Protected: Football Offense
May 20, 2009
Protected: Player Motivation
May 20, 2009
Protected: Football Philosophy
May 20, 2009
Protected: Football Safety
May 20, 2009
Football History and Rules
May 20, 2009
Football Rule Changes and Modern Developments
This quick note is placed first because the game of football has a history of constant rule changes. Since it is a game, constant refinements are made to the rules in order to keep the game fair and exciting for spectators. The parameters of the game change with time and so on occasion some rules must be changed. Always read your particular league’s rulebook for the exact information on the rules for your football game.
Football History and Origin
American Football was invented through playing a combination of soccer and rugby football. Football is now one of America’s most popular sports and attracts millions of spectators every year. In tracing the roots of football, one may find football’s earliest evidence in ancient Greece. The Greeks played a game very similar to today’s rugby in which a team had to move a ball across a goal line by running, kicking, or throwing the ball. Modern rugby football originated in England around the 12th century A.D. Some English kings hated the game because it took popularity away from archery. However, the excitement of rugby football prevailed and through time, changed into modern football. The first professional football game in the United States took place in 1895 in the town of Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Within ten years, several teams were forming into the professional leagues that we know today.
The Football Field
The playing field for football is 100 yards and 53.5 yards wide (but differs for certain leagues). At the far ends of the rectangular playing field are the end zones. Each team defends an end zone and attempts to move the ball into the other team’s end zone. On the field, every 5 yards is marked with a white line. These lines resemble a grid or gridiron. Sidelines run along the field to mark the out of bounds area. Two hash marks located near the center of the field run parallel to the sidelines. These hash marks are in slightly different places depending on the rules specified for the current league or game. A team must run, pass, or kick the ball through the field goal uprights or goalposts to score. These goalposts also differ in size depending on the rules specified for the current league or game. The closer the posts are together, the more difficult it is to score by kicking a field goal or an extra point. The standard football field is pictured below:
The Football
The football is an inflated rubber bladder encased in leather or a rubber cover. Since the ball was originally made of leather, sometimes it is referred to as “pigskin”. Footballs weigh around 14 to 15 ounces. The standard adult football is pictured below:
Time, Halves, and Quarters
Football is divided in four quarters or periods. Usually consisting of 15 minutes of playing time. The 1st and 2nd quarters combined are called the first half of the game. The last two quarters (3 and 4) are called the second half of the game. After the first half time elapses a quick halftime break is given to the teams to regroup and rest. Teams change end zones after each quarter. This allows no team an advantage that would be caused by field condition, wind, sun glare, etc. The clock stops at the end of each quarter and depending on the rules, usually two minutes before the ending of each half. Penalties, incomplete passes, and other certain situations that are designated by officials of the game can also stop the clock.
The Teams
Football is played with two separate teams. One team is designated to be the home team and one is the visitor. The visitor calls the coin toss in an attempt to win kickoff choice. After winning kickoff choice, a team can specify if they want to receive the kickoff or kick at kickoff. Each team is composed of 11 players (except for certain leagues such as youth football or flag football). Teams attempt to advance the ball down the field and into the other team’s end zone – also called a touchdown. This would yield 6 points to the offensive team (team advancing the ball). After scoring a touchdown, a team can attempt to kick the extra point or advance into the end zone again for two additional points. If the team cannot get the ball into an end zone to score, they may try to kick a field goal (kicking the ball through the goalposts). A field goal is worth three points. A defensive team may score by tackling an offensive player in the offensive player’s home end zone. This is called a safety and it is worth two points for the defensive team. Except for a safety, whichever team scored kicks off the ball to the former defensive team. Players involved in any kind of kicking plays are called special teams.
Offensive Team
Teams on offense play with 7 lineman on the field and a backfield of 4 players (backs). The lineman hiking the ball is called the center. On his left is the left guard and on his right is the right guard. Left of the left guard is the left tackle and right of the right guard is the right tackle. The back that is directly behind the center and takes the hike of the ball is called the quarterback. There is more complete information about these formations in the offensive and defensive chapters. Teams can also use these backs as wide receivers instead.
Defensive Team
Teams on defense also have a row of linemen; behind them is a line of linebackers or the secondary. The defensive lines are very flexible and are often setup depending on the particular defensive strategy. The defense is primarily concerned with stopping a running play, stopping a passing play, blocking a kick, and putting pressure on the quarterback. When the quarterback is tackled for a yardage loss, it is called a sack.
Equipment
In order to prevent injury, players use a uniform, helmet, face guards, mouth guards, a cup, football shoes, and pads. All of the equipment is developed to absorb impact and be lightweight to make players more mobile. Players use pads on thighs, hips, shoulders, knees, neck, chest, and sometimes the forearms or hands.
Officials
Games are supervised by unbiased officials. Major leagues use seven or more officials. A youth league or flag football league may use one official. Officials carry a whistle and yellow penalty flags. If a player committed an infraction of the rules, the official will throw the flag and may stop the play depending on the particular penalty. The referee supervises the other officials and decides on matters that other officials are not responsible for. The referee uses hand signals to communicate information to the scorer’s table, teams, fans, and the field judge that runs the game clock. The umpire decides about issues of conduct and equipment. The linesmen makes sure the ball is marked properly after each play and also controls the first-down markers.
PLEASE NOTE:
Due to variations in league rules throughout the world. We cannot guarantee that all of this information will be currently accurate. Study your rulebook to find areas that you can exploit with special line sets and plays. Also, in youth football, fields are often shortened and rules are changed to help young players deal with their first experience in contact sports.
