Recruiting and retaining lineman

[brian3413]

I am sure this is a problem at a lot of schools but thought I would seek advice.  What do you do to recruit lineman and then retain lineman at your school?  We have a ton of big kids roaming our halls that are not in football anymore.  We are more looking at retaining the kids from middle school to high school. 

Here is what we are planning this spring:

background info: "Blue Star" is our youth league tag on the helmet meaning they weigh too much to play anything other than line.

Blue Star breakfast: pancake breakfast at least once a month for kids that are lineman

Blue Star shirts: give them free shirts to wear around the school, as they get larger, we give them a new shirt, just keep promoting and celebrating the lineman.

Thanks

[wingt74]

It's hard, really begins at the youth level, and getting those big kids to fall in love with a sport. Many of them are not skilled enough to play bball/baseball/soccer.....but are plenty big/strong....and sometimes have just enough agility, to play football.

you have to get these kids involved early on and fall in love with the sport. If you try and start when they get to high school...they already have their minds made up.

I have an 8th grade team next year with 3 key members of an oline that, in 5th grade, were told by mom/dad to get their lazy butts off the couch and play football.

now those kids can't imagine life without the sport.

Promote to your youth!!!!

[KYCoach2331]

As far as retaining kids once they get to HS, I think our OL coach does a great job. Honestly a phenomenal job, of developing a culture of OL play. He’s a good guy in general so the kids enjoy being around him, but he does a good job of developing that culture and building them as a group.

I honestly think if we wanted to sell custom “Hawg Squad” shirts, our fans would buy them.

Our HC gets them as much publicity as possible, they had their own article in our area newspapers preseason preview this year. No other school had a story on linemen.

If you want to get more out, winning helps. But recruiting earlier helps. I believe it’s easier to recruit those “lineman” bodies at work he 5th/6th grade level than it is the 7th/8th/9th. Kids get a little lazier by then. More willing to try something when they’re that young.

Then keep them by making it an enjoyable experience. For the team and the OL specifically.

[jaydub66]

I think it's a cultural thing

We build a culture around Oline and Dline being the best positions to play. They get the most rewards and most attention from the coaches. Not that we ignore the fast guys but we make it a point of emphasis that the team's success is predicated on how tough and nasty our line play is.

When you have the culture of "oh hell yeah" type guys, kids may naturally gravitate because they see how much fun, how tight of a bond that group is.

[Deleted]

You have to have the right guys as line coaches. A lot of the recruiting is the culture in that room so to speak. And that is the line coach to a large extent. Who you have in that or if you are in that room, has to be a high quality person.

[dubber]

Nothing can replace building a genuine relationship with them

[StraightFlexin]

Jan 21, 2020 22:05:28 GMT -6 dubber said:

Nothing can replace building a genuine relationship with them

I agree the more quality time you spend with them, the closer the lineman will get as a group.  I had a great group of lineman that spent so much time together.  they started to call themselves "The Butchershop".  I had shirts made for just the lineman with the name and logo on it.  Great group of kids

[MICoach]

In my last two schools we've had platooned coaches so I've been the varsity OL coach but also coached JV/Freshmen OL (either solo or with another lower level-specific guy). I think that really helps as you get to know the kids coming up. I teach in the school so seeing the kids around the building and having a good relationship is good for retention.

At my last school we did not have a wealth of size so I would be pretty straight forward about recruiting fringe/backup kids from the running backs and TE's at all levels, making it clear that I want them to play OL and that they might be lucky enough to have that opportunity. When you talk to a kid about starting at guard or being the 2/3 fullback they usually figure that out pretty quick.

I hate to be a #culture coach, but I do think from a position standpoint you need to have bare minimum 6-7 guys who buy into it, even better if you have 12 guys showing up to indy excited to play OL. I try to get to "skill" days for our weight training class (it's during my prep) in the spring and encourage our guys to be at 7-on-7's as well do develop that group mentality as early as possible.

I also jump down anyone's throats if they call them "fat boys" or say "come on OL, block!" Like, to the point of being overboard sometimes...just gotta stand up for my guys.

[coachcb]

IMO, this really is a culture issue. The best programs I have worked in have established an almost cult-like culture when it comes to the big boys. That starts with the coaches' attitude/praise (intrinsic reward) and ends with extra stickers, t-shirts, etc.. (extrinsic reward).

This is one area where I, as the HC/OL coach, fell off of the wagon this year and it was apparent. Our OL struggled this year and I didn't make it any easier on them by establishing that culture. I made it worse by becoming frustrated and getting after them a bit too much. I always pointed out the positives but hammered them on missed assignments and poor technique.

[veerwego]

This is awesome. I am HC/OL and I have a great young group. Started 2 fr and 2 so most of the year. Have a couple of returning seniors as well. I am stealing this. Gonna include the DL too. Consider this the origins of the

S.O.U.L. of Warrior Football (Society of Uber Linemen)
Once a month at IHOP!!!
T-shirts and anything else you can think of!!!

[coachjm]

Run a offense that attracts more lineman like the T, single wing or double wing.... Well of course I'm joking but I do get a kick out of how that is something we often talk about with skill kids...

My belief is the following....
1. Good lineman aren't the big kids roaming the halls, good lineman are highly competitive, tenacious young men who need a physical outlet that have enough size. This ties into my belief that different positions on the line require a different skill set and you have to know what you want out of each and train boys who possess some of those qualities, although some size is a necessity, I have found intellect, work ethic, desire to please is vastly superior. (Note I believe toughness can be trained if you have a strong work ethic and desire to please although certainly some have it innately)
2. The nature of the position generally draws boys that aren't necessarily seeking attention, however, all the boys need this at this age. Build strong bonds (or have your OL coach do this) with this crew of guys, have them for meals, spend time getting to know their goals and build a relationship which all potential candidates.
3. Know what you truly need, we NEVER (regardless the size of school that we have been at) have a full two deep, most years we have 7 game ready players a few times we have had 8 ultimately, we don't believe we have the time to train more then this to be game ready.
4. Connecting to 3 ensure you always replace your graduates, we are always looking 2 or 3 years out so that we know we lose a couple to graduation we have a boy that is near varsity ready that will be replacing him. If we have a good Senior tackle likely our best JV lineman will be a tackle or we will have our next best underclassman on the varsity start at another position but also train him as a backup to have him game ready the next year.
5. Build a culture, we had a lineman this year build our "Pancake Platoon" you earn your way into this group they have a flag they have placed over our squat rack and have "Pancake Platoon" T-Shirts it is meaningful and purposeful...
6. Teach them up, lineman can be developed with enough fundamental work, ensure you have a great teaching progression and drill progression and work it hard with enthusiasm. If they can't remember where to go on your plays you have too many plays in..... Seemingly every year I put too many in the first week I'm unhappy with execution and we start cutting them out and get better and at some point then we are able to add a couple more back in when we reach mastery level.

[irishdog]

Jan 23, 2020 20:28:36 GMT -6 coachjm said:

Run a offense that attracts more lineman like the T, single wing or double wing.... Well of course I'm joking but I do get a kick out of how that is something we often talk about with skill kids...

My belief is the following....
1. Good lineman aren't the big kids roaming the halls, good lineman are highly competitive, tenacious young men who need a physical outlet that have enough size. This ties into my belief that different positions on the line require a different skill set and you have to know what you want out of each and train boys who possess some of those qualities, although some size is a necessity, I have found intellect, work ethic, desire to please is vastly superior. (Note I believe toughness can be trained if you have a strong work ethic and desire to please although certainly some have it innately)
2. The nature of the position generally draws boys that aren't necessarily seeking attention, however, all the boys need this at this age. Build strong bonds (or have your OL coach do this) with this crew of guys, have them for meals, spend time getting to know their goals and build a relationship which all potential candidates.
3. Know what you truly need, we NEVER (regardless the size of school that we have been at) have a full two deep, most years we have 7 game ready players a few times we have had 8 ultimately, we don't believe we have the time to train more then this to be game ready.
4. Connecting to 3 ensure you always replace your graduates, we are always looking 2 or 3 years out so that we know we lose a couple to graduation we have a boy that is near varsity ready that will be replacing him. If we have a good Senior tackle likely our best JV lineman will be a tackle or we will have our next best underclassman on the varsity start at another position but also train him as a backup to have him game ready the next year.
5. Build a culture, we had a lineman this year build our "Pancake Platoon" you earn your way into this group they have a flag they have placed over our squat rack and have "Pancake Platoon" T-Shirts it is meaningful and purposeful...
6. Teach them up, lineman can be developed with enough fundamental work, ensure you have a great teaching progression and drill progression and work it hard with enthusiasm. If they can't remember where to go on your plays you have too many plays in..... Seemingly every year I put too many in the first week I'm unhappy with execution and we start cutting them out and get better and at some point then we are able to add a couple more back in when we reach mastery level.

Couldn't agree more.  But I would also add that you better have an offensive system that takes advantage of the pluses each potential lineman offers, and diminishes the minuses.  Coach JM does a great job of evaluating his talent in the off-season, and knows where to plug his kids in come August.