press is a weak 225 (conservative est.), my squat an equally unimpressive 305 (est.) I have never max tasted my deadlift, but I can go through a 5x4x305 scheme fairly easily. I am a fairly athletic person, I’m generally good at a sport that I play, and I have a basketball and volleyball background.

My Questions to the T-folk are:
A)Am I allowed by the NCAA rules to play if I have already graduated (I am shooting to play in 2010 when I graduate from my current university where they do not have a football team)?
AND
B)Do you think that I can do this?

I know that I can get the physical abilities to play, here is what I would like to be at in 4 years when I’d like to play:

6’8"
265lbs
4.65 40 yd
35" vertical
20 reps 225
455 max bench
545 max squat
635 max deadlift

Sorry for the long post

2

[quote]DukeBoSox wrote:

My Questions to the T-folk are:
A)Am I allowed by the NCAA rules to play if I have already graduated (I am shooting to play in 2010 when I graduate from my current university where they do not have a football team)?
AND
B)Do you think that I can do this?

[/quote]

A) yes
B) yes

3

Your skills are more important than your numbers.

4

[quote]DukeBoSox wrote:

My Questions to the T-folk are:
A)Am I allowed by the NCAA rules to play if I have already graduated (I am shooting to play in 2010 when I graduate from my current university where they do not have a football team)?
AND
B)Do you think that I can do this?
[/quote]

A) Each Division has a different way of handling this. Division 1 you have 5 years, once you start classes full time, until your eligibility runs out. Division 2, you have 10 total semesters, regardless of time in between. Check into this for yourself.

B) Yes, but you better learn how to play.

Best of luck.

5

Best Darth Vader voice

“The force is strong with this one”

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basically, you’re not going to be able to play any division 1 ball, although if you’re waiting to graduate, I wouldn’t expect that’s what you were planning to do anyways.

7

i thought this article had some relation, it appears as if you can do graduate work and play football provided you still have your eligibility, as is the case with Ryan Smith.

8

Dude, head to a JuCo school…hit the weights hard, eat lots and work really hard on your skills. You’d probably be a great tight end, d-end or H-back with that height. The coaches would love you in a JuCo or NAIA or Div 3 school with your height and if you have huge work ethic.

They’d probably take one look at you and get a hard-on, thinking about what they could do with your size and natural talent…Er, sorry to make that sound so sexual lol.

Honestly, run lots of five and ten yard in-routes and out routes as well as crossing over the middle routes on your own, work on catching as many passes as you can. Try 100 each day. Footwork is also super-important for pass protection. Learn to shuffle-step w/o crossing your feet and work on punching out with those hands as a tight end.

On defense, hit through that ball-carrier not to him. Work on reading plays i.e. how is that tackle standing, is he leaning back (pass) or forward (run) ? Work on forearm shivers, popping off his hands, shucking him by you, dipping and ripping etc. Again, you need to stay low because if you don’t he will get under your pads and make you his bitch no matter how big or small.

You need to squat A LOT and do lots of power cleans and benching for blocking power and leg drive on breaking tackles or while tackling. Make your neck and core and traps very strong as well.

It’s important that you know how to block well and tackle cleanly. You need to stay low else those D-ends and OLBs and occasional tackles will knock your block off and/or learn to use those super-long arms to keep huge tackles off you.

Learn to chip block, shuck off a d-end et al, run block, run short routes and really work on holding onto that ball. If you make lots of grabs over the middle, expect to get smashed by linebackers and safeties.

Your first season will probably see you either red-shirted or sent to special teams; thats why I emphasize blocking and tackling and other fundamental basics.

You need to be explosive off the line in any position but particularily as a lineman (which I consider a tight end to be in most schemes). Work on increasing your 10 yard speed more than anything. Heavy squats should help with that.

If you want more info or have questions/comments, PM me. Yes, I played before. Not long, two years, but I was a lineman and would be glad to offer as much assitance as I can. I still love football.

9

I admire your enthusiasm, but you might be in for a shock. Most college football players these days have been playing organized football for many years even before high school. You have good size and a great attitude and that will help, but you will have to be a very fast learner.

10

Screw football, aim for a D2 or D1 basketball program!

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Screw basketball, play a real man’s sport, football !

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[quote]t3h_Squirr3l wrote:
Screw basketball, play a real man’s sport, football ![/quote]

He’s 6’8"…

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Where would you play college football AFTER you’ve graduated from college?

I think one of the stipulations to play NCAA sports is that you be taking classes, so regardless of the number of years of eligibility you have I doubt you’d be able to play.

Someone please correct me if I’m wrong.

14

He’s 6’8" and lanky, eh ? So are a lot of tight ends/d-ends in football. Simeon Rice is like 6’5", 6’6" and 270. Mathias Kiwanuka from Boston College is 6’7" and 250-260. Jason Taylor is 6’6" and maybe 250-260, what’s your point ?

Do you know how much easier it would be (provided he worked route-running, catching and learning to position himself in front of defenders) for him to catch a ball in the endzone or over the middle because he is 6’8" ?

If he played D-end, if he keeps low and learns how to use those monstorously long arms to keep tackles and 'backs off of him on the pass rush, he can do well.

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passing leagues… we have a bunch around the los angeles area I dont know about other places.

make friends with a high school or junior college coach and they’ll let you play/practice with their team in the off season and any passing league games they have.

its pretty fun and you get a feel for the game.

thats the most important part. at 6’8, i dont think you need much of a vertical…but that explosion transfers greatly to your speed.

if you get good hands and fairly decent speed. (a 4.6 at least) you’ll be a serious threat. at your height tho just working on your stride and increasing your squat efficiency should make you pretty fast damn fast so the majority of your time should be spent doing agility drills.

still…

you might wanna look into basketball lol

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[quote]RIT Jared wrote:
Where would you play college football AFTER you’ve graduated from college?

I think one of the stipulations to play NCAA sports is that you be taking classes, so regardless of the number of years of eligibility you have I doubt you’d be able to play.

Someone please correct me if I’m wrong.[/quote]

There have been cases where grad students have played on the team, I think USC had a tightend if I’m not mistaken…not sure on the rules governing it though.

17

I had a neighbor who never played football in highschool because his highschool didn’t field a team, he went to a small D-3 school and ended up playing on a whim…spent 3 years with the Steelers afterwards, never any playing time, but hey he made the team. The guy was a beast at 6’5" and 260 of straight-up muscle…but anything is possible.

18

Yeah you can do it…

Work on the position you see yourself in, hit the weights hard, stay athletic, get faster/stronger/quicker and get that weight up…Watch all the film you can, try to learn the game as much as you can.

You can do anything you want to do. you are probably going to get turned down the first time, but keep it in your head that you aren’t going to let that “no” keep you from doing what you want to do…

Or you can learn to punt/Kick/Longsnap

19

Been a bit since I played college ball so the rules might have changed but I think you still have to get through the NCAA clearing house…and in order to get cleared quickly your gonna wanna talk to the coach.

Other shit aside…tell the coach your interested and hell probably give you a lifting program. Your at a huge disadvantage not having played ball before but you can do it if you put enough work into it. Watch as much football as you can…study what the players at your possible positions are doing.

Good luck

20

you have 10 semesters to play 8…every semester you are a full time student counts as a semester of playing…however, the semesters might not count until you start playing. find the compliance person at your school and talk with them about the rules. it would be pretty bad if you put all your time and effort into this and then found out for yourself how retarded the ncaa can be. good luck.