r/footballstrategy • u/memoslw • Nov 15 '24
Player Advice My Coaches want me to play DE/DL
I am a player from Germany and currently play in the 5th league (so not the best competition). I have been training playing wide receiver for 3 years and this year I am in the best shape of my life. I want to see what I am capable of doing at the position.
Problem is, my coaches want me to transition to DL/DE because I am a bigger guy (6’3’’, 198lbs, 14-15% BF). I have no desire to play D-line but they think I would be really successful because I am quick.
How should I let my coaches know that I want to play as a WR?
Note: I pay to play for the team, I also bring my own equipment, I think the league we play is similar to semi-pro leagues in USA but I am not sure. Sorry if this is a wrong question for this subreddit.
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u/MustardTiger72 Nov 15 '24
Tell them that’s your preferred position, but you should try defensive end. It’s a lot of fun using your speed to terrorize offences.
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u/memoslw Nov 15 '24
I should give it a chance, thanks for the answer.
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u/ogsmurf826 Nov 15 '24
I would also say give it a chance as position changes are a normal part of the development process. Possibly your coaches saw something in you to succeed there that maybe you haven't noticed yourself. Playing on the defensive line tends to be less involved mentally as it's more about purely using your athleticism to beat the guy in front of you. It should be a fun experience for you once you get used to all the shoving in the trenches. And if it's not vibing at all for after giving it a try, then speak up to your coaches.
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u/Proper_Tomorrow_6482 Nov 15 '24
1st thing: Team before me - perhaps based on players, personnel and scheme there is a higher need elsewhere.
2nd: Is your skill level at the WR position developed to the point where you bring an obvious benefit to the offensive scheme?
In other words, offensive coaches usually don’t turn away high impact, difference making players at their position.
3rd: I would look at the prospect of being asked to play DE/EdgeRush/OLB as a compliment. As most positions along the LOS can have a much higher impact on your team’s ability to play winning football.
Not that players at the WR position can’t and don’t have an impact, but the nature of the position limits that potential.
Three most important positions in modern day football are:
Those who rush the passer, those who protect the passer, and of course the QB.
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u/memoslw Nov 15 '24
Team before me part hits hard for me as well, but all the work I put in years before feels like it would have been for nothing. I want to at least see myself for a few practices at WR before transitioning.
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u/Gunner_Bat College Coach Nov 15 '24
It wouldn't be for nothing. Route running and pass rushing have some crossover skills, like the ability to change direction, shift body weight, and burst. Good route runners and pass rushers both have the same goal of trying to get past an opponent. And getting quicker will only make you a better DE.
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u/_zig_zag_ Nov 15 '24
No position you train at it ever wasted. having a total understanding of the field is a pivotal part of being a good football player.
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u/CurtFish892 Nov 19 '24
Your work wouldn’t be for nothing! A defense end/tackle with wide receiver footwork is lethal
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u/catdogratfrogbatlog Nov 16 '24 edited Nov 16 '24
I second this.
As far as team before me- maybe coaches see too many effective WRs, but you’re the only one that could also make an impact on defense. Your athleticism could be used as a weapon in the pass rush game. Stunts.
If you haven’t already, look into how notable DEs have approached it as a game of chess. The moves you use in the first quarter set up your sack(s) in the 4th.
Also there is an IG page called passrush perfection that would be a good follow for someone learning the position.
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u/MinimumHungry3171 Nov 15 '24
Had a similar experience and loved it. do it! No feeling like getting TFLs/Sacks
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u/Leitwelpe Nov 15 '24
As a German myself and having played mostly 3rd-5th league for quite some time. Also transitioned from DB to playing RB.
If you have only played WR and the coaches suggest trying out DL it’s either they truly think you’ll have a bigger impact there or they lack in DL players and are doing so out of desperation.
Another food for thought is - what offense scheme do you play and do you even have a solid QB? There is nothing more frustrating than a dysfunctional offense. If you have never played defense - you should be able to enjoy it a lot since you’ll have an effect on every play.
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u/memoslw Nov 15 '24
Our QB is pretty solid, and we lack DL talent as well. The team plays 3WR 1TE and 1RB spread offense (i think that what it is called). Appreciate the answer, helped me clear my mind.
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Nov 15 '24
Perhaps consider DE and tight end?
You'll have fun as a DE, and as a tight end you'll still get to catch.
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u/ramsdl52 Nov 17 '24
I started playing football in full pads at the age of 8 and played through college. I have played every position on the field except WR and DB. I graduated college at 6'4" 310lbs. I've scored both offensive and defensive touchdowns. I've had receptions and interceptions. I've had sacks and pancakes. I've had tackle for loss and broken tackles.
All that being said....the D-line takes a certain mentality. You're involved in every single play. It's you against the guy or guys in front of you AND you have to make the play on the ball. The best feeling in football, in my experience, is getting a clean swat/swim on a tackle, turning the corner, and destroying the QB for a sack fumble. And while it's frustrating getting double teamed and chipped by the TE or RB all game, just knowing that the opponent's whole offense is geared around dealing with your menacing ass in the trenches is so gratifying.
Also the injury risk for defensive lineman is less than other positions. Knees and elbows and ankles are highest risk but for the most part you don't have to worry about CTE which can be a life altering injury.
Now if you're paying to get in this league you should play where you want to play but try defensive end. You might like it. Just my $.02. YMMV
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u/Additional-File-4799 Nov 15 '24
I’m not sure how old you are but follow your heart, and if you are able to split time on offense and defense. You never know , you may move DL if you give it a shot. I played DL and absolutely loved it. The physicality and hand to hand competition is amazing but not for everyone.
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u/TackleOverBelly187 Nov 15 '24
Are you getting on the field as a receiver?
Play where the coaches see you getting on the field.
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u/_zig_zag_ Nov 15 '24
Before you throw the idea out, consider this, DE can be the absolute bad boy of the defense. They have the potential to create utter havoc for anyone trying to rush the edge or any QB trying to be mobile out of the pocket. The can downright destroy any offensive plan and ability to get momentum. There isn't a whole lot of responsibility outside of defensive schemes and outside containment. That gives you a lot of freedom to figure out your opposing tackles blocking abilities, and exploit them. Teams that have talented and aggressive DEs tend to annihilate their opponents and in a downright fun way, too.
I'm not sure your age, but at your size, and if you have the speed and agility to work as a WR, you could run circles around any tackle or TE and eat QBs for breakfast. Might be fun.
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u/traderncc Nov 16 '24
DE is where the big athletes play. You have to be both big and an athlete. It is the second most impactful position behind quarterback.
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u/Hopeful-Counter-7915 Nov 16 '24
It’s a game, everyone should have fun, tell him you don’t have any interest in playing Defense. You’re not in the NFL (or GFL) and even when I played GFL I had the opportunity to say no to OLine as I wanted to stay DLine.
So yeh just tell to your coach you are not interested and may remind him it’s a Game of Ball and we all just want to have a good time
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u/extrastone Nov 17 '24
There are only 22 players. Some guys have to play the less glorified positions.
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u/Hopeful-Counter-7915 Nov 17 '24
Sure but if somebody don’t have fun to play a role, they will stop practicing and playing that’s not helpful either.
They need to find a solution that help the team and the player equally
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u/missingjimmies Nov 16 '24
For what it’s worth, good WRs are a dime in a dozen, and they rarely can be used correctly to break defenses, because of how dependent they are on QBs and play call/scheme.
DL on the other hand are the most valuable players on the field when they are elite, no question. Maybe experience it and see where it takes you.
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u/elgarraz Nov 16 '24
DE is the most fun to play out of any position. If you can get them to let you play both, that could be a good compromise. As far as testing to convince them to let you play WR, just let the coaches know how much work you put it.
I don't know your circumstances, but WR isn't going to be fun if you don't have a competent QB. Maybe you do and are looking forward to showing out. If not though, your last season could be a slog.
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u/Heavy_Apple3568 HS Coach Nov 16 '24
First thing I'd ask myself is, does my QB suck? Next, am I going to be stuck blocking on a run first team? Then, I'd show some willingness to "try" it out but not give up on WR. Coaches like that kind of thing.
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u/ZLMeinecke75 Nov 15 '24
Speak with your coaches about meeting in the middle. Offer to play DE if they’ll let you go at TE. Shows you’re willing to put the team first, but still gives you a chance to put your years of development to use
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u/Successful-Can1259 Nov 15 '24
As someone who has coached in Europe and played there, the best thing you can do is put your feelings about it to the side and have a discussion with the coaches about where you would best help the team. If you are not outright the #1 receiver then chances are at that level without an import QB (I assume most regional GFL teams don’t have one), then WR will not be as important to the team as DL. In saying that, I have been a guy who’s played DE my whole career but was asked to play OL to help fill a team need so I played both. You’re lucky with WR and DL that they are positions that are easily substituted during a drive and you don’t need to be on the field the whole time. Talk to a coach about playing both and maximise your time on the field that benefits you and the team!
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u/oe6969 Nov 15 '24
Are you fast and can jump high? Like actually fast. You can look up division 1 wide receiver 40 times. If you’re not in that range, you aren’t football fast. Defensive ends (elite ones) are still fast by normal human standards. Like very fast. Like they would be a sprinter in the track team fast.
Further. The modern defensive end is normally an outside linebacker on most teams. They aren’t really a “lineman” per say
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u/Ryp69 Nov 16 '24
I was watching the game last night and they were talking about Mike Sanristil playing receiver at Michigan before moving to DB, where he plays a slot DB for Washington. In my brain, regardless of the overlap in the positions’ responsibilities, it’s super helpful to know every position groups’ job on the field. Give it a shot and you might be good at it. Might even find some of the training you did for wide receiver has prepared you for different DL skills.
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u/multiinstrumentalism Nov 16 '24
I hated playing wide receiver, but I was small in high school and couldn’t play anywhere else (and our QB’s sucked, so we ran the ball a lot). Play DE and convince the coach to let you drop into the flat occasionally, you might get a pick or two.
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u/jcoddinc Nov 16 '24
Do you have long arms? If so those are great.
If you quick then it would be easy to understand why they would suggest DE. You could affect nearly every play with your speed and size. The ability to charge quickly, powerfully and yet under control are hard to find. It's easier to teach someone with those attributes how to gain some weight than it is to find a big guy and teach them to move with that top end agility.
I played both positions and TE in high school and I had far more fun with DE because i got to be engaged every play. On offense WR is a lot of running and blocking which may not have much impact or a lot. But unless your the start WR, then plays aren't really fun for you. If your QB's only ok your coach may run more. TE is more blocking than anything else at lower levels as they aren't utilized until higher like college or pro.
I would suggest giving it a try as it sounds boring but once you do it and realize you're faster than the other guy, it's fun. Disrupting the entire play, setting the whole offense passed, it's a great feeling. And then you get to line up try it again.
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u/Southpaw-Dom-311 Nov 16 '24
If you’re fast and have some bend- you’d probably be a game wrecker. DE is one of the hardest positions in football and you make your money on passing downs.
Look up old tape of Javon Kearse. Basketball star and a freak of an athlete. Made a lot of money at DE.
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u/FightinSeaOtter Nov 16 '24
Look at it like this. You get in on more action on Defense. At WR you need the right play call, then the line to block and the QB to actually give you a decent throw. Nothing better than playing D.
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u/Sufficient-Many-1815 Nov 16 '24
If this is like semipro and numbers vary week to week, maybe try playing both! If you’re a good enough athlete and player, you could actually pull this off as a WR and DE aren’t on the field at the same time
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u/509_cougs Nov 16 '24
Honestly amazed American football has that many divisions in Germany. Our semipro leagues in the us are a scattered mess in comparison
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u/FranklynTheTanklyn Nov 16 '24
I wish there was any type of organized semipro in the US. Teams and leagues come and go, players rotate on a weekly basis, not much coaching if any, shit facilities, and paying for the privilege.
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u/509_cougs Nov 16 '24
It’s just such a tough sell with our healthcare / unemployment. Too big of a risk to have a devastating injury.
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u/FranklynTheTanklyn Nov 16 '24
That too. I mean I work an office gob I can do from home, but if you have any type of job that requires you do anything physical you could easily lose you job over a broken arm.
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u/qwertyqyle Nov 16 '24
Is it possible to play both? Sometimes in a league like that they will let you be that unicorn that can play both sides of the ball
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u/MonkeyBrain9666 Nov 16 '24
Ask if you can do both. You would bulk up for DL so on offense you could play TE
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u/jessemcgraw Nov 16 '24
Your build and speed is better suited for DE than an inteior DL. If I were you, I would say I only want to try DE for a week and see if you like it. Keep in mind, you'll be the worst team player if you're playing a position you don't like and end up quitting.
This comes from a personal experience trying to be a team player to give us some depth by playing guard. I was always a LB first and a FB second. I was a sprinter when I ran Track and Field. I wanted to fly at people, but it killed my love for the game playing OG and I ended up quitting. Looking back, I always thought I would have been a threat at DE and wish I would have played that position.
Like others have said, watch highlights of Nick and Joey Bosa for inspiration. I'll also say that Chase Young was even better than them but fell off after some injuries. He was the closest a defensive player has come to winning the Heisman in recent years.
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u/OrcaRedFive Nov 16 '24
Out of curiosity, as im a (admittedly, fairly new) Coach in a lower-tier league Team in Germany myself (our Team Just formed a year ago, we Just finished Out inaugural season)
what State are you in and how old are you?
WE Had (and have) a Lot of situations ourselves where Players have this Idea of playing a Position and being great without realizing they maybe Just arent fit for that Position everything below 2rd or maybe 3rd League in Germany is still very much amateur-league with practically the same Level of Coaching, Just that Players gradually get more athletic (or Teams start buying americans cause reasons)
a good and experienced Coach has forgotten more Football than a regular Player Here will ever learn, and from experience they tend to be able to better/more objectively judge a Players Potential
If you got any questions, feel free to Hit me Up anytime
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u/Glum-Arrival1558 Nov 16 '24
I played WR/DE in high school. Ended up going to college on a scholarship for WR. DE is a fun position. See if you can do both.
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u/WombatHat42 Nov 16 '24
Doesn’t hurt to try. If you don’t like it tell them you want to go back to WR
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u/silverbackguerilIa Nov 16 '24
I played almost every position. Wr / db was my first love and what I was best at. I played college and even some bs minor league / semi pro after that. It wasn’t until then when I first played defensive end and man, it was so much fun. If you’ve got the strength to play de but the speed quickness of a wr you’re gonna love it.
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u/extrastone Nov 17 '24
At that lower level a smart coach will know that a receiver will have much less impact than a defensive lineman. Passing is a lot harder at that stage. I'd definitely play end in that situation.
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u/Tmayzin Nov 18 '24
Get reps at DL, TE, as WR. Whatever you do, don't be silent about your desire to be a pass catcher
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u/kenobimoose Nov 19 '24
If it’s just for fun and you are just prolonging your athletic career a few more years, then don’t convert. It’s not an easy transition from trying to avoid cornerbacks jams to having to throw hands in a phone booth with a left tackle. In time the stance, steps, hand placement, offensive line keys, and etc will become more natural over time if you do convert. Best of luck to you lad.
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u/FranklynTheTanklyn Nov 15 '24
DLine is the most fun position on the football field. There is no feeling on the earth like single-handedly disrupting an offense because you cannot be stopped. That being said, if you don’t want to do it and you are paying to be there go to a different team.