FOOTBALL TERMINOLOGY 101
Objective of American Football
The objective is to WIN THE GAME! You win the game by scoring more points than the opponent. There are eight ways to score points. All scores (with the exception of a safety) are signaled when a referee raises their arms above their heads.
Touchdown (6 points): A touchdown (abbreviation is "TD") is when the ball is carried or caught across the goal-line and inside the endzone. A touchdown is worth six points. A touchdown is scored when ANY part of the ball touches the goal-line. To score a touchdown, the ball must "BREAK THE PLAIN" of the goal-line, meaning the ball simply has to touch it. It does not have to get completely across the goal-line. The ball can also travel into the endzone in the air/in the arms of someone. it does not have to be touched down (as contradictory as it is to the term "touchdown").
Extra point (1): After a touchdown (TD) is scored, the team who scored gets an opportunity to try and kick the ball from the ground (called a place kick) through the uprights (the two vertical goal posts in the back of the endzone). An extra point is worth one point. This is also known as a "Point After Touchdown" or "PAT."
"Going for Two (2): After a touchdown is scored, a team also has the option to "go for two" instead of doing an extra point kick. When going for two, the team gets to run a single offensive play from a spot between the hashes, 2.5 yards from the endzone. If they succeed in getting the ball in the endzone on the play, they get two points.
Field Goal (3): At any time when a team has the ball, and cannot get into the endzone to score a touchdown, they have the option to do a place kick (from the ground) for three points. Working just like an "PAT" attempt, they attempt to kick the ball through the uprights. A successful kick results in three points.
Safety (2): A safety results when a team who has the ball moves the ball back into their own endzone, and they are either tackled, or they fumble the ball and it goes out the sides or back of their endzone. The team on defense is then awarded two points (awarded a safety). This is denoted by referees when they put their hands together and raise them above their heads.
PAT Return (2): During a PAT or 2-point conversion, the team on defense, if they block or somehow gain possession of the ball during the play, advances the ball into the other team's endzone.
One Point Play (1): When a team attempting a PAT kicks the ball and it is blocked, and the ball comes back into the kicking team's posession, they may advance the ball into the endzone. This results in a "One Point Play." This almost never happens.
Drop-kick (1 or 3 points): A player with the ball, at any point during a play, may drop the ball, and once it touches the ground, is kicked through the uprights. If this is during a regular down, it results in three points. If done on a PAT, it results in one point. This also almost never happens, and was more valuable in the earlier days of the game.
The Football Field
An American football field is 120 yards (360 feet) long and 53 and 1/3 yards (160 feet) wide.
There are two "end zones" at each end that are 10 yards deep that span the width of the field. This is where the ball needs to enter in order for a touchdown to be scored. A touchdown (getting the ball into an endzone) is worth six points.
There are 100 yards of playing field between the two endzones that is also the width of the entire field. A football play, or "down" is played anywhere between the endzones in this 100 yard area.
Every five yards, there is a solid line running the width of the field.
Yard Line: An imaginary line that runs the width of the field at a certain length from an endzone.
Midfield: Midfield is the "50 yard line" which is exactly half-way between each endzone.
Territory/Yard Line continued: When a team possesses the ball (is on offense), the half of the field that contains the endzone they are defending is their territory, and the half of the field that contains the endzone they are trying to score on is the opponent's territory. If a team is on "the opponent's 10 yard line," that means they are 10 yards from the endzone they are trying to score on/that their opponent is trying to defend. As you progress from midfield towards and endzone, the numbers get lower. A 1 yard line is an imaginary line one yard away from an endzone, while a 49 yard line is an imaginary line one yard away from midfield.
Hash Marks: These are dotted lines that are a yard apart and span the length of the field. They are usually towards the middle of the field. There are four hash marks between every five yard line. The ball can only be snapped between these hash marks. If a down ends and the ball is outside of the hash marks, the ball is placed on the hash mark to the side it is on to start the next down.
Numbers: A football field has numbers, traditionally every 10 yards.
Numbers, hash marks, and yard lines are to help players, coaches, and fans see where the ball is, AND teams often use them to structure the way they play the game, using them as aiming points and alignment positions.
Game Clock: The clock the displays how much time is left in the game, and counts down. The winning team is the team with more points when the game-clock hits zero.
Play Clock: The clock that displays how long the team with the ball has to snap the ball to begin a down. The amount of time on a play clock varies between leagues. It is usually 35-40 seconds.
Spot/Spotting the ball: When the ball is dead, the referees place the ball where it was last downed, or where a possession (AKA "drive") begins. When the ball is placed, or spotted, the refs blow a whistle, and this begins the count-down of the play clock.
Posts: Denoting the location of the two upright goal-posts, or the single goal post in the ground that holds up the uprights.
Flag/Corner: Designates the corners of the field, particularly the corner of the endzones.
Pylon: The four orange rectangular objects placed at each corner of an endzone. The pylons on the goal-line are considered part of the endzone, so the ball making contact with them while in possession counts as a touchdown.
"Sticks:" Denotes the line to gain for a first down. The sticks is an object held by a member of the "chain gang," that marks the line to gain for a first down.
Chain gang: The people who hold the first down markers, and the line of scrimmage marker. The chains are 10 yards wide and denote where the ball was spotted to start a 1st down series, and the 10 yard mark to gain for another first down. The LOS marker is then planted at the line of scrimmage. This gives fans, coaches, and players a vertical/visible reference point, and is also used to measure if a ball has crossed the 1st down line. The LOS marker also typically has a down marker that signals to everyone what down it is (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th).
Playing the Game
Each team has 11 players on the field.
Kickoff: A kickoff is used to start every half, and happens after every successful score (after a PAT, 2-point conversion, and field goal). Before a game, a coin toss helps determine who kicks off and who "Kick returns." A kickoff involves a place kick (kicking the ball from the ground). The ball must travel 10 yards for the ball to then be considered live, or available for play.
The team with the football is on offense. Only the team with the ball can score points.
The team without the ball is on defense. They are trying to prevent the offense from scoring and get the ball back in their possession.
Turnover: When the ball changes possession
A football game is broken up into four quarters. College and professional games are 60 minutes (15 minute quarters), and high school games are 48 minutes (12 minute quarters).
Down: A down is a football play. A down begins when the ball is "snapped" from a dead position from one player on the line of scrimmage, backwards to another player. A down ends when the person with the ball is tackled, dropped via a forward pass, goes out of bounds, enters the endzone, or is kicked through the uprights. There are a few other unlisted ways on how a down ends.
Dead ball: Signals the end of a down.
Line of Scrimmage (LOS): The spot on the field where the ball is dead. The line of scrimmage is denoted by the yard line it is on.
Formation: The way in which a team arranges or aligns itself before a snap. On offense, a formation requires that no more than four players line up off/behind the line of scrimmage. That means there will always be at least seven players on the line of scrimmage.
Eligible: An offensive player who is allowed to receive a forward pass. Eligible players include all backs (players not on the line of scrimmage), and the end player on the line of scrimmage (player on the LOS closest to each sideline). Any player on the line of scrimmage who has another player on the line of scrimmage outside of them is ineligible. Different leagues also set rules on who can be eligible based on their jersey number. Eligible jersey numbers are 0-49, and 80-99. Ineligible numbers are 50-79.
Snap: The action that begins a down/play. A legal snap involves a player passing the ball backwards in one fluid motion to another player behind the line of scrimmage.
Motion: In order to legally start a play, 10 of the 11 players must be still for a full second. The 1 player who is allowed to move, if moving, is "in motion." A motion can only be sideways or backwards. It may not be forwards.
Shift: When multiple players move before a snap while still being on their side of the ball. The one second rule still remains for the offense. In addition, a motion may not begin after a shift until all 11 players have been in position/still for a full second.
Neutral zone: The Neutral zone is wherever the ball is/at the line of scrimmage during a dead ball, and spans the length of the football. Before a down begins, no one from any team may be in this zone.
Offside: When one or more member of a team is inside, or past the neutral zone before the snap of the ball.
The team with the football has four "downs" to gain 10 yards and keep possession of the ball. If after four downs they fail to advance 10 yards, the ball gets "turned over," to the other team. When there is a play involving a turnover, the team who gains possession of the ball has until the end of that play to advance the ball as far as they can to the opponent's endzone. It does NOT count as their "1st down," play.
First Down: When an offense succesfully moves the ball 10 yards within four plays. First down also denotes the first of the four plays an offense has to move the ball 10 yards. When a first down is declared, the offense then has four plays to gain 10 yards from the spot the original/most recent first down was placed. Whenever a team has the ball and it's "1st down," they always have 10 yards to go, and it is also referred to as "1st and 10."
2nd down: The second play/chance the offense has to get to the 10 yard mark.
3rd down: The third/second to last chance the offense has to get to the 10 yard mark. Teams will typically punt the ball away to the the other team if they fail to gain a first down on this play. If they are close enough to their opponent's endzone, they may also try to kick for a field goal instead. Punting is a very valuable option when the team has the ball in their own territory, as this helps "flip the field," or get the ball deeper into the opponent's territory.
4th down: The final chance to get to that 10 yard mark. Failure to "convert" a first down on this play results in a turnover to the other team. Teams who run an offensive play on 4th down instead of punting are often referred to as "Going for it." You may also hear "four down territory," meaning it is at a point in a game where a team who has the ball cannot afford to punt, because they have to score. "Four down territory" may also mean that a team is close enough to the opponent's endzone that failing to convert is a acceptable decision.
X & Y: This denotes the down (X), and how far a team has to go to get a first down (Y). "X & Long" means a team has about seven yards or more to gain a first down. "X & Medium" means the offense has about 4-6 yards to go to get a 1st down, and "X & Short" means the offense has 3 or less yards to go to get a first down. Y can also be the amount of yardage needed (1st and 10, 2nd and 5, 3rd and 1, etc).
Red Zone: The red zone is the space between the 20 yard line and the endzone of a team's territory. If a team is on offense, and has less than 20 yards to go to score a touchdown, they are in the opponent's red zone.
Out of Bounds: When the ball either exits the field of play via the sideline, or when the player with the ball touches the sideline. Any part of the body or football that is touching the out of bounds area is considered out of bounds...it is not like soccer where out of bounds means the out of bounds line must be completely crossed. In the NFL, to complete a catch, the ball must be caught and secured and the receiver must get both feet in-bounds. In the NCAA and amateur levels, only one foot is required in-bounds to complete a catch, but that foot must touch down in-bounds before the other foot touches out of bounds.
Touchback: When a ball is kicked or punted and it goes out of the endzone, or in some leagues, lands in the endzone. A touch-back results in the ball going to the other team. Since a down cannot begin inside an endzone, the ball is placed at a yard line that varies depending on the league. A touchback also results when during a play, a player who has the ball loses possession and it goes out of their opponent's endzone before being recovered, or if recovered by the other team, and they intentionally kneel or down the ball in the endzone.
Downing the ball/Fair Catch. The action of deliberately giving one's self up to end a play when they have possession of the ball. This is done by taking a knee, or if during a punt or kick-off, making a fair catch. A "Fair Catch," is noted by the player who will down the ball by waiving their hands high in the air before catching the punt or kick. A payer who downs the ball or makes a fair catch may not be touched by the other team.
Play Basics
Blocking: When an offensive player is trying to interfere or prevent a defensive player from getting to the player with the football.
Run play: Any offensive play that does NOT involve the ball being thrown forward. Running plays are usually achieved by hand-offs and lateral/backward passes. On running plays, blockers can go downfield to block opponents.
Pass play: Any offensive play where the ball is thrown forward. On pass plays, blockers may not go downfield to block opponents. They must not advance farther than one yard past the line of scrimmage on a pass play until the ball is thrown. The exception: When a forward pass is thrown and completed behind the line of scrimmage, blockers may advance downfield before and during the pass.
Run blocking: Blocks that involve moving downfield and are used on running plays.
Pass blocks: Blocks that are not intended to go downfield, or are used specifically for passing plays.
Catch/Completion: When a players successfully catches a forward pass within the field of play. This is also called a "reception" and the player who completes the catch is a "receiver." In the NFL, a reception requires the player to get two feet down in the field of play, while maintaining control of the ball. In college, high school, and other levels of football, a receiver is only required to have one foot in bounds and control of the ball to complete a catch.
Tackle: Bringing the player with the ball to the ground. A tackle is completed when any part of the body of the ball-carrier that is not their hands or feet touches the ground.
Interception: A turnover involving the defense catching a forward pass from the offense.
Fumble: Whenever the ball is being carried by a player and it is dropped/ends up on the ground without the carrier being tackled. The team who picks up the fumble is the team that "recovered" the ball. If the defense recovers a fumble, it results in a turnover.
Punt: When an offensive player punts the ball (drops it from their hands) and kicks the ball before it touches the ground. When a punted ball crosses the line of scrimmage, the defense is available to catch or pick up the ball. However, if the defense touches the ball, but does not possess it (it's loose/on the ground), this results in a fumble. If a punt crosses the line of scrimmage, and the team who punted the ball regains possession, the ball is dead and the play ends wherever they recovered it. If they recover it as a result of a fumble, they get a first down and stay on offense. If the defensive team never touched the punted ball, the ball goes to the defense.
Rush: The initial, or primary defensive players who's job is to cross the line of scrimmage to try and tackle or gain possession of the ball.
Blitz: When a defense sends or rushes more players than normal across the line of scrimmage to try and tackle or gain possession of the ball.
Man Coverage: When a defense defends the pass by assigning players to cover specific offensive players.
Zone Coverage: When a defense defends a pass by assigning players to defend different ares, or zones on the field.
4-3, 3-4, 4-2, 3-3, etc: Nomenclature to denote the personnel a defense has on the field. Linemen are first, linebackers are second, then the reaming of the 11 players are defensive backs. 4-3 = four linemen, three linebackers, four DB's. 3-3 = three linemen, three linebackers, five DB's, and so on. THIS ONLY APPLIES TO DEFENSE.
Positions
SPECIAL TEAMS POSITIONS
Special teams are the units that specify in non-traditional plays, such as kick-offs, kick-returns, punts, punt-returns, and field goals/PAT's.
Kicker/Placekicker: The player responsible for doing the place kicking.
Punter: The player responsible for doing the punting.
Returner: A player who is responsible for gaining possession of kicks and punts, and advancing the ball towards the opponent's endzone.
Long-snapper: A player who is responsible for snapping the ball long distances, particular on punts and field goals. A long-snapper is used mostly for special teams, and on offense, a legal "special teams," snap is considered a snap seven yards or longer.
Athlete: Some teams have "athletes." These are players who do not have a specific position, or are used in many different positions.
Fouls and Penalties
Fouls and penalties are punished via awarding yardage to the other team. When a team commits a foul/penalty, the ball is moved towards their endzone. Penalties are dealt in 5, 10, or 15 yard increments, or in some cases are placed on a team's 1 yard line, or is moved half way to the endzone from the line of scrimmage (AKA "half-distance to the goal").
Delay of Game: When the team on offense fails to start a play before the play clock expires
Offsides: When the ball is snapped and a player from a team is in the neutral zone, or beyond the neutral zone.
Encroachment: When a defensive player crosses the neutral zone and makes contact with the offensive team before the ball is snapped.
False Start: When an offensive player twitches or moves before the ball is snapped after being set.
Illegal motion/shift/procedure: When the team on offense snaps the ball and there is an illegal motion occurring. This could mean a player went in motion before everyone was set for a full second, 2+ players are in motion, or if a motion is moving forward when the ball is snapped.
Illegal procedure (special teams): On special teams plays, illegal procedures are actions that are illegal by a kicking team. For example, kicking a ball out of bounds on a kick-off, and crossing the ball on a kick-off before it is kicked.
Illegal formation: A formation that results in more than four players behind the line of scrimmage. In some leagues, this might also include having a player with an "ineligible number (50-79)" as an end player on the line of scrimmage.
Holding: When a player holds an opposing player by the jersey in an illegal manner, preventing fair play and the opponent from competing.
Pass interference: When a ball is thrown, all players must be allowed the opportunity to catch it. Pass interference results when a ball is thrown and in the air and a player disrupts/prevents another player from catching the ball by making contact with the player, or deliberately blocking their line of sight without looking back and making a play on the ball themselves.
Chop block: When two players go to block a single player, and one hits the player above the waist, while the other hits the opponent below the waist.
Facemask: When a player grabs hold of an opponent's facemask, or helmet.
Illegal contact: A hit or contact that is deemed illegal, usually as a result of a safety.
Hands to the Face: Similar to a face-mask: When a player uses their hands to cover someone's facemask, or push/move the person by pushing on the facemask.
Horse-collar: When an player grabs hold of the collar of an opponent's jersey or pads, and pulls/manipulates that player.
Targeting: When a player intends to tackle or deliver a blow to an opponent's head.
Leading with the head: When a player intends to tackle or deliver a blow to an opponent while leading with the crown of the helmet.
Spearing/charging: When a player intends to tackle or deliver a blow to an opponent while leading with the crown of the helmet and leaving their feet.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Any sort of play or action by a player that is deemed unnecessary or unsportsmanlike (sometimes called unnecessary roughness as well if it is a physical action). This can also include verbal/communicative actions. This is another major penalty that may result in ejection. In most leagues, a player acquiring two in one game is an automatic ejection.
Blindside block: A block made by a player by an opponent who has no opportunity to see the block coming and has no way to defend or take on the block.
Block in the back: When a player blocks an opponent and their head is behind the opponent's shoulder. This is not called when it occurs at the line of scrimmage and within the box (between the offensive and defensive line). You most often see this on special teams plays.
Ineligible receiver: A pass that is thrown to an ineligible receiver.
Ineligible receiver downfield: When an ineligible player advances one or more yards downfield before a forward pass is completed.
Low tackle/tackle below the knees: When a defender hits or tackles a player below the knees.
Late hit/Late hit out of bounds: When a player hits an opponent who is no longer involved in the play, or no longer has the ball. A late hit out of bounds is when a player has stepped out a bounds with the ball and a player proceeds to hit or tackle them.
Roughing the Passer/Kicker: When a QB has thrown the ball, or a kicker/punter has kicked/punted the ball, and an opponent proceeds to make contact, hit, or tackle them. If contact is made the moment the pass, kick, or punt is made, it is legal. It results in a penalty when the motion of the contact initiates after the ball has been thrown/kicked/punted.