[Clinton Portis]

Thanks but no thanks GF.

[Hooligan]

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.

[Scooter]

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!

[Skinsfan55]

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

[Skinsfan55]

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!

[Clinton Portis]

[Smithian]

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.

[The Hogster]

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?

[welch]

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.

[die cowboys die]

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.

[Clinton Portis]

I'm 15, I'll be 16 when the preseason starts.

So yeah I enjoy playing QB, basically the only position I enjoy.

Sometimes when I'm playin football with my friends I'm a wide reciever mostly because I take hits, but it don't really enjoy being a wide reiciever unless I get the ball alot (which I don't). To me, being a QB is fun because you get to decide what happens, and make it happen. And if that fails you can always scramble or improvise and make things work.

So to me, that is the position I really have the most fun playing.

[Skinsfan55]

I didn't grow any more in college I was 6'2'' after high school and didn't grow any more...

I wish I had though

[Scooter]

CP, keep us posted here - some of us old guys are living vicariously through you man!

[Clinton Portis]

I'll defintly keep you guys informed on my success or failure.

Hopefully it will only be success.

[BossHog]

I only said what I said because you seemed to be asking for an opinion on whther or not a QB will generally be able to succeed at the pro level at 5'8".

Brad Banks was cut by the Redskins, and never caught on with anyone but he was a Heisman trophy candidate and there's no way that guy is any more than 5'8"-5'9".

You aren't failing as long as you're having fun bro.