Football Terminology
Football Terminology
By Christopher Fister
Like any other sport, football has a jargon all its own. The following is a list of basic football terms:
Audible: An audible, or automatic, is called by the quarterback at the line of scrimmage. The audible cancels out the play which was called in the huddle and is usually called after the quarterback has seen the defensive alignment and believes the play called in the huddle would not work against that defense.
Balanced line: On offense, when an equal number of linemen are on each side of the center.
Birdcage: Facemask attached to the helmet with additional vertical and horizontal bars for protection. Usually worn by linemen.
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 he 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 (shoulder 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 player to allow your quarterback to act).
Buttonhook: A pass route in which the receiver heads straight downfield, then quickly turns back toward the line of scrimmage.
Chain crew: Three assistants to the officials whose job it is to handle the first down measuring chain and the down box.
Cheap shot: A hit on an unsuspecting player, usually from behind or when a play is over.
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: A block or push from behind.
Clothesline: When a player extends his arm to strike an opposing player about the neck or head, usually resulting in a penalty.
Coffin corner: One of the four corners of the field. Punters will aim for the “coffin corner” in an attempt to pin the opposing offense as far back as possible.
Completion: A legally caught pass.
Contact sport: Any sport involving physical contact between players. Football is a contact sport, as are hockey, boxing, soccer, etc.
Conversion: A point after touchdown.
Cover: To defend against an offensive player is to “cover” him.
Crackback: A block by an offensive player who goes downfield then turns back to the middle to block a player from the side or behind. Usually results in a penalty.
Curl/curl in: Pass pattern where the receiver runs downfield, then turns back to run towards the line of scrimmage.
Cut: A ball carrier changes directions or “cuts” in an attempt to get away from defensive pursuit. The term “cut” also refers to a player who has been removed from the team roster by the coach.
Dead ball: When a ball carrier is tackled, a pass in incomplete or a penalty is called prior to the play, it is a dead ball situation.
Down: An offensive play, starting the snap from center and ending when the ball is ruled dead by the officials.
Down and in: A pass pattern where the receiver runs straight downfield, then suddenly cuts toward the middle of the field.
Down and out: The opposite of the above pass pattern.
Down box (down indicator): A stick or rod which has four numbered cards (numbered 1 to 4) used to keep track of the downs.
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 delayed handoff to a running back, after the quarterback draws in the defense by faking a pass.
Eligible: A player on offense who is able, by the rules, to catch a pass. These include wide receivers, tight ends and running backs. There are also specially-designed “tackle eligible” plays for offensive linemen.
Encroachment: When a defensive player makes contact with an offensive player before the ball is snapped.
End line: The boundary marker at each end of the field.
End zone: The area between the goal lines and the end lines; the last 10 yards at either end of the field.
Field position: The ball’s location on the field.
Flag football: A game of football, usually recreational, with six to nine players where tackling is not allowed. Instead, players wear small flags on each side of a belt and pulling out the flag constitutes a tackle.
Flood: Sending a large number of players to one area of the field in an attempt to swamp the opposition.
Formation: How the players are set up prior to each play. Some common formation types are the I formation, T formation and wishbone. The formation is named according to its shape. In an I formation, two running backs line up behind the quarterback.
Free agent: A professional athlete whose contract with a team has expired, may become a free agent, and entertain offers from any other team.
Free safety: One of the two defensive backs deepest in the field who isn’t assigned a particular area or player to cover.
Freeze: Holding onto the ball for a long time without scoring or attempting to score.
Front four: The defensive line; made up of two ends and two tackles.
Fumble: A ball that is dropped while in play.
Game ball: The ball given to a winning team’s player or coach considered to have contributed significantly to the team’s victory.
Goal line: The line over which the ball must pass to score a touchdown.
Goal-line stand: Making a stand against the opposition at or near one’s goal-line in a very tough defensive effort.
Gridiron: A football field.
Hail Mary: The quarterback throwing the ball up in the air without really targeting any particular receiver, hoping someone on his side catches it.
Hang time: The time a punt remains in the air.
Hash marks: Hash marks are used to start plays at or near the center of the field.
Hitch and go: A pass pattern where a runner goes downfield to catch a pass, fakes as if the ball has been thrown, then sprints downfield for a deeper pass.
Huddle: The offensive team uses the huddle to group together to call a play.
Illegal motion: Movement by an offensive player before the snap.
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 pass that is not caught or intercepted.
Intentional grounding: The quarterback purposely throwing the ball out of bounds or into the ground to avoid throwing a bad pass or being sacked.
Interception: The catching of a forward pass by the defense.
Interference: When a pass defender pushes, bumps or otherwise impedes a receiver while the ball is still in the air. There is also offensive interference when the receiver interferes with the defender who may be in position to intercept a pass.
Key: Players will look for a “key” or sign from another player which gives away his next move.
Line judge: An official who keeps track of time and also watches for various violations, including a quarterback’s position when passing (the quarterback isn’t allowed to go past the line of scrimmage to pass).
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: A live ball is either loose as a result of a kick, fumble, pass or is held by a player.
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.
Middle guard: Defensive lineman who lines up opposite of the offensive center. Also called nose guard.
Multiple offense: Offensive strategy using a number of different formations.
Nickel defense: When five defensive backs are employed to stop an expected pass play.
Numbering system: The NFL uses this system for player uniforms as a way for official to keep track of players. The numbers are: 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).
Open up holes: When offensive linemen push defenders out of the way for ball carriers to run through, they have “opened up holes” for the runners.
Option play: Offensive play designed to allow the player with ball the option of running or passing.
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.
Pigskin: Old term for a football.
Play action: A passing play set up to draw 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.
Playmaker: One skilled in helping their team score.
Pocket: The area the quarterback sets up his pass from. Linemen attempt to form a safe “pocket” for the quarterback to pass from.
Point spread: Oddsmakers determine prior to the game which team is the favorite and by how many points the team is favored.
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).
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: A quarterback will pump, or fake a pass, in an attempt to freeze or delay the defense and allow receivers to get open.
Quarter: A football game is divided into four quarters, 15 minutes each (12 minutes in high school football).
Quarterback sneak: A play called for the quarterback to take the snap and immediately run or dive forward, usually when the offense needs less than one yard to make a first down.
Quick count: When the quarterback calls the signals at the line of scrimmage very rapidly so as to throw the defense off.
Quick kick: A surprise punt.
Recover: Grabbing a ball that has been fumbled.
Reverse: In a reverse, the offensive player with the ball runs in one direction, then hands the ball off to another player going in the opposite direction.
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.
Rush: To run from the scrimmage line with the ball. Or, on defense, to pursue the quarterback.
Sack: Tackling the quarterback for a loss of yards before he can throw a pass.
Safety blitz: A rush 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 to lose tacklers.
Screen pass: A delayed pass, usually to a running back. In a screen pass, the linemen will allow the defensive rush to go through so that they may go downfield to block.
Secondary: The defensive backfield.
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.
Slot: A gap in the offensive line between a receiver and a tackle.
Spearing: Using the head to make contact. Usually resulting in a penalty.
Spiral: The football’s rotation when it’s thrown. A “tight” spiral, a ball that rotates smoothly, without wobbling, is said to be the easiest for receivers to catch.
Split end: A receiver who lines up several yards from the next player along the line of scrimmage.
Squib kick: A low flat kickoff that is difficult to handle. It is often used when the receiving team has an effective kick returner.
Straight arm: (Stiff arm) Offensive ball carriers will extend their arm in an attempt to ward off defenders.
Strong safety: A defensive backfield position, the deepest in the backfield. The strong safety is on the strong side (tight end side) of the offense.
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.
Three-point stance: The position players at the line of scrimmage take before the snap, leaning forward on one hand with their feet spread.
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.
Trap block: When a player is allowed through the 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 toward the middle of the field or out towards the sidelines.
Turnover: When the offense loses possession of the ball, by fumble, interception or on downs.
Unbalanced line: A formation with more players on one side of the center than the other.
Weak side: The side of an unbalanced line with the least players.
Wideout: Flanker or split end. Some coaches call their fastest deep threat wide receiver a wideout while others use the term to define the furthest wide receiver from the ball being snapped.
Yardage: The amount of yards gained (or lost) during a play.
Zone defense: A defense strategy where each player has an area, or “zone”, of the field to defend.
=========================
Christopher Fister is a former sports editor at the New York Post.
=========================
January 8th, 2006 at 8:40 am
need to learn all about football for personal reasons