Football questions (various)?

Question

What is the difference between:

1. A cornerback and a wide receiver? It seems that they would have identical sets of skills and abilities, and one player should play both sides of the ball.

2. Right and left ends, OLB's, tackles, guards, etc? What makes a player better on one side than the other?

3. Kickers and punters: once in a great while, you can see a kicker do punts, but you never see a punter do kicks. What's so hard about doing both? Also, why do kickers always do kickoffs? I'm sure there's been situations where the punter has a stronger leg. Also, if the punter gets injured, the kicker can fill in, but whenever the kicker gets injured, a position player who used to do it in college or high school or something fills in.

4. MLB's and OLB's: are their skills that much different? or, is it a size/strength/speed issue?

Answer 1

1.Cornerback must follow the WR(or play zone). And the reciever must follow a certain route so the QB can find him. And WR are better at catching.

2.Basically the same(i think) just whatever the player is used to.

3.Kicking off the ground is alot harder then punting. For example i can punt pretty good but i can't kick worth sh*t.

4.MLB (middle line backer) Goes up the middle and is usually stronger but slower.

Answer 2

1. The relationship between a Defensive Back and a Wid Receiver are not at different. In fact, most defensive backs were once receivers that switched over because of lack of skills as a receiver or because they were more physical and still possessed the skills to read and cover their counter parts. The reason that they don't play both sides of the ball is more less a fatigue type factor. They usually do both in little league and high school but in the pros it would be too demanding. If you can remember Deion Sanders doing both sapringly with his stints in San Francisco and Dallas.
2. The reason most players have a preference for one side or the other is beacuse they have played on that side every since they started and have been able to develop the skill and the knowledge to control that side of the line of scrimmage. Most DE have a stronger side for driving up the field towards the QB. They may also be more dominant because of their handedness.
3. Kickers and punters are really a specialty type position and there have been a few punters in the leage that can do both. I can't recall the players name but he played on the Indianapolis Colts.
4. The MLB is to the defense what the QB is to the offense. The leader. They must be able to see what the other team is doing prior to the snap and relay this info to the rest of the defense. They must also be the best overall athlete on the field on the defense. Every team that has had a successful defense had a strong MLB.

Answer 3

1. CBs and WRs may have similar skills but not identical. The WR is running a route from a set offensive play. He has to have his timing down with the the QB. Whereas the CB shadows the WR in order to defend against the pass. The CB has to read the WR's moves and anticipate when the QB is going to throw the ball. Both must have excellent speed and quickness but the CB has to be able to react to the play and tackle. The WR has to have the timing of his route down and be able to catch and run with the ball.

2. The L&R Ends have to develope rushing technics to get to the QB in passing situations. Plus they have to have the ability to help stuff the run or contain the RB. The OLBs have to be able to multitask. They have to know when to and where to be to fill in the holes to stop the run. Know when to drop back in coverage on the TE or pickup the RB coming out of the backfield. The DT are there to stuff the run and reek havoc in the middle of the line on pass plays. OTs and Gs have to learn run and pass blocking they have to perfect their foot work and protect the QB. Run blocking is critical to the success of the running game, where is the play going, who is pulling, who is the assigned defender to block. Pass blocking is the same, short pass, long pass, screen all have different skeems for blocking.

3. You pretty much answered that one yourself. Most kickers are specialists. Punting and kicking are quite different and rare is the kicker who can do both.

4. The MLB is the defenses QB. He calls the defensive set in the huddle. If his play call does not match up with the offensive set then he will audibalize just like a QB on offense. The OLBs take their assignment from what the MLB has called. Strength and speed is not an issue here. I think the MLB is more a team leader and at times mat be the fatest and the strongest LB. Usually it is a position reserved for one who has been playing the position for his entire football playing days.

Answer 4

A corner back is a receiver that can't catch too well.

2. there is no right and left ends, it is decided by strong side of the ball and weak side. Strong side end is the bigger of the two because he has to take on TE, and OL to mke tackles, and most teams run strong. Weak ends are faster for better pass rush.

3. the reason that you have a kicker and a punter is that kickers get hit more and are prone to injuries, and if this happens you are out a kicker and a punter.

4. Mlb are bigger in order to take on direct hits from OL, but yet fast so they can cover sideline to sideline. OLB are secondary linebackers that are smaller and are better at covering TE, or RB's.

Answer 5

1.A cornerback could be a wide receiver - back in the day, many players played 'both ways'
2. Many variables: familiarity with the position, best use of skills for assignments on plays, and speed from the outside/inside - some players have quick speed off of the line, others have better endurance.
3. Punting is a specialized specialization. Also, they're fragile.
4. OLB's need to cover a lot of ground. MLB's squish QB's.

Answer 6

1. Remember that CBs always are in a reactive position; they have to react to what the WR is doing. CBs usually are shorter and have better footspeed than WRs, but WRs often are faster down the field. Otherwise, yeah, they do have similar skills; that's why coaches line them up there.

2. Right side vs. Left ... it's as simple as guys being right- or lefthanded and doing something better from one side or the other. In basketball, guys will have a better move from one side of the post than the other. For O-linemen, it also has something to do with knowing who's playing alongside you too, which would be why they don't flip-flop much.

3. You do see them double up from time to time. I know Craig Hentrich used to do that in Tennessee, at least from time to time. Sometimes you will see someone other than the regular place-kicker doing kickoffs. For a number of years, the Giants had Brad Daluiso as a kickoff specialist; dude didn't even kick field goals.

4. MLBs usually are a little bigger than OLBs, better suiting them to play the run. OLBs, at least on the strong side, also have to drop back into pass coverage vs. tight ends and slot receivers, so they may be smaller than MLBs and a little quicker.

This degree of specialization only starts to matter at the major-college level. In high school, you can swap guys around a lot easier.

Answer 7

1k a cornerback is usually faster and smaller than a wideout is and cant catch as good, and 2 its usually eaither strength or speed look at the position like where is kears or abraham or feeney or strahan if there mostly fast u want him pressuring the qb so u put him in the place that he can git there.3 being a kicker is hard u have to kick it off ther ground not just boot the ball out of ur hands its more of a accuricy thing. mlb are usually stronger and quicker they have to penatrate the line to git in the backfeild and stop the play and that means going up against o linemen olb are usually faster there on the outside they go around the line to git to whatever there target is.