Blog about Sport

Football For Dummies, 3rd Edition________________________________________

Count: The numbers that a quarterback shouts loudly while waiting for the ball to be snapped. The quarterback informs his teammates in the huddle that the ball will be snapped on a certain count.

Counter: A running play designed to go against, or counter, the intended pursuit of the defense.

Defensive back: A member of the defensive secondary. Defensive backs form the line of defense, whose job is to prevent receivers from making catches and then making lots of yards after the catch. Safeties, cornerbacks, and nickel backs are considered to be defensive backs.

Defensive end: A defensive player who lines up at an end of the defensive line. His job is to contain any run plays to his side and prevent the quarterback from getting outside of him. On passing plays, he rushes the quarterback.

Defensive line: The defensive players who play opposite the offensive line­men. The defensive line is made up of ends, tackles, nose tackles, and under tackles. Defensive linemen disrupt the offense’s blocking assignments and are responsible for clogging certain gaps along the line of scrimmage when they aren’t in a position to make the tackle themselves.

Defensive tackle: A defensive player who lines up on the interior of the defensive line. His job is to stop the run at the line, or to shoot through the offensive line and make a tackle in the backfield. If he can’t make a play, he needs to prevent the opponent’s center and guards from running out and blocking the linebackers.

Double foul: A situation in which each team commits a foul during the same down.

Double-team: To play two defenders against one offensive player in order to prevent him from making a big play. Usually, receivers or defensive linemen are double-teamed.

Down: A period of action that starts when the ball is put into play and ends when the ball is ruled dead (meaning that the play is over). The offense gets four downs to advance the ball 10 yards. If it fails to do so, it must surrender the ball to the opponent, usually by punting on the fourth down.

Down lineman: A defensive lineman.

Draft: The selecting of mostly collegiate players for entrance into the National Football League (NFL). The draft occurs on a weekend in late April. The NFL team with the preceding season’s worst record selects first, and the Super Bowl champion selects last. Each team is awarded one selection per round, and there are seven rounds.

__________________________________Appendix: Football Speak

Draw: A disguised run, which means that it initially looks like a pass play. The offensive linemen retreat like they’re going to pass-protect for the quarterback. The quarterback drops back and, instead of setting up to pass, he turns and hands the ball to a running back.

End zone: A 10-yard-long area at both ends of the field — the promised land for a football player. A player in possession of the football scores a touch­down when he crosses the plane of the goal line and enters the end zone. If you’re tackled in your own end zone while in possession of the football, the defensive team gets a safety.

Extra point: A kick, worth one point, that’s typically attempted after every touchdown (it’s also known as the point after touchdown, or PAT). The ball is placed on the 2-yard line in the NFL, or the 3-yard line in college or high school, and generally is kicked from the 10-yard line. It must sail between the uprights and above the crossbar of the goalpost to be considered good. See Two-point conversion.

Fair catch: When the player returning a punt waves his extended arm from side to side over his head. After signaling for a fair catch, a player can’t run with the ball, and those attempting to tackle him can’t touch him.

Field goal: A kick, worth three points, that can be attempted from anywhere on the field but usually is attempted within 40 yards of the goalpost. The kick must sail above the crossbar and between the uprights of the goalpost to be considered good. On missed field goals from inside the 20-yard line, the defense takes over at the 20-yard line. On misses outside the 20, the defense takes possession from the spot of the kick (NFL) or the previous line of scrim­mage (college and high school).

First down: A team begins every possession of the ball with a first down. The offense must gain 10 yards or more (in four downs) to be awarded another first down. Teams want to earn lots of first downs because doing so means that they’re moving the ball toward the opponent’s end zone. See Down.

Flanker: A player who catches passes, also known in more general terms as a wide receiver. In an offensive formation, he usually lines up outside the tight end, off the line of scrimmage.

Flat: The area of the field between the hash marks and the sideline and in close proximity to the line of scrimmage. A pass, generally to a running back, in this particular spot is described as a flat pass.

Formation: A predetermined setup (or alignment) that the offense or defense uses.

Football For Dummies, 3rd Edition________________________________________

Foul: Any violation of a playing rule.

Franchise player: In the NFL’s current collective bargaining agreement, a player who’s designated by his team and must be paid the average salary of the top five players at his position. Football reporters also use this term to describe a superstar player who’s invaluable to his team.

Free agency: An open signing period, usually beginning in mid-February, during which an NFL team can sign any unrestricted player who’s without a contract.

Free safety: A defensive player who lines up the deepest in the secondary. He defends the deep middle of the field and seldom has man-to-man responsi­bilities. A coach wants this player free to read the quarterback and take the proper angle to break up or intercept any forward pass thrown over the middle or deep to the sidelines.

Fullback: An offensive player who lines up in the offensive backfield and gen­erally is responsible for blocking for the running back and also pass-blocking to protect the quarterback. Fullbacks also serve as short-yardage runners.

Fumble: When any offensive player loses possession of the football during a play. The ball can simply drop from his hands or accidentally pop free by the force of a tackle. Either the offense (if they’re lucky) or the defense (if they aren’t) can recover the fumble.

Gap: The open space (also called a split) between players along the line of scrimmage when they are aligned. For example, there’s a wide gap between the offensive guard and tackle.

Goalpost: The poles constructed in a U-shape at the rear of each end zone through which teams score field goals and extra points.

Guard: A member of the offensive line. There are two guards on every play, and they line up on either side of the offensive center. The guards protect the quarterback from an inside rush; they block defenders immediately over them and also swing out and run toward either end, looking to block any defender when the ball carrier runs wide.

Halfback: An offensive player who lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Also known as a running back or tailback.

Handoff: The act of giving the ball to another player. Handoffs usually occur between the quarterback and a running back.

__________________________________Appendix: Football Speak

Hang time: The seconds in which a punted ball remains in the air. If the punt travels 50 yards and is in the air for more than four seconds, that’s very good hang time.

Hash marks: The two rows of lines near the center of the field that signify 1 yard on the field. Before every play, the ball is marked between or on the hash marks, depending on where the ball carrier was tackled on the preced­ing play.

Holder: The player who catches the snap from the center and places it down for the placekicker to kick. A holder is used on field goal and extra point attempts.

Hole number: The offensive coaching staff gives a number to each gap or space between the five offensive linemen and the tight end. The players, particularly the running backs, then know which hole they should attempt to run through.

Huddle: When the 11 players on the field come together to discuss strategy between plays. On offense, the quarterback relays the plays in the huddle. On defense, the captain, generally a linebacker or secondary player, relays the coach’s instructions for the proper alignment and how to defend the expected play.

Hurry-up offense: An offensive strategy that’s designed to gain as much yardage as possible and then stop the clock. It’s generally used in the final two minutes of a half when time is running out on the offense. The offense breaks the huddle quicker and runs to line up in the proper formation, hoping to get off as many plays as possible. Sometimes, teams don’t huddle at all. Offenses tend to pass in the hurry-up, and receivers are instructed to try to get out of bounds, thus stopping the clock.

I formation: An offensive formation that looks like an “I” because the two running backs line up directly behind the quarterback.

Incompletion: A forward pass that falls to the ground because no receiver could catch it, or a pass that a receiver dropped or caught out of bounds. After an incompletion, the clock stops and the ball is returned to the same line of scrimmage.

Interception: A pass that’s caught by a defensive player, and thus stolen from the offense.

Key: Either a specific player or a shift in a particular offensive formation that serves as a clue to a defensive player. From studying a team’s tendencies, he immediately knows which play they will attempt to run and to what direction.

Football For Dummies, 3rd Edition________________________________________

Kick: A play that occurs after a team is awarded a safety. This term is some­times used to refer to a placekicker’s attempt to kick a field goal or extra point.

Kickoff: A free kick that puts the ball into play at the start of the first and third periods and after every touchdown and field goal.

Lateral: A backward or sideways pass thrown from one offensive player to another. A lateral isn’t considered a forward pass, so players can lateral to one another beyond the line of scrimmage.

Line of scrimmage: The imaginary boundary between the two teams prior to the snap of the ball. The offense’s and defense’s scrimmage lines are defined by the tip of the ball closest to them and stretch from sideline to sideline. The defensive team usually lines up less than a yard away from where the ball is placed.

Linebacker: A defensive player who lines up behind the defensive linemen and generally is regarded as one of the team’s best tacklers. Depending on the formation, most teams employ either three or four linebackers on every play. Linebackers often have the dual role of defending the run and the pass.

Man-to-man coverage: Pass coverage in which every potential offensive receiver is assigned to a particular defender. Each defensive player must stick to his receiver like glue and make sure that he doesn’t catch a pass thrown in his direction.

Motion: When an offensive receiver or running back begins to move laterally behind the line of scrimmage — once his teammates have assumed a ready stance and are considered set — he is in motion. This motion can’t be for­ward, and only one player is allowed to move at a time.

Neutral zone: The area between the two lines of scrimmage, stretching from sideline to sideline. The width of this area is defined by length of the football. Other than the center, no player can be in the neutral zone prior to the snap; otherwise, an encroachment or violation of the neutral zone (offside) penalty is called.

Nickel back: An extra defensive back who’s used in some defensive formations.

Nose tackle: The defensive player (also called a nose guard) who lines up directly across from the center, or “nose to nose” with him. His job is to defend the middle of the offense against a running play.

Offensive line: The human wall of five men who block for and protect the quarterback and ball carriers. Every line has a center (who snaps the ball), two guards, and two tackles. Teams that run a lot may employ a blocking tight end, too, who’s also considered part of the offensive line.

__________________________________Appendix: Football Speak

Offensive pass interference: A penalty in which, in the judgment of the official, the intended receiver significantly hinders a defensive player’s opportunity to catch a forward pass.

Officials: The men in the striped shirts who officiate the game and call the penalties. Their decisions are final.

Offside: A player is offside when any part of his body is beyond his line of scrimmage or the free kick line when the ball is snapped.

Off-tackle: A strong-side run, meaning that the running back heads toward the end of the line where the tight end, the extra blocker, lines up. The runner wants to take advantage of the hole supplied by the tackle, the tight end, and his running mate, the fullback. He can take the ball either outside the tackle or around the tight end. He hopes that the fullback will block the outside line­backer, giving him room to run.

Option: When a quarterback has the choice — the option — to either pass or run. The option is more common in high school and college football, where quarterbacks may be excellent runners.

Overtime: Extra playing time tacked on to the end of the game to decide a game that’s tied at the end of regulation play. In the NFL, the first team to score in overtime wins the game.

Pass interference: A judgment call made by an official who sees a defensive player make contact with the intended receiver before the ball arrives, thus restricting his opportunity to catch the forward pass. The penalty awards the offensive team the ball at the spot of the foul with an automatic first down. (In college, pass interference is a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down.) See Offensive pass interference.

PAT: See Extra point.

Pigskin: A slang term for the football, which is actually made of leather, not pigskin.

Pitch: The act of the quarterback tossing the ball to a running back who’s moving laterally away from him toward either end of the line of scrimmage.

Placekicker: The player who kicks the ball on kickoffs, extra point attempts, and field goal attempts. Unlike a punter, a placekicker either uses a tee or kicks the ball while it’s being held by a teammate.

Play-action pass: A pass play that begins with the quarterback faking a hand-off to a running back while he’s dropping back to pass. The quarterback hopes that the defense falls for the fake and doesn’t rush him.

Football For Dummies, 3rd Edition________________________________________

Pocket: An area that extends from a point 2 yards outside of either offensive tackle and includes the tight end if he drops off the line of scrimmage to pass-protect. The pocket extends longitudinally behind the line back to the offen­sive team’s own end line.

Point after touchdown (PAT): See Extra point.

Possession: When a player maintains control of the ball while clearly touch­ing both feet, or any other part of his body other than his hand(s), to the ground inbounds. A team is also considered in possession of the ball when­ever it has the ball on offense. A team’s possession ends when it scores, turns over the ball, punts the ball, or when a half of the game ends.

Post: A forward pass that the quarterback throws down the center of the field as the intended receiver attempts to line up with the goalpost.

Punt: A kick made when a player (the punter) drops the ball and kicks it while it falls toward his foot. A punt is usually made on a fourth down. The farther it flies from the line of scrimmage, the better.

Punter: The lone player who stands 10 to 12 yards behind the line of scrim­mage, catches the long snap from the center, and then kicks the ball after dropping it toward his foot. Occasionally, the same player punts and kicks.

Quarterback: The offensive player who receives the ball from the center at the start of each play. Usually, the quarterback is the leader of his team. He informs his teammates in the huddle of the play that will be run and then hands the ball to a running back or throws to a receiver after the ball is snapped to him.

Receiver: See Wide receiver.

Red zone: The unofficial area from the 20-yard line to the opponent’s goal line. Holding an opponent to a field goal in this area is considered a moral victory by the defense.

Redshirt: A player who skips a year of eligibility to gain another year of physi­cal maturity or due to injury or academic trouble. For example, a redshirt freshman is a player who’s in his second year of school but is playing his first season of football. Players have four years of eligibility and five years in which to use them, so they can be redshirted only once.

Return: To catch the ball after a punt, kickoff, fumble, or interception and run it back toward your own end zone.

__________________________________Appendix: Football Speak

Reverse: A play in which the running back receives a handoff from the quar­terback and then runs laterally behind the line of scrimmage before handing off to a receiver or flanker running toward him.

Route: The prescribed direction and exact distance, coupled with specific physical movements, that a receiver follows when he runs from the line of scrimmage for a forward pass. Every receiver has a route that he must run on a particular play.

Running back: An offensive player who runs with the football. Running backs also are referred to as tailbacks, halfbacks, fullbacks, and wingbacks, Depend­ing on their exact responsibilities.

Rushing: To advance the ball by running, not passing. A running back is sometimes called a rusher.

Sack: To tackle the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage, resulting in a loss of down and yardage.

Safety: A two-point score by the defense that occurs when one of its players tackles an opponent in possession of the ball in his own end zone.

Salary cap: The maximum amount of money that a team can spend on player salaries in a given year under a formula that includes base salaries, prorated portions of signing bonuses, and likely-to-be-earned incentives. The salary cap figure is a league-wide number that every team must use. The cap is increased each year.

Scheme: A slang term used to describe offensive and defensive formations and the overall strategy for using such formations.

Screen pass: A forward pass in which at least two offensive linemen run wide to a specific side of the field and then turn and block upfield for a running back who takes a short pass from the quarterback.

Secondary: The four defensive players who line up behind the linebackers and wide on the corners of the field opposite the receivers and defend the pass. These defensive players, who are called defensive backs, are separated into safeties, cornerbacks, and, occasionally, nickel backs.

Shotgun: A passing formation in which the quarterback stands 5 to 7 yards behind the center before the snap. This setup enables the quarterback to scan the defense while standing back from the line of scrimmage.

Football For Dummies, 3rd Edition________________________________________

Sidelines: The sides of the field along its long part, where players, coaches, trainers, and the media stand. These areas aren’t part of the actual playing field; they’re considered out of bounds.

Single-wing formation: An offensive formation devised by legendary coach Pop Warner in 1906 after rules outlawed helping the ball carrier advance the ball by pulling or pushing him.

Slant: A run play in which the runner slants his angle forward after receiving the ball rather than running straight toward the line of scrimmage.

Snap: The action in which the ball is thrown by the center to the quarterback, to the holder on a kick attempt, or to the punter.

Special teams: The 22 players who are on the field during kicks and punts. These units have special players who return punts and kicks, and also play­ers who are experts at covering kicks and punts. Most teams have special units to block field goal and extra point attempts as well.

Spiral: The tight spin on the ball in flight after the quarterback releases it. The term “tight spiral” is often used to describe a solidly thrown football.

Split end: A player who catches passes. This player is also known in more general terms as a wide receiver. In an offensive formation, the split end usu­ally lines up on the line of scrimmage to the opposite side of the formation from the tight end.

Stance: The position that any player assumes prior to the snap of the ball and after he’s aligned.

Strong safety: A defensive player who generally lines up in the secondary, but often aligns close to the line of scrimmage. In most defenses, this player lines up over the tight end and is responsible for both playing the pass and sup­porting the run.

Strong side: The side of the offensive formation where the tight end aligns. With a right-handed quarterback, the strong side is usually to his right side.

Stunt: A maneuver by two defensive linemen in which they alter their course to the quarterback, hoping to confuse the offensive linemen and maximize their strengths. In most stunts, one defensive lineman sacrifices himself in hopes of his teammate either going unblocked or gaining a physical advan­tage in his pursuit.

Substitution: The act of a player (called a substitute) running onto the play­ing field, replacing another player.

__________________________________Appendix: Football Speak

Subway alumni: First used to describe the many New York City fans who followed Notre Dame football. The term has since evolved into a description of followers of any college team who didn’t attend or graduate from that institution.

Sweep: A fairly common run in every team’s playbook. It begins with two or more offensive linemen leaving their stances and running toward the outside of the line of scrimmage. The ball carrier takes a handoff from the quarter­back and runs parallel to the line of scrimmage, waiting for his blockers to lead the way around the end.

Tackle: To use your hands and arms to bring down an offensive player who has the ball. Tackle also refers to a position on both the defensive and offen­sive lines. Offensive tackles are outside blockers on the line of scrimmage, whereas on defense the tackles are in the inside position, generally opposite the offensive guards.

Tailback: An offensive player whose primary role is to carry the ball. Also known as a running back or halfback.

Takeaway: How a defense describes any possession in which it forces a fumble and recovers the ball or registers an interception. Any turnover that the defense collects is called a takeaway.

Tight end: An offensive player who serves as a big receiver and also a blocker. Unlike a wide receiver, this player lines up beside the offensive tackle either to the right or to the left of the quarterback. See Strong side.

Touchback: A situation in which the ball is ruled dead behind a team’s own goal line, provided that the impetus came from an opponent and provided that it isn’t a touchdown or a missed field goal. After a touchback, the ball is spotted on the offense’s 20-yard line.

Touchdown: A situation in which any part of the ball, while legally in the pos­session of a player who is inbounds, goes on or beyond the plane of the opponent’s goal line. A touchdown is worth six points.

Turnover: A loss of the ball via a fumble or interception.

Two-minute warning: The signal that two minutes remain in the half.

Two-point conversion: After a touchdown, scoring two points with a pass or run instead of kicking through the field goal to score one point in an extra-point try.

Football For Dummies, 3rd Edition________________________________________

Veer: A quick-hitting run in which the ball is handed to either running back, whose routes are determined by the slant or charge of the defensive linemen. The term Veer Comes from the back veering away from the defense.

Weak side: The side of the offense opposite the side on which the tight end lines up.

Wide receiver: An offensive player who uses his speed and quickness to elude defenders and catch the football, but who isn’t expected to perform dirty deeds like blocking and tackling. Wide receivers also are known as pass catchers.

Zone coverage: Coverage in which the secondary and linebackers drop away from the line of scrimmage into specific areas when defending a pass play. Zone means that the players are defending areas, not specific offensive players.

Appendix

Part VII: The Part of Tens___________________________________________

________________Chapter 25: The Ten Most Intense College Football Rivalries

To motivate his players. Prior to 1920, Harvard and Yale were football power­houses. In the years 1875 to 1920, these teams earned 25 national champi­onships between them, with the Harvard-Yale game often deciding the national champion.

Part VII: The Part of Tens___________________________________________