Crazy Newbie Wants to Play Football.

Bigger Stronger Leaner Beginners
1

Warning: tl:dr ahead.

So, I’m 31, and just woke up from a ten year Everquest/WoW coma last August. Last thing I remember I was blowing off college, drinking nightly, and sleeping with pretty girls.

I came-to out of shape, engaged, and with digestive problems like you wouldn’t believe. A friend directed me to this site, and I did my best to absorb the info from the beginners sections. I dropped from 240 to 190 through eating well and using the universal gym at my apartment complex, and I’m feeling a lot better.

This summer, I decided to pick back up my college career and finish my bachelors. I have 2 years left on a CS degree, which will likely take 3 due to scheduling hell.

I’m working, but my position has really laid back hours, so I don’t really worry about it as long as things are getting done. We’re even right across the street from a Bally’s, which has a couple squat racks (far away from the barbells, so there’s almost never curlers), and room to deadlift. Life’s good.

So I need some discomfort. One of the dreams I had in my first college go around was to transfer out of my community college to a school with a football team.

Well, I’m at Portland State now, we’ve got a football team… and I’m not exactly up to snuff. I dropped most of the fat, but I need to get the muscles and speed back. So, I’m looking for T-Nation help.

I love football, but haven’t played, so I figure the only way I’m getting on the team is by being stronger, faster, and smarter than the other walk-ons.

I’m 5’9", so most positions are going to be out due to height. I would probably do best as a RB (I was a sprinter in my youth, and can still move well over short distances), but that is going to be pretty competitive.

Not having trained anything involving hands, WR is probably not a great option, though I’d do okay as the shifty slot guy. I’m thinking my best bets are Safety, or a longer shot at CB. I can’t think of anywhere else I’d match up well.

Currently I am at the gym 45 minutes a day, 4-5 times a week Mon-Fri. I plan to add some running around with sandbags to that somewhere, probably on weekends, or Wed nights. I have a food diary at ksalicos - free online diet and fitness journal which I just started.

(It’s already shown me that I need more calories). At the gym I do squats and deads/bench press on alternating days. The rest of my time is spent playing with barbells trying to learn what’s working for me. I can only manage about 5 chin ups, so I haven’t been able to work those into my routine, but we have a hammer strength machine that is helping improve that.

So: Given the time I have available, what would you add/change with my workout/diet to get me within a possible chance of football shape by next summer?

What can I do to learn the terms/skills necessary to play? (I know everything you can know from playing NFL2k5 - basic route names, positions, etc. Beyond that I’ll need help)
What is a team recruiter going to want to see to even consider me?

What questions did I need to ask but didn’t think about?

Thanks,
Kevin

2

well, first off a team recruiter is going to want to see some football experience, which i believe you said you dont have. i wont lie, that could hurt your chance, alot.

other than that, i would maybe talk to a local high school coach about technique and fine tuning, etc.

i would def. add power cleans to your routine. imo, that is one of the ESSENTIAL lifts for football because of its carry-over on the field. i.e. explosive power. also, you mentioned that you need more calories. just stick with that.

and as far as positions go, i would try for tailback or corner. i think you would have more success playing corner than safety due to your height. a safety is expected to compete for jump balls regularly, and i’m not sure if you have the verticle to do that.

otherwise, see what you do on special teams. that is your best chance at making the team. a wicked kick/punt returner will always make the team

good luck, and if you have more questions, feel free

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Thanks. I know it’s a long shot, but coming out of high school I was solid, fast, and smart. Never going to be 18 again, but I am hoping I can make up for losing some of the solid and fast with extra smart and hard work.

And hell, if I don’t make the team, I’ll still be the strongest sumbitch in the CS dept.

I thought corners were usually taller than safeties, while safeties were just bigger guys. Tailback would be perfect, just a longer shot. Maybe easier to walk into via strong/fast though?

I’ll see what I can do to learn power cleans. We don’t have the rubber weights at the gym, but I might be able to find a spot in a garage somewhere to use. I’ve noticed guys at the gym doing some lifts very fast, I’ll try to find out what’s useful and what’s less so.

4

[quote]MadPoet wrote:
Thanks. I know it’s a long shot, but coming out of high school I was solid, fast, and smart. Never going to be 18 again, but I am hoping I can make up for losing some of the solid and fast with extra smart and hard work.

And hell, if I don’t make the team, I’ll still be the strongest sumbitch in the CS dept.

I thought corners were usually taller than safeties, while safeties were just bigger guys. Tailback would be perfect, just a longer shot. Maybe easier to walk into via strong/fast though?

I’ll see what I can do to learn power cleans. We don’t have the rubber weights at the gym, but I might be able to find a spot in a garage somewhere to use. I’ve noticed guys at the gym doing some lifts very fast, I’ll try to find out what’s useful and what’s less so.[/quote]

from my experience, corners can get away with being short better than safeties. and without bumper plates, you could substitute hang cleans, maybe? and you’re right, at your age, you may not keep up physically, but use your seasoned mind to your advantage. be more focused and mentally prepared, and you could do it

5

Look dude i thought i knew everything there was to know about football when tried out for my highschool team…over my four years playing i learned TONS

you’re only chance of making it on the team is if you hire a good coach/trainer to teach you all the basics you should have mastered if thinking you wanna play football.

6

Hey, I’m willing to play football next year too! Should I create my own thread or do you allow me to ask my questions here?

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[quote]Annihilator wrote:
Hey, I’m willing to play football next year too! Should I create my own thread or do you allow me to ask my questions here?[/quote]

ask away pal, i’m sure nobody minds

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[quote]GrindOverMatter wrote:
look dude i thought i knew everything there was to know about football when tried out for my highschool team…over my four years playing i learned TONS

you’re only chance of making it on the team is if you hire a good coach/trainer to teach you all the basics you should have mastered if thinking you wanna play football.

[/quote]
a trainer would be ideal, but a good one can be expensive?

edit: unless you find a clinic. only thing is you’d probably be the oldest one there, if you care

9

Alright.

I’m 15 years old, 5’8", 175 lbs, not fat, but not ripped.

I wanted to play football this year, and wondered wich position would suit me the best.

I am not so fast and I am pretty solid on my foot.

Thanks.

10

[quote]Annihilator wrote:
Alright.

I’m 15 years old, 5’8", 175 lbs, not fat, but not ripped.

I wanted to play football this year, and wondered wich position would suit me the best.

I am not so fast and I am pretty solid on my foot.

Thanks.[/quote]

ok, a few questions.

what are your numbers?
can you block? (without holding)
can you tackle? (well, as in wrap up)
are you afraid to get hit? (honestly, no one will judge)
can you catch?
do you any idea what your vert is?

i know some of these you may not know if you havent played before, but any of this info will help

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  1. Numbers? You mean the size of arm, chest, etc?
  2. I can block well, but I could definitly not be a lineman.
  3. I think I can hit not so bad, but I’ll sure get better.
  4. No, I’m not afraid. The only thing I may fear is to get injuried, but I think nobody likes injuries.
  5. I can, but nothing exceptionnal.
  6. I don’t know what a vert is.
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[quote]Annihilator wrote:

  1. Numbers? You mean the size of arm, chest, etc?
  2. I can block well, but I could definitly not be a lineman.
  3. I think I can hit not so bad, but I’ll sure get better.
  4. No, I’m not afraid. The only thing I may fear is to get injuried, but I think nobody likes injuries.
  5. I can, but nothing exceptionnal.
  6. I don’t know what a vert is.[/quote]

i mean numbers like maxes for bench, squat, deadlift, and maybe clean. at 15 i’m not sure if you would know these.

and your vert is how high you can jump, in inches.

from what i see so far i’m leaning at linebacker. moreso outside linebacker, but the coach will put you where you are better off. are you going to be a sophomore? if you are, you could try to play jv fullback if you can block well and have decent hands to catch out on the flats. freshman, even better.

13

Well, the education system over here is different, but I am going to start my eleventh year of school, so I think that I was a sophomore last year, but am not next year.

I never tested my numbers nor my vert. My vert probalby sucks anyway, since I’m kind of endomorph shaped.

But yeah, I asked some friends and some thought I could do fullback or linebacker, but they were not sure. I think that it’s one of them that I am going to try.

Thanks, if you have something to add, please go ahead.

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All i have to say is start training (lift, run sprints, agility work), hope for the best, and i’m sure your coach will handle the specifics. good luck

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Thanks, I am already lifting weights and training hard. I gotta do something about the crap I eat if I want to progress one day though.

16

Haha, its so funny that i stumbled across this post…

Me and a friend were actually talking about playing football next year. I’m 6’1", 175lb, 16 years old with a 30 inch vertical. I have a hockey and volleyball background and i love to hit, and am not at all scared to be hit. We were thinking that maybe I would have a good shot at playing free-safety. What do you think?

I’m not sure what my lifts are at this point.

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6’1", damn, why is everybody so tall? Or am I too short? Genetics, screw you!!!

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[quote]Alex L. wrote:
Haha, its so funny that i stumbled across this post…

Me and a friend were actually talking about playing football next year. I’m 6’1", 175lb, 16 years old with a 30 inch vertical. I have a hockey and volleyball background and i love to hit, and am not at all scared to be hit. We were thinking that maybe I would have a good shot at playing free-safety. What do you think?

I’m not sure what my lifts are at this point.

[/quote]

free safety would be a very good spot for you. good height, good vert, and you like to hit. if your team runs cover 2, or anything with a strong safety, that would be a good fit for you also. there is nothing like a hard hitting safety to make a receiver rethink his choice to play football

19

Is this serious? I have a hard time believing that a 31 year old man with a work schedule that will force him to finish what should be 2 years of schooling in 3 is vying for a spot on a collegiate football team, oh and not to mention he has no prior knowledge of the sport except through his use of NFL2k5. Not to sound like an asshole or anything but WTF?

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[quote]slash4221 wrote:
Is this serious? I have a hard time believing that a 31 year old man with a work schedule that will force him to finish what should be 2 years of schooling in 3 is vying for a spot on a collegiate football team, oh and not to mention he has no prior knowledge of the sport except through his use of NFL2k5. Not to sound like an asshole or anything but WTF?[/quote]

unlikely, but i am always willing to help. i guess you get all types