Go for it. If nothing else, you can get Pete Carroll’s autograph.
wow…awesome goal man. I’m also trying something along these lines but for minor league baseball.
It’s been said but the biggest obstacle for you will be lack of game experience. The guys that make the practice squad will be very good players. It’s USC. Practice squad players at schools like USC and Miami could start for a lot of programs around the country.
Break down film. The guys you’re going up against have been playing football for 15 plus years. You need to learn so many nuances of the game. Hopefully you are a fan and know a lot about the game to begin with.
Figure out what kind of defense Pete Carroll runs. Study that.
Even if you don’t make the practice squad on your first go round you’ll know what to expect the next time you try out.
Go for it! Even if you don’t make it, it’s a boatload better than spending the next 30 years wondering “what if?”. All it takes is a good coach seeing “possibility”. USC has a good coach.
Good Luck!
Just take out John David Booty’s knee after the play’s over. Then UCLA or Notre Dame would probably let you on their team just out of appreciation.
Not to rain on this parade but do you still want to become a special forces member or has last months super hero conquest changed?
Those numbers are really impressive for someone that weighs 180 pounds and is 19. 545 squat? Seriously, those numbers are better than some D2 and D3 linebackers that weigh way more than you. So if you’re telling the truth, good job.
If you don’t have any football skills though, it’s not going to be very useful. I’d stick with the sport you’re the best at. Also, take into consideration what effect the football conditioning will have on you (a LOT of intense practice means more calories burned).
[quote]Leon Country wrote:
It’s USC. Practice squad players at schools like USC and Miami could start for a lot of programs around the country.
[/quote]
That’s a foolish thing to say. I will agree that this may be true for the 2-3 deep players, but the practice squad? That’s more than a stretch. Why would someone go through that when they could be on scholarship and starting somewhere else? D1 rosters are full of scholarship guys who transferred from top-name schools because they couldn’t get playing time, only to find out that they aren’t playing where they went to either.
DB
[quote]dollarbill44 wrote:
Leon Country wrote:
It’s USC. Practice squad players at schools like USC and Miami could start for a lot of programs around the country.
That’s a foolish thing to say. I will agree that this may be true for the 2-3 deep players, but the practice squad? That’s more than a stretch. Why would someone go through that when they could be on scholarship and starting somewhere else? D1 rosters are full of scholarship guys who transferred from top-name schools because they couldn’t get playing time, only to find out that they aren’t playing where they went to either.
DB[/quote]
I said “a lot of programs”
obviously not the big time schools. But I’m talking about MAC,WAC,Big Sky,some lower level teams in big conferences. Stuff like that. I’ve seen some of these practice squad guys when I was at the U.
I coach football at a good D2 school. Typically, our starting safeties are bigger, stronger and faster than you are - which is not an insult at all, i’m just telling you the facts. Occasionally, we’ll have a guy who isn’t exceptionally fast/strong, but is a hell of a football player.
Weightroom/track stats don’t matter, and we don’t put a whole lot of stock in them if a guy can play.
As for trying out, I say go for it. Not playing for a long time will hurt you at first, so be as physically prepared for football as possible(agility, position specific drills, ball drills, backpeddling). And remember that at a good program, they’ll cut a walk-on in a second if he has a bad attitude or is lazy on the field in any way.
Don’t know if any of this matters or not. Just my two cents.
First of all, congrats on the stats bro, you are definately solid.
As far as the tryouts go, start working your ass off now. I play semi-pro DB/QB and there are some bad ass dudes there that played D-1, and weren’t good enough to go pro. I’m talking Michigan, Illinois, OSU, etc.
These guys are on another level.
But hey, I was like you, I said “what if?” I had a scholarship to play at a school in Indiana coming out of high school as a SS, but ended up having a kid and going into the Army. I was 160lbs then, but fast as hell. Well, I got approached by a guy at my gym about a semi-pro team in Indy. So, I thought, hey, I can finally test my “what if” theory that I’ve always had. I thought man, I was 160, now I’m 220, I can lay some wood! Which is true, but I am definately slower that a 20 yr old receiver who weighs 180.
To be a DB, you have to have explosive strength and flexiblity. Not to mention great catch up speed. I would say keep up your strength training, but definately work on the speed and agility drills (you need great hip mobility). Do “W” drills (start at the yrd. line and back pedal 10 yrds, and then sprint back up, and back pedal back , etc. in the shape of a W). Do dot drills, where you jump from dot to dot, it works on speed and coordination. Anybody that can help you run buddy db/receiver drills will be a tremendous help. Partner up and cover him, learn what you need to do to keep him in check and how to catch up if needed.
They’ll probably test your 40 time, shuttle time, and broad jump. Work on sprints.
The main thing to do, is go in like someone posessed. First chance you get in one on one or 4 man drills, knock the shit out of the running back. People notice big hits!
Keep your head on a swivel, and don’t get burnt!
Good Luck Bro.
Nooge
Go for it dude.
But the fact that you’re pretty dinky for D-1 and have never played before seem like deal-breakers. But what have you got to lose?
Why do you want to play? Because football has prestige? Do you want to make it to the pros? The chicks?
Or, if you just want to smash into people and have fun, play rugby. You will no doubt get some game time, which I severely doubt you will get for the USC football team. Personally, sitting on a bench in any sport, got me furious. I wouldn’t join a team to be the back-up’s back-up.
Xen -
First off, your numbers are out of this world, IF they are legit. For instance, your bench and your squat would be the best in the country for USAPL (single-ply powerlifting) at your age and weight class, and with your dead you would have the best total in the country! Speed-wise, Darnell Bing has been timed at 4.59 in the 40, so you are not too bad there either (However, the Lakewood legend is 6’2" 220 and knows football, but thats’s off topic). In fact, your limit-strength is going to be better than probably every safety on the team… but your speed-strength looks poor. 255 clean!!! I do not understand how you can bench more than you clean, especially an athlete. You should be able to rep that 10 times with your strength level, even if you form is shitty. Maybe you are new to the lift? Anyway, your stats are great, your relative strength is world-class, especially at 19.
Now all that being said, I will be the first person to say do not try out for football. I am not interested in debating whether or not you could make the practice squad… however I am certain if any kid not recruited from the student body could make it, you could. I will list my reasons for why you should not:
-
Time commitment. College football is a job, so if you have one, drop it. Classes? Well, you can only take ones that do not interfere with meetings, lifting, running, practice, film… etc. Plus everyone gets hurt, so you need time to get treatment too. Science major? Sorry, no way you can lab. Like MMA? You could not play ball and train for fighting, unless you took cocaine and speed… which my boy who was in a frat at SC did, lol, but he played rugby.
-
Football is the most complicated game in the world. Pete Carroll learned under Monte Kiffin, which means that the safetys are very active, often having more importance to the Defense than the corners (which was the case this year with USC’s injured and undermanned secondeary). Mike Doss, John Lynch, Mike Brown are names that come to mind when I think of Tampa 2-type safetys. Darnell and Troy are guys who excelled in Carroll’s system. Now as a practice squad guy, you run what the other teams run, but understanding football and knowing the game instinctively and through film study is the only way to be a good player without great speed. How well do you think you know ball without ever playing it? If you do this, really work on the mental aspect with that secondary coach you found.
-
My friend who played rugby loved it. They drank a lot, fucked girls, and all that. You seem like a guy with a lot of talent, maybe you should try that, or focus on MMA, or even powerlifting, because if that squat is to legal depth, you could have a big future. Do you want to do this just to see if you can? Would you even want to do this is you didn’t go to USC, with all the prestige that football program has? You are strong and disciplined… if you applied yourself to MMA or something similiar that you have a background in, you have a chance to be great. If you went to Stanford, would you want to try out for there team?
Do not get me wrong, I doubt you will listen to me. I am just a fat kid who played two years of d3 football before I went crazy and got kicked out of school. However, I remember watching a tape of an U of Minnesota safety practicing his sideline angle tackles. The walk-ons just ran, and he came at them full speed and hit them in the knees. Doesn’t sound appealing. But, if this is want you want bro, go balls out. Whatever you do, sell out, be it football or MMA. You seem like the type who will be successful no matter what.
I dont see it happening especially with a pete carroll as the head coach… You stated something about MMA with the strength that you have compared to your weight you should be wrestling. You sound like you think you can do anything, Football in a D1 school has the best players that they could find who has been playing all 4 years of highschool and pop warner ball
like some other dude said it never hurts to try but I think your better off and will get more gratification by putting some dude on his neck (wrestle).
[quote]Xen Nova wrote:
Stats:
I’m 19, 175-180lbs (might be less, quite a bit of stress recently, horrible sleep and eating habits).
-Squat: 545#
-W. Chin Up: BW + attached 170#
-Pullups: 33 in a row (left maybe 2 in the tank)…No Kip.
-Burpees in 15min: 832
[/quote]
These numbers scream fish story. I can buy the dead, as I pull 400 at the same weight and higher bf%.
Your pullup numbers are better than a Marine PTI. The squat is ridiculous. You do a burpee a second for 15 minutes? Maybe without a jump and tuck, and skipping the pushup, but it’s still pushing it. I bet you run 3 miles in 15 minutes too.
I’m 19, 175-180lbs (might be less, quite a bit of stress recently, horrible sleep and eating habits).
-Bench: 315# for a shitty 1rm
-Bench Reps: 185# 27 reps (still had a few in the tank…I think I can get 35-40 I’ll try again next week)
-Squat: 545#
-Deadlift: 495# (think I can pull more if I pull sumo)
-W. Chin Up: BW + attached 170#
-Pullups: 33 in a row (left maybe 2 in the tank)…No Kip.
I have similar statsa im 19 and never weight trained in highschool here are my stats
I’m 19, 176-181lbs (might be less, quite a bit of stress recently, horrible sleep and eating habits).
-Bench: 316# for a shitty 1rm
-Bench Reps: 185# 28 reps (still had a few in the tank…I think I can get 36-41 I’ll try again next week)
-Squat: 541#
-Deadlift: 496# (think I can pull more if I pull sumo)
-W. Chin Up: BW + attached 171#
-Pullups: 34 in a row (left maybe 3 in the tank)…No Kip.
[quote]BIGERIC wrote:
I’m 19, 175-180lbs (might be less, quite a bit of stress recently, horrible sleep and eating habits).
-Bench: 315# for a shitty 1rm
-Bench Reps: 185# 27 reps (still had a few in the tank…I think I can get 35-40 I’ll try again next week)
-Squat: 545#
-Deadlift: 495# (think I can pull more if I pull sumo)
-W. Chin Up: BW + attached 170#
-Pullups: 33 in a row (left maybe 2 in the tank)…No Kip.
I have similar statsa im 19 and never weight trained in highschool here are my stats
I’m 19, 176-181lbs (might be less, quite a bit of stress recently, horrible sleep and eating habits).
-Bench: 316# for a shitty 1rm
-Bench Reps: 185# 28 reps (still had a few in the tank…I think I can get 36-41 I’ll try again next week)
-Squat: 541#
-Deadlift: 496# (think I can pull more if I pull sumo)
-W. Chin Up: BW + attached 171#
-Pullups: 34 in a row (left maybe 3 in the tank)…No Kip.
[/quote]
WTF?
Xen,
Depends on how athletic you are. CT talked a bit about this, the BEST athletes play football period. It doesn’t really matter how much you bench or how fast your forty time is (for the most part). If you have talent and can make plays or show decent ability + incredible work ethic/heart, then you MIGHT get noticed as a walk-on. Remember your trying to walk-on at USC, thats comparable to walking on an arena football team. BUT its not impossible.
Talent is talent, I don’t care if you play sand lot or padded football. If you have the ability you can transfer it over, I’ll give you a small-scale example.
I played football from 7th grade-12th grade. Also played sandlot during the summer with friends that didn’t play on the team for whatever reason. We used to talk trash when we played and I always used to rag hard on the guys that were to “pussy” to play real football but it was more to get them to play because they were just as athletic as I was playing. Long story short, 2 of them ended playing when we were juniors/seniors and both were all-conference (me too) (1 was all-state honorable mention). Needless to say we won our conference and 1 went on to D-II football and started WR.
Point is if you feel you can do it, know what our going up against and you gotta make plays to get noticed. Good luck, what do you have to lose??
uh, if frankie (who goes to sc as well) ever posts he can tell you what he’s seen me do… not that I need to prove that to anyone but a few coaches.
bench is “low” cause i never bench, I suck at it, and I dont like to do it. I prefer to OH press. It just feels better.
I was a gymnast for a few years, thats what I attribute the chin #'s to.
Forgot who mentioned it, but i seriously doubt my #'s are even that good for powerlifting, i dont even have a double bw bench.
Template I’ve been using for 2weeks, changing in another 2-3 weeks… (cutting volume some, and adding a lot more reactive strength movements)
… format is kinda typed weird cause it’s on my sidekick, just copied it from there. It’s for football. I play basketball on sundays. active recovery.
It seems like a lot of volume, but I really dont do shit except workout, drive to work, walk to class, take naps, and study.
So it’s good for me.
Monday
ME: box squat
Rdl on box- 5x6(shrug)
Stepups- 5x10
GM- 5x10
Super side bends- 3x6
Twist cable ab pull downs- 5x10
Tuesday
ME: incline bench
Incline dbell (1 1/2 technique) 5x10
csRow/ csRow shrugs 5x10/5
JM press/ dips 5x6/10
Shrugs/hi-pulls 5x5/10
Wednesday
Quick toe touches x 20
Forward lunges x10/leg
Side lunges x10/leg
Wide bw squats x20
Straddle stretch x20
Hip circles x20
Mountain climbers x10/leg
5-10-5 x 4
Pro agility x 4
Zig zag x 4
Back pedal & break r/l x 2/side
Lateral cone hops 3x20
Hamstring stretches
Quadricep stretches
Hip flexor stretches
Thursday
DE: box squat 8x2
Snatch + ohs 8x1
Rack pull + shrug 5x6
Back raise w/ pause 4x12
Power squat (675-600#) 5 x amrap
Dragon flag 4x3
W. Situps 3x8
Friday
DE: speed bench 8x2
Pin press to 3rm
OH press (1 1/2 technique) 5x10
Pullups/Rear Delt Machine 5x12/15
Bench (225#-185#-225#) 3 x amrap
Saturday
Quick toe touches x 20
Forward lunges x10/leg
Side lunges x10/leg
Wide bw squats x20
Straddle stretch x20
Hip circles x20
Mountain climbers x10/leg
Ankle jumps 3x20
Depth jump 5x3
40yd x3
30yd x3
20yd x4
10yd x4
Hamstring stretches
Quadricep stretches
Hip flexor stretches
Indicators:
Benching 100# dbells 5x10
Back Raise 90# for ‘easy’ 10reps
weighted situps 10 with 45lb plate
dragon flag 5reps
CSR 4 Plates for 2 of 8
Rack pull 6 plates for 5
[quote]DrVonNostrand wrote:
Xen Nova wrote:
Stats:
I’m 19, 175-180lbs (might be less, quite a bit of stress recently, horrible sleep and eating habits).
-Squat: 545#
-W. Chin Up: BW + attached 170#
-Pullups: 33 in a row (left maybe 2 in the tank)…No Kip.
-Burpees in 15min: 832
These numbers scream fish story. I can buy the dead, as I pull 400 at the same weight and higher bf%.
Your pullup numbers are better than a Marine PTI. The squat is ridiculous. You do a burpee a second for 15 minutes? Maybe without a jump and tuck, and skipping the pushup, but it’s still pushing it. I bet you run 3 miles in 15 minutes too.
[/quote]
no pushup, who does a freakin tuck jump… and actually i ran a 5k in 20min.