Coach Jim's Corner

You're never too old to learn more about the game of football, it is an ever evolving sport. If you think you know it all... you don't! What we've done here is try to put together a glossary of terms and ideas to help the "newbie" better understand the game of football. First is a general idea of the game; the playing field, a list of "teams" or "units", and a brief description of what each one does, followed by the alphabetical glossary list of football terms.

» Jump To Alphabetical Menu (Glossary of Football Terminology and Definitions)

General Football

The Playing Field

The football field is a rectangle 120 yards long and 53 1/3 yards wide. The 50 yard line is the center of the field running side to side. The interior hash marks are the dashed lines near the center of the field running the length of the field from goal line to goal line.

The football field is a rectangle 120 yards long and 53 1/3 yards wide, defined by sidelines running the length of the field and endlines running the width. There is a goal line ten yards in from each end line and parallel to it. The two goal lines are thus 100 yards (90 m) apart. The area of the field between the goal lines is called the field of play. At each end of the field, the end zone is the area between the goal line and the end line.

Within the field of play, additional markings include yard markers, as well as inbound lines (also called interior hash marks, running the length of the field near the center of the field), every yard the length of the field. The inbound lines (hash marks), which are short lines perpendicular to the yard markers, differ in distance from the sidelines at each main level of the game:

• NFL: 70¾ feet (21½ m) from the sidelines; this means that the hash marks are separated from one another by the width of the goalposts.
• College: 60 feet (18¼ m) from the sidelines.
• High school: 53 1/3 feet (16¼ m) from the sidelines, dividing the field into thirds.

When a play stops (someone is tackled) inside the interior hash marks (the dashed lines near the center of the field), the ball is placed where the person was tackled to start the next play. If the play stops outside the interior hash marks (nearer the sidelines), the ball is placed where the person was tackled, but on the nearest hash mark, closer to the center of the field. This is to keep play running down the center of the field, not too close to the sideline.

Every 5 yards (4.5 m), the yard markers run the width of the field, and every 10 yards, they are marked by numbers indicating the distance, in yards, from the nearest goal line. The absolute center line of the field is the 50 yard line.

At the center of each end line is a set of goal posts, which have two upright posts extending above a crossbar. The distance between upright posts is 18½ feet in general and 23 1/3 feet in high schools (5½ m, 7 m), and the top of the crossbar is 10 feet (3 m) above the ground. Goal posts are usually white or yellow.

Number of Players on the Field

Opposing teams play 11 versus 11 on the playing field at one time. More than 11 players on the field when play begins results in a penalty against that team. Breaking the huddle with more than 11 players results in a penalty against that team. Too many players on the field is a 5-yard penalty against that team.

Teams or Units on the Field

Kickoff and Kickoff Receiving Teams

The game begins by the "Kickoff Team" lining up across the field, kicking the ball off the kicking tee to the "Kickoff Receiving Team". The "Kickoff Receiving Team" usually will have 5 or 6 players on the front line, 3 or 4 players mid-depth, and 2 players deep (closest their own goal line) to receive the kick.

Once the ball is kicked and travels 10-yards toward the "Kickoff Receiving Team", it is considered a "live ball" and is anyone's ball at this point. The "Kickoff Receiving Team" tries to field the ball and return it back up the field as far as possible.

Usually the "Kickoff Receiving Team" will call a "return right", "return left", or "return middle". The object of this is for the players on the first 2 lines (front line and mid line of the receiving team) to set set up a wall of blockers (right, left, or middle) to try to maximize the return yardage, optimally all the way back for a touchdown. Occasionally the "Kickoff Receiving Team" will run what is called a "reverse"... that is, the blockers form a wall right or left and the deep player that receives the ball will run that way (to fool the Kickoff Team) and then hand the ball off to the other deep kickoff receiver going the other way.

It is the responsibility of the "Kickoff Team" to stay in their "Lanes" while running down the field to try and tackle the deep receivers. If the "Kickoff Team" is not disciplined enough to stay in their "Lane", the reverse can be very effective for the "Kickoff Receiving Team" (as in the Kickoff Team bought the fake and were caught out of position). When I say "Lane", think of it as about an 8-yard wide column running the length of the field that each "Kickoff Team" player is responsible for. If the "Kickoff Team" players are disciplined enough to stay in their lanes and NOT chase the ball carrier to the side, the reverse is usually rendered ineffective.

Offensive Unit

This is the "X's and O's" of an Offensive Play drawn up on paper. The numbers in red are the "holes" (2,4,6,8 to the right side - 1,3,5,7 to the left side). The red horizontal line represents the "line of scrimmage", where the ball is put in play. In this illustration the left back in the backfield is the "3" back, the right back (in black) is the "4" back. The play is "Pro Right Slot 46". This mean that the strong side is to the right, one of the receivers lines up in the "slot" (the 6 hole in this case, to help block), and the quarterback takes the snap and hands off to the "4" back running through the "6" hole on the right side of the offensive line. In the huddle the quarterback calls the play and what the snap count is (on "1" or on "2" for example). All of the Offensive Players must memorize these plays in order to know their responsibility for any given play and for the offense to function well.

The Offense runs "plays" against the defense. These plays can be run from any number of "formations" (how the players line up). THE OFFENSE MUST HAVE 7 PLAYERS LINED UP ON THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE, AND 4 IN THE BACKFIELD, regardless of the formation. All of the offensive players have specific assignments for each play called. The offensive linemen block specific defenders, the backs run through specific slots (holes), the receivers run specific routes. The offense uses brawn and trickery to either out-muscle the defense or trick them. The quarterback may fake a handoff to fool the defense and run the other way. That is just one example.

Offensive Line

The Offensive Line is usually "the beef" of the offense, the biggest heaviest players. The "Center" is... in the center of the line, he is the player that "snaps" or "hikes" the ball to the Quarterback. On either side of the center is the "Guards" (right and left). The Guards are usually not quite as big as the Tackles and are usually quicker than the Tackles. Outside of the Guards are the "Tackles", often the biggest players on the field, period.

Is is the job of the Offensive Line to block the Defense Line, either charging out and knocking the Defensive Linemen out of the way if it is a running play (making a "hole" in the defensive line), or holding their ground and not letting the Defensive Linemen get past them if it is a pass play. In the case of a pass play, Offensive Linemen are not allowed to catch a pass, nor allowed to go more than 4 yards downfield, they must remain within 4 yards past the line of scrimmage (where the ball is snapped from) or any distance behind the line of scrimmage. When the ball is snapped there must be 7 players lined up on the line of scrimmage (linemen and receivers), and 4 players in the backfield (behind the line of scrimmage). Once the offensive line is set, they cannot move or it is a penalty of 5-yards. Players in the backfield may move around, but only 1 may be moving when the ball is snapped, he may be moving parallel to the line of scrimmage or away from the line of scrimmage, but not toward the line of scrimmage. In Canadian and Arena football moving toward the line of scrimmage is allowed... but not in "standard" American rules football (NFL, NCAA, High School, Pop Warner, etc).

Offensive Backfield

The Offensive Backfiled consists of the quarterback and the running backs. They must be lined up behind the line of scrimmage when the play begins. Most offensive formations have 1 or 2 players lined up behind the quarterback, and/or 1 or 2 players lined up wide to the outside on the right or left that act as receivers (wide receivers). The running backs are usually quick and tough, as they are called upon a lot in the game to run the ball and get hit while being tackled, or they act as blockers, depending on the play called.

Defensive Unit

More Coming Soon!

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

» A «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

AUDIBLE: An audible is a play called by the quarterback at the line of scrimmage which changes the play that was previously called in the huddle; a change of plans in game play, just before the ball goes into play. Also called an automatic.

AUTOMATIC: See audible, above.

» B «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

BALANCED LINE: A formation with an equal number of linemen on either side of the center.

BIRDCAGE: The facemask donned by linemen which has extra vertical and horizontal bars.

BLIND SIDE: The side opposite the side the player is looking towards.

BLITZ: An all-out run by linebackers and defensive backs, charging through the offensive line in an effort to sack the quarterback before he can hand off the ball, or pass it. Also called red dogging.

BOOTLEG: The quarterback fakes a hand-off to backs going one way while goes the other way to run or pass.

BLOCK: To contact your opponent, with any part of the body. There are various types of blocks, such as the basic block (which involves chest to chest contact), the shoulder block (which, obviously, involves using one's shoulder to contact), the scramble or reach block (designed to tangle up an oncoming opponent who is playing outside of your position), and pass blocking (delaying the oncoming defensive line to allow your quarterback to act).

BUTTONHOOK: A pass route in which the receiver heads straight downfield, then abruptly turns back toward the line of scrimmage.

» C «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

CANADIAN FOOTBALL: Similar to American football,but with some differences, including different field size and scoring. For more information, see our guide to the rules of football.

CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE(CFL):Canada's equivalent of the NFL; the association of Canadian professional football teams from various cities in that nation.

CENTER: An offensive line position at the center of the line of scrimmage. The center snaps the ball to the quarterback or punter.

CHAIN CREW (CHAIN GANG): Three assistants to the officials whose job it is to handle the first down measuring chain and the down box.

CHEAP SHOT: A deliberate foul or other violent act against an unsuspecting player.

CHECK OFF: Calling an audible.

CHOP BLOCK: A delayed block at the knees or below against an opponent who is in contact with a teammate of the blocker.

CLIPPING: Blocking an opponent from behind, typically at leg level. Clipping is a foul, with a 15-yard penalty.

CLOTHESLINE: A foul. To clothesline is to strike another player across the face with one's extended arm.

COACH: The trainer of the team who also formulates offensive and defensive strategy. In professional football there is a head coach assisted by several other coaches specializing in certain areas of training, such as offense, defense, strength training, etc.

COFFIN CORNER: One of the four corners of the field. A punter often tries to kick the ball out of bounds near a coffin corner to stop the other team from returning the ball, and make them put the ball back into play close to their own goal-line.

COIN TOSS: Before the start of the game, the quarterback of the visiting team calls heads or tails of a coin flipped by the referee. The winning team kicks off; the loser chooses which goal to defend.

COMPLETION: A legally caught pass.

CONTACT SPORT: Any sport involving physical contact between players. Football is a contact sport, as are hockey, boxing, and soccer.

CONVERSION: See Point After Touchdown.

CORNERBACK: A defensive backfield player, almost as deep into the backfield as the safety. There are two cornerbacks. Their job is to tackle runners and intercept passes.

COVER: To defend a position or location on the field.

CRACKBACK: Done incorrectly will result in a foul. Blocking by an offensive player (usually a Split End or Wide Receiver) who comes from the outside (nearer the sideline) of the offensive line, back to the middle to block a player from the side... usually against a linebacker. Crackbacks usually occur on sweeps, and the block is intended to "seal" the defender on the inside, keeping the defender from getting outside on the perimeter to pursue a play. Crackback blocks must be made above the waist to be legal, and the offensive player's head must be on the front (chest) side of the defender being blocked. Not blocking on the side or the front of the defender will result in a 15 yard penalty. Crackback blocks are often the most violent hits during the game as the defender may not even see the blocker coming. They do not have to be crushing blocks to be effective however, the blocker simply needs to keep the defender from getting outside.

CURL/CURL IN: A maneuver where the receiver runs downfield before turning back to run towards the line of scrimmage.

CUT: To suddenly change direction to lose a pursuing player. Also, to drop a prospective player from the team roster.

» D «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

DEAD BALL: A ball that is no longer in play, that is, a ball that is not held by a player or loose from a kick, fumble, or pass.

DEFENSE: The team defending their goal line. The defense does not have the ball; rather, they attempt to keep the offense from passing or running the ball over their (the defense's) goal line.

DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD: The area or players behind the defensive linemen. The defensive backfield is the last line of defense against the offense. There are two safeties, two cornerbacks, and three or four linebackers in the defensive backfield.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: The players whose job it is to rush the quarterback in an effort to sack him, or, if another player has the ball, to block him and prevent the opposing team from gaining yardage.

DELAY OF GAME: A delay caused by a team using or requesting excessive time-outs, given a 5 yard penalty.

DOWN: An offensive play, starting with a center snap and ending when the ball is dead. The offense gets four downs to gain ten yards. If they gain that before using all four downs, they get a first down and another four downs to gain another ten yards. Each time they gain ten yards, the team is at their first down again, needing another ten yards(first and ten) within the next four downs, or plays.

DOWN AND IN: A maneuver where the receiver runs straight downfield, then suddenly cuts toward the middle of the field.

DOWN AND OUT: The opposite of the above maneuver. In a down and out, the receiver runs downfield then turns out, toward the sideline.

DOWN BOX (DOWN INDICATOR): A seven-foot metal rod, on the end of which are four cards (numbered 1 to 4), used to keep track of the number of the down being played.

DRAFT: The selection of new players into the pro ranks. Teams doing poorly are allowed to choose before those doing well, from among the various top college players.

DRAW PLAY: A fake pass which ends with one of the backs carrying the ball after the defensive linemen are "drawn" in on the pass rush.

» E «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

ELIGIBLE: An offensive player who is able (by the rules) to catch a forward pass; eligible to receive the pass.

ENCROACH: Contacting an opposing player before the snap. Encroaching is illegal, with a five-yard penalty.

END: An offensive lineman on the very end of the line of scrimmage (there are two, one on each end of the line). The ends block defensive linemen to open up holes for the runner, and guard the quarterback. On professional teams, the end on the right side is referred to as a 'tight' end, as he lines up close to the tackle. The end on the left side is out farther to go out for passes, and is called a wide receiver.

END LINE: The very end of the field, in either direction. There are two end lines (one at each end of the field).

END ZONE: The area between the goal lines and the end lines; the last ten yards at either end of the field.

EXTRA POINTS: After scoring a touchdown, a team can earn one more point by making a successful place-kick.

» F «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

FACE MASK: See fouls. Also, the mask itself, worn by the players.

FAIR CATCH: When there is a punt, and a receiver is going to catch the ball and signals that he will not advance after catching it (by raising his hand just before the catch), this is a fair catch. Also, players may not tackle the receiver making the fair catch.

FIELD GOAL: When a place-kick goes through the goalpost (over the crossbar and between the upright bars), three points are earned as a field goal.

FIELD POSITION: The ball's location on the field.

FIRST AND TEN: See down.

FLAG FOOTBALL: Similar to most other forms of football, but with typically six to nine players, with tackling not permitted. Instead, a flag carried on each side of the player's belt must be plucked to constitute a tackle.

FLANKER: An offensive player on the right or left side of the formation. A flanker usually plays as a receiver and is split out wider than a wingback.

FLAT:The field on either side of the formation.

FLOOD: An attempt to swamp the opposition or an area of the field with sheer numbers of players.

FORMATION: The arrangement of the players at the beginning of each play. There are several formations. Some of the most common are the punt formation, I formation, T formation, and wishbone formation. These are generally named for the shape of the formation. For instance, an I formation involves two running backs in a line (I-shaped) behind the quarterback, and was invented by college coach Tom Nugent in the 1950s. The wishbone formation has the two half-backs on each side of the full-back set back a few yards as opposed to the T formation in which all three backs are in a line parallel to the line of scrimmage.

FORWARD PASS: Throwing of the ball "forward", or in the direction of advancement (towards the opponents' goal).

FOUL: A breaking of the rules. Common fouls are holding (grasping an opponent, unless the opponent has the ball), personal fouls (tripping an opponent or striking an opponent with one's hand, knee, or head), interference (a defensive player contacting a receiver to stop the completion of a pass or kick by contacting the player before he has the ball), clipping (pushing an opponent in the back), and face mask (grabbing an opponent's face mask).

FREE AGENT: A professional athlete who is not constrained to deal with one team. Rather, a free agent may sign with any team he or she chooses.

FREE SAFETY: One of the two defensive backs deepest in the field who isn't assigned a particular area or player to cover and is thus "free"' to follow the play anywhere it goes and generally must be a solid pass defender. Also, see Strong Safety.

FREEZE: Holding onto the ball for along time without scoring or attempting to score, to freeze the ball.

FRONT FOUR: The players defensive front line; made up of two ends and two tackles.

FULLBACK: A member of the offense, whose job it is to block for the halfback and quarterback, but he also runs the ball, and receives passes. The name derives from the fact that in an I formation the Fullback is the furthest back, or a full way back. See quarterback and halfback to further clarify.

FUMBLE: A ball that is dropped while in play.

» G «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

GAME BALL: The ball given to a winning team's player or coach considered to have most contribution to their win (supposed to be the ball or a ball the game was played with).

GOAL LINE: The line over which the ball must pass to score a touchdown. There are two, one at each end of the field, ten yards from the ends of the field.

GOAL-LINE STAND: Making a stand against the opposition at or near one's goal-line in a very tough defensive effort.

GRIDIRON: Another name for the football field itself.

GUARD: An offensive lineman. There are two guards, one on either side of the center, whose job it is to guard the quarterback.

» H «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

HAIL MARY: The quarterback throwing the ball up in the air without really targeting any particular receiver, hoping someone on his side catches it. Typically done when the quarterback's about to get sacked!

HANG TIME: The time a punt remains in the air.

HALFBACK: Also referred to as Tailback or Running back. A member of the offense, whose job it is to run the ball, receive passes, and block for a teammate running the ball. The name derives from the fact that in an I formation the Halfback is half way between the Quarterback and the Fullback, or half the way back. See Quarterback and Fullback to further clarify.

HAND OFF: Quite literally what it says: to hand the ball off to a teammate.

HASH MARKS: These marks divide the field into thirds. Whenever the ball becomes dead on or outside one of these marks, it is placed on its respective hash mark.

HITCH AND GO: A maneuver where a runner goes downfield to catch a pass, fakes a quick turn (as if to catch), then continues downfield for a deeper pass.

HOLDER: The player who holds the ball during a place kick.

HOLDING: Keeping another player from advancing by literally holding him back with one's hand(s). Usually illegal.

HOTDOG: A player who uses theatrics and "hams it up" for the camera. Sound like anyone in the NFL?

HUDDLE: The action of the players grouping together to plan the next play(s). As a noun, the group itself.

» I «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

'I' FORMATION: See formation.

ILLEGAL MOTION: Movement by an offensive player before the snap. Illegal motion is, obviously, illegal, and gets a five-yard penalty.

ILLEGAL PROCEDURE: Used to indicate a number of infractions, including an illegal snap, having less than seven players on the offense's line of scrimmage, and taking more than two steps after making a fair catch.

INCOMPLETE: A forward pass that is not caught or intercepted.

INTENTIONAL GROUNDING: The quarterback purposefully throwing the ball out of bounds or into the ground to avoid throwing a bad pass (which might be intercepted). Intentional grounding can be difficult to call, but a referee may assign the offending team a five yard penalty and the lose of their down!.

INTERCEPTION: The catching of a forward pass by the defense (this turns the defense suddenly into the offense).

INTERFERENCE: There is offensive interference, when blockers run in front of a running back, and defensive interference (or defensive pass interference), when a pass defender interferes with a receiver trying to catch the ball while the defender could not catch the ball himself (intercept). For example, a defender with his back to the ball who sees the receiver he's covering readying to catch the ball and then waves his arms in front of the receiver to distract him is interfering with the pass. Defense interference is an infraction of the rules.

» K «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

KEY: Watching a player to try and see the direction in which he is going to be moving. A player may make small movements such as foot placement, etc., that can give away his next move to an observant player who is keying him.

KICK: Attempting to score a point or field goal after touchdown by kicking the ball.

KICKING GAME: The game strategy revolving around punting and place-kicking.

KICKOFF: The kicking team (determined by the winner of the coin toss) kicks the ball from the free kick line (the 35-yard line in pro football, the 40-yard line in high school and college). This is the kickoff, the start of the game.

» L «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

LATERAL: As a forward pass, but not thrown in the direction of the opponents' goalpost. Rather, the ball is thrown in any direction other than towards the opponents' goal.

LINEBACKER: Defensive players placed behind the defensive linemen. Their job is to tackle runners and block or intercept passes. There are three or four linebackers.

LINE JUDGE: An official who keeps track of time and also watches for various violations, including the quarterback's position when passing (the quarterback isn't allowed to go past the line of scrimmage to pass).

LINEMEN: The players on the forward line (see offensive linemen and defensive linemen).

LINE OF SCRIMMAGE: Before each play, a set of two imaginary lines are used to determine where the players will line up. These are the lines of scrimmage, and pass through each tip of the ball, running parallel to the goal lines.

LIVE BALL: Opposite of a ball that is dead. A live ball is either loose as a result of a kick, fumble, or pass, or is held by a player.

» M «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

MAN IN MOTION: The player who turns and runs behind the line of scrimmage, parallel to it, as the signals are called. He then runs downfield just as the ball is snapped.

MAN TO MAN DEFENSE: Covering each member of the offense with a member of the defense. Also called player-to-player defense. See zone defense also.

MIDDLE GUARD: The defensive lineman positioned between the tackles, opposite the offensive center. Also called the nose guard.

MOUSETRAP: See trap block.

MULTIPLE OFFENSE: Offense strategy using a number of formations.

» N «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE (NFL): The best-known association of professional football teams. Composed of the American Football and National Football Conferences. The champions of each conference play each another in the Super Bowl during each year in January.

NICKEL DEFENSE: A defensive formation involving five defensive backs, hence the name.

NOSE GUARD: See middle guard.

NUMBERING SYSTEM: The system used by the NFL to number players' uniforms according to their position. Also used by most football teams as a general numbering rule. Works as follows:

• 1-19: quarterbacks and kickers
• 20-49: running backs and defensive backs
• 50-59: centers and linebackers
• 60-79: defensive linemen and offensive linemen
• 80-89: wide receivers and tight ends

» O «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

ODDS: The returns on money bet on a game, based on the likely outcome of the game as determined by an Oddsmaker (see below).

ODDSMAKER: One who establishes the odds for sports betting.

OFFENSE: The team with the ball; the offense attempts to run or pass the ball across the defense's goal line.

OFFENSIVE BACKFIELD: The area or players behind the offensive linemen. These are the running backs, the quarterback, and a second wide receiver. See also Offensive Linemen, below.

OFFENSIVE HOLDING: See holding.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Seven players, made up of the center, two guards, two tackles, and two ends. There must be no more and no less than seven players on the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. The offense can change their formation in an attempt to confuse the defense, but the seven players that end up on the line of scrimmage must remain still until the ball is snapped once they are set. Movement on the line of scrimmage by an offensive lineman or split end result in a 5 yard illegal procedure or "false start" penalty against the offense.

OFFICIAL: One who supervises the game and interprets the rules.

OFF SEASON: When the football teams don't play; February through the middle of August.

OFFSIDE: When a player is over the line of scrimmage (on the opposing team's side) before the ball is snapped.

ONSIDE KICK: A short kick (though at least 10 yards), with the plan being to recover the kick and thus gain possession of the ball. On a kickoff, the ball is "live" after it travels 10 yards and is anyone's ball. It does not have to travel the 10 yards in the air. Often kickers will try to make the worst possible kick, with the ball bouncing and jumping erratically end over end. These are often the most difficult onside kicks for the kickoff receiving team to recover, and gives the kickoff team a good chance of gaining possession of the football.

OPEN UP HOLES: To push the opposition aside by blocking them to open up holes in their defense through which a runner can pass with the ball.

OPTION PLAY: An offensive play wherein the player with the ball has the option of running, pitching, or passing. What the player does with the ball (run, pitch, or pass) is determined by the offensive player with the ball during the play by "reading" the defense and reacting to how the defense is covering the play.

OUTSIDE: Toward the sideline.

OVERTIME: The game goes into overtime to break a tie score so there is a winner and a loser. In pro football (NFL), the first team to score in overtime wins. This is known as "sudden death" overtime. The NFL's longest game was played on Christmas Day, December 25th, 1971. It was the 1971 AFC divisional playoff game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins. It was a seesaw battle of touchdowns and field goals that didn’t end until halfway through a second overtime period. The marathon game lasted eighty-two minutes and forty seconds and by all accounts was one of the most exciting Pro Football (NFL) games ever played. There were 11 future Hall of Famers that played in that game. Kansas City running back Ed Podolak had a stellar performance, catching and running for 350 all purpose yards. The Dolphins eventually won 27-24, when Garo Yepremian kicked a 37 yard field goal. In college football, each team's offense gets an equal amount of possessions, starting at their opponents 20 yard line, until the tie is broken. The Arkansas Razorbacks were in both the longest and second longest overtime contests in NCAA football history. Arkansas beat Mississippi in the longest overtime game on November 3, 2001. That game went 7 overtimes with Arkansas edging out Mississippi 58-56. The following year, October 5th, 2002, Arkansas lost to Tennessee 41-38 in the second longest overtime game (6 overtimes). *Note - Coach Jim saw the Chiefs/Dolphins longest NFL game as a little boy. It was 1971 and I was at my grandparent's house for Christmas. I was 9 years old. I also watched the Arkansas/Tennessee (2nd longest NCAA overtime) game October 5th, 2002. I was not so little anymore... 39 years old. ;~) Ain't football GREAT!

» P «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

PASSING GAME: The offensive strategy dealing with throwing the ball and receiving forward passes.

PASS PATTERN: The specific route run by a receiver to catch a pass.

PASS RUSH: The rush by the defense to try and tackle the quarterback before he can complete a pass.

PENALTY: Punishment for a foul. Can consist of losing a down or even the ball, but usually sets back the penalized team five to fifteen yards.

PIGSKIN: Old term for a football.

PILING ON: Several players jumping on the player with the ball after he's been tackled. Also called dogpiling.Piling on is illegal, with a 15 yard penalty.

PLACE-KICK: A kick made while the ball is held in place on the ground (either with a tee or by another player).

PLAY: In general, the actions of the players following a snap or kickoff. More specifically, the type of action taken as part of a planned manuever. There are two basic types of plays: running plays, where the offense tries to run with the ball toward the opposition's goal line, and passing plays, where the object is to pass the ball forward towards the opposing goal line. A play can have minor variations each time, but will usually fit into some general categories. For instance, in a sweep, the guards pull from their positions to block for the ball carrier as he moves left or right, then up the field. In a draw play, the quarterback takes the ball from the center and moves back rapidly, acting as though he's going to throw it. When the defensive linemen get close, the quarterback then hands off the ball to a running back who hopes to quickly dart past the defensive linemen, who are still being "drawn off" by the quarterback. In an Action Pass, the opposite occurs, and the quarterback pretends to hand-off to another player only to retain the ball.

PLAY ACTION: A passing play set up to draw the Defensive Linebackers towards the Line Of Scrimmage with a Run Fake.

PLAYBOOK: A notebook containing a team's terms, strategies, plays, etc., issued to each player.

PLAYER TO PLAYER DEFENSE: See man-to-man defense.

PLAYMAKER: One skilled in helping their team score with winning strategy. Player who often makes big plays for his team and plays at his best under pressure.

POCKET: The area the quarterback sets up his pass from. Guarded against the opposition (defense) by the offensive linemen to hopefully form a safe "pocket".

POINT AFTER TOUCHDOWN: After scoring a touchdown, a team may score an extra point for a successful place kick through the opposition's goal post.

POINT SPREAD: The projected difference in scores between two teams about to play.

POOCH KICK: See "Squib Kick"

POST-SEASON: The time when a tournament is played leading up to the Super Bowl. Also called the playoffs.

POST PATTERN: A pass pattern where the receiver runs 10-15 yards downfield before turning towards the middle of the field, but at a 45 degree angle (in the direction of the goal post).

POWER SWEEP: See sweep under play.

PRE-SEASON: The time during which teams play exhibition games and check out new talent, from August through Labor Day, when the regular season starts.

PRIMARY: The receiver who was chosen by the quarterback in the huddle to receive the ball.

PULLING: Leaving one's position to move elsewhere to block.

PUMP FAKE:When the Quarterback draws his arm back and fakes a forward pass to draw the Free Safety to an area or cause a Defensive Back to pause in his coverage of a Wide Receiver or Split End.

PUNT: When the ball is dropped from the kicker's hands and kicked before hitting the ground.

PUNT RETURN: The runback of the ball after it's been punted.

» Q «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

QUARTER: A football game is divided into four quarters, 15 minutes each (12 minutes in high school football).

QUARTERBACK: An member of the offense. The quarterback takes the snap from the center, then either passes, hands off, or runs with the ball. The name derives from the fact that in an I formation the Quarterlback is half as far back as the Halfback, or a quarter the way back. See Fullback and Halfback to further clarify.

QUARTERBACK SNEAK: An play wherein the quarterback receives the ball after the snap and immediately runs forward through the opposition, with his own team blocking for him.

QUICK COUNT: When the quarterback calls the signals at the line of scrimmage very rapidly so as to throw off the other team.

QUICK KICK: A surprise punt.

» R «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

READY LIST: A list of several plays ready to be used in an upcoming game (tailored to an opposing team's srengths and weaknesses).

RECEIVER: A receiver, or pass receiver, is a member of the offense whose job it is to get into the open to catch a pass from the quarterback and then run with the ball. Additionally, in professional football, the end on the left is referred to as a 'wide' receiver.

RECOVER: Grabbing a ball that has been fumbled (whether the recovering player's side initially had the ball or not).

RED DOG: See blitz.

REGULAR SEASON: A time period of 17 weeks during which a team plays 16 games to determine their ranking going into the Post-Season tournament.

RETURNER: A player who runs back kickoffs and punts.

REVERSE: An offensive play In a reverse, the player with the ball runs in one direction, then hands off the ball to another player going the opposite direction, reversing the ball's direction of travel.

ROLL: The quarterback rolls when he moves left or right with the ball before throwing it.

ROSTER: A list of the members of a team.

ROUGHING: A personal foul with a 15 yard penalty. Called when a player illegally contacts another player, as in roughing the punter, when a player tackles the punter without touching the ball, or roughing the passer, where a defensive player attempts to tackle the quarterback after the ball has been thrown.

RUNBACK: Returning a kickoff, punt, or interception.

RUNNING BACK: Positioned behind the quarterback, there are two running backs, whose job it is to run with the ball, which is typically handed off by the quarterback. Part of the offensive backfield. In college and high school football, there are halfbacks and fullbacks in these positions, but in professional football they are simply the two running backs.

RUSH: To run from the scrimmage line with the ball.

» S «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

SACK: Tackling the quarterback before he can throw a pass.

SAFETY: When a team forces the opposition to down the ball in their own end zone, they receive two points, called a safety. Also, the player position called safety is a defensive backfield position, the deepest in the backfield. There are two safeties, see Strong Safety and Free Safety.

SAFETY BLITZ: A charge by one or both safeties in an attempt to tackle the quarterback.

SAFETY VALVE: A short pass thrown to a running back when the wide receivers are covered.

SCRAMBLE: When a quarterback runs behind the line of scrimmage lose tacklers.

SCRAMBLER: A quarterbackwhose gotten a reputation for scrambling.

SCREEN PASS: A pass from behind the line of scrimmage, after a deep drop by the Quarterback. It's a play that allows the rushers to charge through as the offensive linemen fake block them, only to set up a wall for a receiver, or runningback to catch the pass and run behind.

SCRIMMAGE: The action between two teams, starting when the ball is snapped.

SECONDARY: The defensive backfield, or second line of defense.

SHIFT: The movement of two (or more) offensive players between positions.

SIGNAL CALLER: The quarterback.

SIGNALS: The quarterback tells the other players, with signals, what the next play will be. Signals are also used at the line of scrimmage to tell the center when to snap the ball.

SLANT: Running, with the ball, at an angle.

SLOT: A gap in the offensive line between a receiver and a tackle.

SNAP: The handing of the ball by the center, reaching back between his legs, to the quarterback or punter.

SPEARING: Contacting another player with one's head; a foul in college football.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A special group, or "platoon", of players specializing in one particular maneuver, such as punts or kick-offs. When the maneuver is about to be done, the coach willsubstitute the special team. Special teams give their all to their specialties and consequently suffer higher injury rates than the rest of the team. That's why they are also called bomb squads or suicide squads.

SPIRAL: The football's rotation when it's thrown (about it's longitudinal axis).

SPLIT END: A receiver who lines up several yards away from the next player along the line of scrimmage.

SQUARE IN/OUT: A pass route where the runner goes downfield then turns "in" at a "square" or right angle to the center of the field, or "out" to the sideline.

SQUIB KICK: (Pooch Kick) A low flat kickoff that is difficult to handle. It is often used when the receiving team has an effective kick returner or when the kicking team does not have a long ball kicker.

STRAIGHT ARM: (Stiff Arm) To defend against player trying to tackle you by using your hand and arm to jab with t a straight stiff arm at the opponents head or chest area to avoid a tackle.

STRONG SAFETY:A defensive backfield position, the deepest in the backfield. The Strong Safety is the Safety on the strong side (Tight End side) of the Offense and generally must be a solid tackler. Also, see Free Safety.

STRONG SIDE: In an unbalanced line, the side with the most players.

STUNT: An unusual charge by the offensive linemen, sometimes in concert with the linebackers, in which they loop around each other during the charge instead of charging straight ahead.

SUICIDE SQUAD: See special teams.

SUBSTITUTION: Putting a player into the game as a substitute for another. For example, a play requiring a very fast player may cause the coach to bring out one player and replace him with another, faster player. There is quite a bit of substituting in football, especially with special teams.

SUPER BOWL: The National Football League's championship game.

SWEEP: See play.

» T «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

TACKLE: To bring down another player, i.e., to sack the quarterback is to tackle him. Also an offensive position. There are two tackles, one outside each guard, whose job is to block the onrushing defensive line and open up holes for a runner.

TAILBACK: A member of the offensive backfield, whose job is to run with the ball. Also called a running back or halfback.

T-FORMATION: See formation.

THREE-POINT STANCE: The position players at the line of scrimmage take before the snap, leaning forward on one hand with their feet spread.

TIGHT END: See end.

TIME: In professional and college football, the game is limited to 60 minutes (48 minutes in high school football). This is divided into two 30 minute halves, each of which is divided into two 15 minute quarters, or "periods." In between the two halves is halftime, which lasts 15 minutes. If the teams are tied at the end of the time limit, the game goes into overtime, continuing until one of the teams pulls ahead.

TOUCHBACK: A touchback occurs when the defensive team gains possession of the ball in their own end zone on the same play in which the offensive team caused the ball to cross the goal line.

TOUCHDOWN: Carrying the ball into, or catching the ball in, the opposition's end zone. Worth six points.

TRAP BLOCK: When a player is allowed through the enemy line only to be blocked by surprise from another player behind the line. Also called a mousetrap.

TURN IN/OUT: A pass route where the player runs downfield then turns in toward the middle of the field or out towards the sidelines.

TURN OVER: Losing possession of the ball, typically by error.

» U «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

UNBALANCED LINE: A formation with more players on one side of the center than the other.

UPRIGHTS: Vertical posts supporting the crossbar in the goalpost.

» V «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

VINCE LOMBARDI TROPHY: Awarded to the winners of the Super Bowl in honor of the great coach Vince Lombardi.

» W «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

WISHBONE FORMATION: See formation.

WEAK SIDE: The side of an unbalanced line with the least players.

WIDEOUT:See Flanker or Split End. Some coaches call their fastest deep threat Wide Receiver a Wideout other coaches use the term to define the furthest Wide Receiver from the ball being snapped.

WIDE RECEIVER: See receiver.

» Y «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

YARDAGE: The amount of yards gained (or lost) during a play.

» Z «

Jump To Alphabetical Menu :: Back To Top

ZONE DEFENSE: A defense strategy where each player has an area, or "zone", of the field to defend. See also man-to-man defense.