I’m playing right guard in our new local team’s first home game this weekend. The team formed 6 months ago but I joined this week. I’ve followed the game for 6 years but I’ve never played.
I don’t want to let the team down by allowing the D-line through for sacks. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in hope…:eek:
Moving to The Game Room.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
You joined a week ago, and you’re starting at guard? This suggests either you are a phenomenal athlete, or your team is short of warm bodies.
Your duties will vary according to whether you’re the right or left guard, the type of play, the defensive formation, and the style of offense.
In a nutshell, on a running play, you want to hit the defender closest to you, and drive him away from the direction the ball is supposed to go. Note–advanced lessons on priority targeting certain defenders for your blocks should be available from your coach.
On a passing play, you want to put your body between your QB and anybody in the other color shirt. You can’t go downfield until the ball is thrown, so you’ll likely take a step or three backwards at the snap, and engage any defenders in the area.
If your QB is right handed, and you play on the left side, you’re protecting his back. Anybody that gets around, over, or through you is going to blindside him, and that generally doesn’t end well for the offense.
I think I need a little more information. Full pads - full contact? Any specific rules to your league? Is your only job to protect the QB, or will you be required to pull on screen plays? (run out to the side and protect the ball carrier/receiver.
The easy advice I can give is to make sure you know a) The correct count (when the play starts) and b) your initial responsibility (who you’re supposed to block)
More on b) - Let the center (guy who hikes the ball) tell you who to block. If the defense is allowed to shift after getting set, then you’ll have to make quick adjustments before the play begins.
Stay low and keep the defender in front of you, or if he’s gaining ground on you, force him to the outside or even better, into your linemates.
Keep your hands in front of you, if you find yourself using your hands/arms to muscle the defender back in front of you, you should move your feet more.
Good luck and have fun!
Definitely the latter! As I said, new team, still building and a couple of players are carrying injuries.
Flightless Bird this is full pads full contact British American Footbal League “friendly”!
Thanks for the tips.
Are you also going to be playing on defense?
Sounds like fun, I wish we had that around here. The only social leagues are baseball or softball.
Surprisingly, Wikipedia is a pretty good source for basic football knowledge. Try to find the link for “football strategy.”
However, I think your absolute best bet is to talk to some of the other players and try to find somebody who has some football experience who can give you some pointers or help. Also, you can try to practice with a DT on your own team. It is helpful for both of you to try and practice with each other.
On running plays, keep the defenders away from the running back.
On passing plays, keep the defenders away from the quarterback.
The rest is refinement.
You definitely have to learn the “holding” rules in effect within your particular organization. In other words, the difference between a legal & an illegal block, which may vary greatly from league to league or year to year. For example, in the NFL, the definition of a legal block nowadays is much more liberal than it was back in the mid-1970s or earlier. You will sabotage your team if you get called for holding penalties.
OK, we need a report on how the game went…
This is the one thing that sticks in my mind from my one year of high school football. Move your feet, move your feet, move your feet. Well, that and staying low to keep better leverage.
Okay, if the game hasn’t happened all ready, I’ll throw out this advice from my high school days.
If you’re unsure of who to block, or you’ve forgotten your assignment, block the guy lined up directly in front of you. If there is no one lined up directly in front of you, block the guy lined up near your inside shoulder. If there is no one lined up there, block the nearest linebacker. And if all else fails, no matter how confused you are, just block somebody.
Inside the shoulders is allowed. Thankfully I’ve been frollowing the NFL for 7 years so I have a fair idea of the main rules.
The game was today and I was not flagged once. Good times.
Hell yeah! I learnt the staying low bit on the first play after being steamrollered into the floor butt first! Having only been to practice for the first time last Saturday, that was my first ever full hit!
Tis more blessed to give than to receive, young Jedi.
Here goes…
I’ve been practising Right Guard but got put in Left Tackle - daunting being new and knowing I’m on the QB’s blindside. We play Gap-On-Over on the O-line.
They received first, got two first downs and fumbled, we recovered.
We drove the ball to their 20yd line but lost a fumble.
We intercepted. Drove to their 6yd line, guess what - fumbled.
Then we traded drives til half time with them 12-0 up.
Second half we got some good drives going but our QB and receivers weren’t timed well and we got intercepted. I was takled from behind for the first time trying to close down their return - That has to be the single most scary moment for me - tips on how to stay braced for them would be good.
They got a couple more scores in and with 6 minutes left in the game we had an 50+ kick return going on but a very dirty, high tackle on our returners neck dropped him like a sack of spuds. after 20 mins of paramedic attention a second ambulance fully strapped him and took him to hospital. Due to the injury delays and the return travel for the visiting team the coaches agreed to call the game there (it was only a “friendly”).
Our guy should be fine - full movement and no loss of consciousness.
For a first game I think I held up well, as did the rest of the o-line. Zero sacks on our QB, only 3-4 negative yard plays.
Now for a Radox bath, JD and Cola…
Congratulations on your first game.
For all the recent transoceanic sniping about what football is or should be, it’s refreshing to hear about local recreational AF leagues in the UK. I don’t think most Americans are aware of the fact that professional AF leagues exist over there as well.
On the other hand, we may need to address your desire to mix Jack with anything, much less Coke. 
Out of curiosity, how big are you?
Professional? There are in Canada, but the only one I know of where players get compensated is a semi-pro league in Japan. Semi-pro is a really misleading title, as it usually means the players get a free bus ride to the games, not that they earn a salary.
It looks like the BAFL has folded at last, but at least they tried.
I looked at the Wiki page for BAFL and it doesn’t give any indication that the league was professional. MAybe the players were given free transportation and equipment, but I don’t think that players were paid for playing. Not that I really care one way or the other.