Outside Back
What goes in a college outside back's highlight reel
A women's college soccer outside back's highlight reel should run 3.5–5 minutes, contain 20–24 labeled clips, and split roughly half defending and half attacking. The first 30 seconds opens with a 1v1 defensive stop against a winger and an attacking overlap or completed cross. OB recruiting fails most often because the reel shows one side of the job and the coach can't tell whether the other side exists.
Updated
Length and clip count
| Element | Target |
|---|---|
| Total length | 3:30 – 5:00 |
| Clip count | 20 – 24 |
| 1v1 defending vs winger | 4 – 6 |
| Crosses completed | 3 – 5 |
| Overlaps / underlaps | 3 – 4 |
| Recovery sprints + tackles | 3 – 4 |
| Build-out passing (or inverted touches) | 3 – 4 |
| Key passes / assists | 1 – 2 |
| Closing uncut possession (both sides of the job) | 1 (45 sec) |
The opening 30 seconds
Identifier card (3 seconds), then two clips:
- 1v1 defensive stop vs a winger (10–12 sec). She isolates the attacker, shows her down the line, wins the tackle or forces it out. The clip that proves she can defend wide one-on-one — the single most-tested OB skill at college level.
- Attacking overlap + completed cross (10–12 sec). She bursts past the winger into the attacking third and delivers a completed cross into the box. Show the run; show the cross; show a teammate receiving.
If the first 30 seconds shows "she defends wingers + she attacks the wide channel," the coach watches the rest.
If she's an inverted OB, label it
For an inverted-role OB (see inverted vs traditional), the attacking clips look different: build-out passes from a tucked-in central position, key passes from the half-space, line-breaking diagonals. Label the role on the identifier card. A reel of central touches under a "traditional outside back" label confuses the coach.
Show the matchup, not the highlight
OB clips need context the way midfielder clips do. A "great defensive play" against a slow attacker isn't a college defensive play. Pick clips where the attacker is recognisable as a competitive player (visible team color, club crest, jersey number) and the matchup is fair. Coaches read the opposition; they can tell.
The closing scene
End on one uncut 40–45 second clip that includes both halves of the job: she defends a winger, recovers, gets forward, delivers a cross or build-out pass, recovers again. The clip that proves she does both for 90 minutes.
Clip labels
- "1v1 stop · Showed down line · vs Solar SC ECNL, 04/12/26"
- "Cross completed · Whipped near post · vs Beach FC ECNL"
- "Overlap + cross · vs Slammers"
- "Recovery tackle · vs Eclipse Select"
- "Build-out · Diagonal switch 30 yards · vs SoCal Blues"
From Brava
Her reel, cut from the film you already have.
Every clip carries her jersey number, the opponent, the date and the play type, so coaches can sort fast.
See a sample profileSources
Brava editorial standards for OB reels, 2024–2026; outside back benchmarks. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Please link back to bravamade.com/research/positions/outside-back/highlight-reel-guide.