The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

I'm 5'8, 131 Pounds and my hands are small.

But I want to be really good! I practice hard and read up on all the throwing motions, calls, etc.

But does my physique rule me out for this position? I mean my hands can't go all the way around the ball, and I heard you have to have large hands to get a really good grip.

But this is the position I want to play, I don't like playing other postion.

So does my body weight and hand size rule me out as a quarterback? I'm gaining weight at the moment trying to get myself more cut for tryouts.

But I don't want to get my hopes up if I'm not built up for the position.

what level of play? varsity?

i play varsity too and our qb is like 6' 185 and hes fast, but hes not the best passer. the coaches love his speed tho, i think if you're already fast then just add some muscle weight to your frame.

Yeah.

Hm... Best idea might be WR... Wait, though. What is the offensive type? I-formation, Wing T, Veer, Spread, Wishbone... What?

Doug Flutie wasn't a big guy either, if you have the skills you can play QB. You have to be good though.

In my opinion, you should play second base or shortstop... baseball rules!

I'm pretty sure its I Formation.

And I don't like being a WR. I'm not really fast enough.

But I'm accruate and I make good decisions, but I'm not sure if my body is suited to the task.

I'm not trying to be a jerk, but at 5'8".... you might want to pick another position if you have aspirations of being a pro player.

There was a quarterback who was pretty short in Redskins camp a coupla years ago... Brad Banks was a heisman trophy candidate, but he barely got a look in the pros because he's about 5'9" (at a guess).

It isn't impossible... it's just unlikely. You're being asked to throw over 6 and a half foot tall linemen who have their arms outstretched...

Doug Flutie made it TO the NFL yeah, but did he have much success? He got a good contract after lighting up the CFL for a few years... He was a CFL star where the linemen are all a few inches shorter and the game's rules are set up differently.

I wanted to be an offensive tackle as much as anything, but at 5'10" I'd have to be completely round to weigh 300 pounds.

And keep in mind that I'm only talking about the NFL... you can enjoy a lot of football at QB along the way without ever making it to the NFL.

Paying for a college tuition with a quarterback arm is not a bad option for anyone. And the height isn't near the detriment in college that it is in the pros. So i'm not trying to deter you in any way... but know what you're up against.

Well I think I'm 5'8. I might be 5'9, because I know I'm close to six feet. I havent measured myself is a number of years, so I don't know how tall I really am. And since I'm still a teenager I have some growing to do.

I'll probaly be about 6'0 when all is said and done.

But it proves how little I know about by height if I thought I was 6'0.

I told someone I was about 6'0 and they said "No your arent!"

So I had to rethink that.

EDIT: And I have alot of heart and determination. More than most people. So I hope that overrides questions about my height.

as small as you are, go for safety. with small hands and less than favorable height, i doubt qb is in your future. and being small, its a LOT easier to deliver hits, than to take them.

But I'm 131! Don't you think I'm too small to be a safety?

two words. pat fischer!

like i said, its ten times easier to dish out the punishment, than to take it. at 131 lbs, think of a 220-250 pound d-lineman landing on top of you for a sack....... crunch!

qb is the most glamourous position, sure. but, it takes team players to win. think with your brain, not your heart. at least thats my advice, not like that counts for much.

Thanks for everyones advice but I still want to be a QB.

I believe I can do it, even at my weight/height. Plus I'm gaining weight and working out.


I'll be bulked up plenty before Tryout.

Dang it man! Baseball!!! Play middle infield, get a crouching stance and get a high OBP... get drafted by the A's!!!

I hate baseball.

Nobody really likes baseball, but it pays well. And you can get steroids easily, so you can bulk up to a good football weight. It's a perfect plan, you should go with it.

Thanks but no thanks GF.

Go to www.menshealth.com and visit the fitness forum. Find or ask for the link to John Berardi's website. Read the "Massive Eating" program. It'll tell you how to keep track of your diet, what good foods to eat and when in order to gain a lot of weight at a healthy pace. Pay attention to the fitness advice in there, too. You might be able to get away with being 5'9'', but you need to be at least 160+ and solid.

Good luck, it can be done.

Dude, don't you dare give up on that dream of being a QB! Thing is: a QB is a leader, the ultimate team player. Most of the QB position is between the ears and inside your thumper. Sure it's great to be 6'5" 235 with a rocket arm - ask Ryan Leaf.

Learn the game, study every position - odds are you'll get your shot somewhere down the road. QB's who love, study and understand the game from a variety of positions tend to do great things.

My advice, let the coach know you want to be his QB. Then tell him you want to help the team win any way you can. You're plenty big enough -as is. Playing safety is a dream job for a guy that understands the game and anticipates - plus, you get to knock snot bubbles outta people (from a former safety). Anyway, sorry for the ramble bro - best of luck!

Man, now I wish I'd played saftey, but I was always too slow, haha...

I was an offensive guard though, and it's really satisfying to see that tired/frustrated look on someone's face for a whole series because he's been running in place

Oh, and some of the hits you get to lay on unsuspecting defenders while pulling, man oh man...

Damn! We need to get a pickup game going, haha

While I still think baseball is the sport of kings... this story of your reminds me of a sad story when I was a kid...

When we were in junior league football (couldn't have been more than 4th or 5th grade) a tackle on my team named Pete wanted to play QB during practice before the season. This kid was probably the biggest guy on the team, real fat, real slow, and he had glasses. The coach said no... and so the kid protested some more... finally an assistant coach came over and told Pete that if he threw a ball across the infield (it was a multi purpose field) that that'd give him a shot... he took the ball and hurled a perfect spiral well past the point he needed... and the coaches reneged on their promise...

They tried to convince him that it was better to be a good lineman than an average QB so Pete went back to playing O-line...

Yeah, he was slow, and had glasses, but I find it hard to believe anyone in the league could have tackled him, and he could obvioudly throw pretty well... he wasn't going to be running any options, but he would have had more fun, and who knows... he might have been pretty good, hell, he might even have lost some weight.

Anyway, I always wonder sometimes if those coaches were being closed minded, and perhaps they should have given Pete a chance.

So yeah, you should go out there and try your danmdest to be a QB, and when you get your shot to show someone what you're capable of, and they're still are skeptical about your size do ANYTHING to get playing time, offer to play another position, return kicks, kickoff coverage... anything, show your heart for the game, wear it on your sleeve and some coach someday is going to realize you're quarterback material!

Skinsfan55 wrote:So yeah, you should go out there and try your danmdest to be a QB, and when you get your shot to show someone what you're capable of, and they're still are skeptical about your size do ANYTHING to get playing time, offer to play another position, return kicks, kickoff coverage... anything, show your heart for the game, wear it on your sleeve and some coach someday is going to realize you're quarterback material!

Thanks, this is really good advice.

I'll try my hardest.

And yeah I'll do anything, play special teams, whatever.

Our Team hasn't won a State Championship for 20 years. So they need all the help they can get.

You don't know the offense...? Anyways, though, I don't know any short I-Formation QBs. Rice a couple of years ago had a 5'8 QB who started.

Anyways, though, your best chance to play QB would prbably be a shotgun spread offense that is gimicky, but I don't know. Keep trying.

If you love the game you will play the position you are best at...the position that helps the team the most...otherwise you severely limit yourself. Maybe try playing QB AND DB...when you get older, if Colleges like you at DB and you have success you will start to love it...besides coaches don't care what you want to play, but rather what you are better suited for...im not making a judgment, but if you are really athletic, and you have the chance to further your career, why not do whatever it takes?

I would suggest, play where you heart is. If QB makes you happy, and nothing else, then try it.

After all, football is a game. You are young -- haven't mentioned your age, I don't think -- but play it for fun.

you mentioned that you are probably not done growing yet. at the end of high school i was a few inches taller than i was when i started. and i even grew another inch or two my first couple years in college! so who knows how much you have left to grow.