Center ( American and Canadian football ) Center ( C ) is a position in American football and Canadian football ( in the latter the position is spelled " centre , " following Commonwealth spelling conventions ) . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team ' s offense . The center is also the player who passes ( or " snaps " ) the ball between his legs to the quarterback at the start of each play . In recent years , the importance of centers for a football team has increased , due to the re - emergence of 3 - 4 defense s . According to Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome , " you need to have somebody who can neutralize that nose tackle . If you don ' t , everything can get screwed up . Your running game won ' t be effective and you ' ll also have somebody in your quarterback ' s face on every play . " Roles . The center ' s first and primary role is to pass the football to the quarterback . This exchange is called a snap . Most offensive schemes make adjustments based on how the defensive line and linebacker s align itself to the offensive line , and what gaps they line up in . Because the center has an ideal view of the defensive formation before the snap , he typically makes the first line call . This call is typically based on the position of the defensive linemen or linebackers in his gaps ( 0i - 1i ) , most subsequent adjustments are dependent on this call . In some cases the center may call an adjustment for the entire offensive line . This was taken to an extreme by the Indianapolis Colts in the early 21st century , with center Jeff Saturday having equal say with quarterback Peyton Manning in play calling , including audibles . For these reasons , the center is usually the most intelligent player on the offensive line and this attribute is a critical component to a center ' s success . After the snap , the center performs blocking assignments . The blocking assignments vary by offense but typically consist of the following : Run blocking . Run blocking assignments will vary based on the current play and the defensive formation when the ball is snapped . Typically , these assignments consist of the following : During the play . On most plays , the center will snap the ball directly into the quarterback ' s hands . In a shotgun formation , the center snaps the ball to the quarterback lined up several yards behind him . In punt and field goal formations , the center also snaps the ball several yards behind him to the punter or holder on the field goal unit . Because bad snaps can ruin special teams plays and cause turnovers , some teams have a center who is specifically trained for snapping the ball in punt and field goal formations . This player is often referred to as the team ' s long snapper . Also , the center does not have to snap the ball to the quarterback , holder , or punter . He is allowed to snap the ball to anyone behind him . Because of this , some plays involve snaps directly to running back s instead of the player generally expected to receive the snap , hoping to fool the defense . In slang , the player receiving the snap is said to be " under center " if he receives the ball directly from the center ( not in shotgun ) . This phrase is typically applied to quarterbacks , but has been used in reference to other positions as well . Special teams . In special teams situations , the center is a long snapper , who snaps the ball to a punter standing approximately 12 - 14 yards behind him , or to the holder for the place - kicker , kneeling approximately behind him . These long snappers are players particularly talented at performing these snaps , and are sometimes a different player from the regular center . Drawing penalties . Although the quarterback commands the ball , it is the center ' s snap that renders the ball in play ; the defensive line may not cross the line of scrimmage until the center snaps the football . An astute center can help draw an opposing team offside prior to the snap or potentially trick the other team into a penalty by quickly snapping the ball while the opposing team attempts to substitute players . In college football , the Dave Rimington Trophy is awarded annually to the nation ' s most outstanding center .