Im 6'3 200 pounds I play defensive end and fullback for high school im going into the 11th grade my coach said

Question

I will be starting both ways next year and I never practice with the offense I was always with the defense so How do the full back know what hole to go in and block for the running back

Answer 1

Depends on which guy on the defense you're responsible for blocking. MLB, OLB, FS etc. also depends on what play your coach designs for you. your coach can fill you in regarding these questions.

Good luck

Answer 2

I cannot say you are too light to play DE. It all depends on your school size and what class you play. With time and weight training, you may grow into your frame. After all you are only a Junior. Then again, you may always be slim and tall. You may want to consider WR or DB. Tall receivers and dbs are highly sought after. You don't have to be real fast to be effective if you play smart. I would think your coach would put you where he thinks you can help the team most.

Answer 3

Being a FB is a hard job, that doesn't get the credit it deserves. All i can tell u is u have get some experience in playing with the offensive line, QB, and RB. Only with practice will you be able to succeed in a new position. Wish u the best of luck.

Answer 4

I suggest asking for a copy of the playbook that you can use to study. The playbook should indicate what gap you will be hitting.
The tailback should follow you and change direction if the hole is not there.

Answer 5

Study The PLAYBOOK!

Answer 6

tell your coach that you want to play the offensive.. if you really want to

Answer 7

they have a playbook and they have to keep an eye on him

Answer 8

what 's ur ?

Answer 9

Usually the play well tell you...for example we run a play call Right Split B Strong. Lets break this down...right split means the running game well be going towards the right side of the O-Line towards the split tackle (we go towards the tackle because the play says Strong, if it were Right Split B Weak it would be towards the split guard). This means the tight end well be on the other side of the O-Line. The B means that you well be going towards the B gap which is between the guard and tackle. So the fullback well go towards the gurad and tackle and block the Outside Linebacker while the running back goes towards the tackle.

P.S. Why don't you play QB, also don't mean to discoruage you but if your could gain muscle and weight, especailly if you could get to maybe 240Lbs. you would be a good linebacker. But if you want to play D-end try to get to 245-250Lbs....good luck...heer's some more tips on playing fullback and blocking....

In order for a player to become a complete running back, he must be able to do more than simply run with the ball. One of the other important skills he must master is blocking. Often, a running back will be asked to block on the running plays where he is not carrying the ball or on pass plays when he is needed to help protect the quarterback. The ability and willingness to block is what helps an average running back become more valuable.

Every coach needs to praise good blocking by the running backs as much as he does good running with the ball. If blocking is truly important to the coach, he must tell the players at the start of practice that being a good blocker is one of the prerequisites for being a starting running back on the team.

It often is easiest to teach the beginning player run blocking by having him block first on a hand-held blocking dummy, if one is available. The main point for a beginning back to realize is that proper technique in blocking is very important, especially when the back is asked to block a defensive player who is much larger.

There are a few important points and techniques which the running back needs to learn regardless of who he is asked to block. First, the player needs to understand that the quicker he gets to the defensive man, the less time the defender will have to position himself to defeat the block.

Next, the blocker must know that he only will be blocking one side of the defensive man and should think in terms of getting to the defensive mans hip, on the side of block, as soon as possible. In college and in some high school leagues the rules allow a running back to block below the hip, at the knee. If this is the case, the back can come in lower in his approach.

These two techniques can be taught in a drill where the coach holds the blocking dummy and the running back attacks it, getting the feel for the speed needed in his attack.

Drill: Dummy Blocking

In this drill the emphasis is placed on the running back attacking the dummy as quickly as possible in a straight line, then at the last instant sliding his head to the right or left and making contact with his shoulder on the side of the block. The coach should indicate to the player which side of the dummy he is to block and then start the drill with the command, Hit.

Coming out of his three-point stance, the running back shortens his stride as he nears the dummy, making certain that his feet always are under his hips. If the running back is going to make contact with the dummy with his left shoulder, he should use his left foot as the explosion foot for his block. A block by any offensive player must start with the explosion from the power foot and continue up through his body with the thrust generated by the big muscle groups of the upper legs and hips.

At the point of contact, the running back must strike the dummy with his shoulder pads and forearm in a forceful manner. This first explosive hit, with the shoulder pads and forearm, often will be the only advantage a smaller running back has when blocking on a larger defensive player, so it must not be wasted by a half-hearted attempt. The head should never be used as the first contact point.

During the actual block, the players back should be straight, with his shoulders square, head up, and eyes open. Once contact is made, the running back must take a few straight, short, choppy steps before trying to turn the defensive player.

More often than not, a block by a running back is not expected to drive a defender off the line of scrimmage. Instead, the block is considered successful if the blocker merely occupies the defensive man and positions himself in between the ball carrier and the tackler.

Drill: Blocking the End Man

One of the first run blocks a back should learn is blocking the end man on the line of scrimmage. This usually will be an outside linebacker or a larger defensive lineman. The running back will be asked to block this defensive player both out, toward the sideline, an in, toward the center of the field.

One important point for the running back to understand and remember is that his path toward the defender should be the same regardless of whether he is going to block the defensive man out or in. The running back has the advantage of knowing which way he is going to block the defender and he should not give this advantage away by starting on an inside or outside path, thus alerting the defensive man to the final block.

On the coachs command, the defensive player should take on step directly across the line of scrimmage and turn to face the running back. The running back should start directly at the defensive player and adjust his path as he sees the defender crossing the line of scrimmage.

If the running back is going to block the defender in, toward the ball, he should aim at the defensive mans outside hip. Using his inside shoulder and forearm, the running back delivers a blow to the outside hip of the defensive man using the same techniques he leaned when he was hitting the dummy.

Should the objective of the running back be to block the end man on the line out, away from the center of the field, he will drive his outside should at the inside hip of the defensive player. At contact, the back slides his head to the inside and uses his outside foot as his explosion foot, making contact and driving the defensive man with his outside shoulder and forearm.

When blocking, the running back must guard against getting his shoulders too far in front of his hips, in an overextended position. If the blocker makes contact with the defensive man when his body is in this overextended position, the defender easily will absorb his block and push him to the ground. Instead, the blocker must keep his shoulders slightly in front of his hips, his hips over his feet with knees flexed, and he must think of gathering, rather than extending, himself prior to the explosion of first contact.

Blocking a Defensive End

Most running backs will have a natural desire and tendency to line up even with or outside of the man they are going to block. This is the worst thing the back can do because he will come into the sight path of the defensive player prior to the start of the play and draw attention to himself.

In particular, by staying to the inside of a defensive end in his initial alignment, the running back will find that he is partially hidden from the defensive ends view by the offensive tackle. Using his speed and quickness, the blocker often can reach the defensive player before the defender has the opportunity to react. Quickness in reaching the defensive man and getting into the block is on of the most important advantages a smaller running back has when blocking a larger defensive player.

Remember, the running backs blocking technique is the same as when he is blocking in or out on the end man on the line of scrimmage. If the play calls for the defensive end to be blocked toward the ball, the running back will aim at the outside hip of the defensive player. Contact on the defender by the running back should be made with the inside shoulder and forearm. If the play is designed with the running back blocking the defensive man toward the sideline, contact would then be made on the inside hip with the outside shoulder and the forearm of the running back.

With either block, the running back must remember to explode at the point of contact, using short, choppy, powerful steps to make contact and turn the defender in the desired direction.

Drill: Blocking Defensive Tackles

The running back may be aligned either directly behind the quarterback or in a split-back location to be in position to block a defensive tackle. This is a unique type of block in that it usually will be used whether offensive guard, who will be lined up in front of the defensive tackle, is pulling out and trapping or lead blocking on another defensive player.

From the position behind the quarterback, the running back will aim for the outside hip of the defensive tackle. On this type of play the guard usually will be pulling to the outside, away from the ball. The running back must understand that the guards movement often will cause the defensive player to start to the outside, moving to a position that is wider than where he initially lined up.

For this drill, the player on defense should start in a three-point stance. On the command Hit, he takes a step to the inside and then takes a reaction step to the outside. As he makes this second step he should get his hands up so that he can absorb some of the block by the running back. As in all drills, this drill should start at half speed as the coach and the running back feel that the techniques of the block are being executed correctly.

The running back can take a little wider approach path if he anticipates this outside reaction by the defensive man. First and foremost, the running back must remember that he must get to the defensive man as quickly as possible. Speed and quickness are his greatest allies in getting his job accomplished.

The actual technique will be the same as the other blocks where the running back is approaching the defensive man from the inside and blocking the defenders outside hip with his inside shoulder.

If the running back is executing this block from a split back alignment, a position outside the defensive tackle, the path to the block can be direct. On this type of play, the man in front of the defensive tackle will be moving toward or behind the ball. Consequently, the defender usually will also be moving toward the inside, and his outside hip often will be open and exposed for the block, if the running back makes contact quickly.

A running back will perform a similar type of block when he is asked to block a nose tackle who is lined up directly in front of the center.

The running back must understand that the center will be moving and blocking away from the running backs block. Because of this, the nose tackle, unless he is on a predetermined stunt, usually will be moving, or at least leaning, in the direction in which the running back wants to block him. Again, the running back must think in terms of coming in low and quickly to the defensive man, making contact with his inside shoulder and forearm, and exploding off his inside foot and leg into the near hip of the nose tackle. As contact is mad the blocker can use the palm of his off hand to strike the buttocks of the defensive man. This will help the blocker maintain contact and can help stop the defenders reaction into the block.

During the game, because of the difference in size, a running back often will not be able to drive the nose tackle off or down the line of scrimmage. Instead, the running back will be able to create only stalemate and stop the defender from moving down the line toward the ball carrier. If he accomplishes this, the block is considered successful.

Next, the running back needs to learn the technique he will use when he is lined up three to four yards off the line of scrimmage. This block is somewhat different in that the defensive player will have more time to react before the running back can execute his block.

The running back must not think of blocking the linebacker where he initially lined up; he must anticipate and be prepared for the linebacker to be moving the ball and charging the line of scrimmage.

Drill: Lead Block on a Linebacker

On the command Hit, the man serving as the linebacker should be instructed by the coach to do one of three maneuvers. First, he can stay where he is and move slightly to his left or right as he takes on the running backs block. Or, he can hesitate a second and then charge straight ahead, moving either inside or outside of the running backs block. Finally, he can take two steps up and then move laterally to either his left or right.

No matter what the linebacker does, it is of vital importance that the running back completely concentrate and focus on him. If he does not have this focus, he will not see the movement of the linebacker and he will not be prepared to adjust his path and make the proper block.

The second thing the running back must understand is where the play is designed to be run. Is it a play where the ball carrier is following him directly up the field, or is it designed to go outside the linebackers initial position?

If the ball carrier will be following the blocker directly into the line, the running back must take a path straight at the linebacker. He must not predetermine the shoulder with which he is going to block the linebacker. Instead, he must think in terms of seeing which side the linebacker is playing his block and then use the should and forearm on that side to execute the block. The blocker must block the line backer the way he is going, and he must have confidence that the ball carrier will be prepared to cut in the opposite direction of his block.

Should the running back see that the linebacker is stunting completely out of the hole, he must be prepared to continue to lead up the field and look for any other defensive player who may come into his area. The one thing he must not do is stop and look for someone to block, thus causing the ball carrier to have to hesitate and not hit the hole at full speed.

For a play where the ball carrier definitely is running outside and not following the blocker into the hole, the running back must continue to adjust his path so that he is in position to block the outside hip of the linebacker with his inside shoulder and forearm.

On all three blocks the running backs first two steps should be the same, first his right foot and then his left foot directly at the linebacker. If he sees that the defensive man is sitting and waiting, he should charge straight at him and veer off to the outside of the linebacker only at the last second.

When the linebacker is charging the line of scrimmage, it is important for the blocker to adjust his path much sooner and be prepared for an early collision, with the block occurring much nearer the line of scrimmage.

If the blocker determines, after he has taken two steps, that the linebacker is stunting to the outside, then he must adjust his path so that he can be in position to block with his inside shoulder and forearm tot he outside hip of the linebacker. There may be occasions in this type of block where the running back will find, as he prepares to make his block, that the linebacker is not squared up, facing the line of scrimmage. When this occurs, and the linebacker has turned and is facing more toward the sideline, the running back must drive his inside shoulder into the nearest hip of the linebacker.

Drill: Double-Team Block

On almost all of the blocks that a running back is asked to execute during the course of a game, he will be blocking by himself. The one variation that is being used more and more is the double-team block by a center and running back on a nose tackle.

When working on this type of block, the defensive man should play into the center with both hands and only react into the running backs block at the last instant.

For the block to be a success, the center must drive into the nose tackle as he would on a straight one-on-one drive block. The objective of the center is to get the defensive man to be focused and intent on defeating his block and not to be prepared or in position to react to the delayed block by the running back.

The coach will tell the two offensive players prior to the beginning of the play on which side the running back will attack.

On the command Hit, the center will drive into the nose tackle, sliding his head to the opposite side of the block by the running back. At this initial stage of the block, the center should concentrate on maintaining contact with the nose tackle and driving him back.

The running back should drive as close to the centers hip as possible, keeping out of the view of the defensive man for as long as possible. If the running back sees that the defender is occupied with the centers block, he should quickly drive his inside shoulder and forearm into the near hip of the nose tackle.

Once contact has been made by both blockers, they should immediately try to get hip-to-hip, slowly turning in unison and driving the defensive man not only back off the line of scrimmage, but also away from the side of the running backs block. This drill must be set up and practiced with the back going to both the left and right of the ball.

Pass Blocking

Pass blocking differs from blocking on a running play in that the running back will not attack the man he is responsible to block. Good pass protection requires the running back to wait for the defensive man to charge and then to block him away from where the quarterback is setting up to pass. Often the running back will not stop the charge of the defensive player, but will merely redirect the path of the rushing defender away from the quarterback.