American Football How to Play? American Football - How to Play? Advertisements Next Page Getting Ready American Football starts with the toss of a coin, just 3 minutes before the game. The referee meets both team captains and calls for a toss. The winner of the toss has can choose from either receiving the kickoff or just kickoff to start the game. Apart from that the winning team chooses an end of the field and the loser of the toss other end of the field. Players & their Positioning Each team is divided in three different units The Offense, the players who have the possession of the ball indicated in the picture below as the grey team The Defense, the other team players who line up to stop the offense indicated in the picture below as the blue team. Special teams, the team that takes care of free kicks, kickoff, and field goal attempts along with the punts. Only 11 players are on the field from each team at any point of time. The offense team lines up the field on the line of scrimmage, with 1 center player having the control of the ball, 2 guard players on both right and left side of the centre player, 2 tackle players positioned outside of the guard players on both sides.

A quarterback player standing right behind the centre player is the primary passer and ball handler. A tight end player is lined up on the left side of the centre player slightly behind the tackle players. He is the powerful player who has extra blocking control. There are 2 wide receiver players stationed 7 yards away from the centre player on both strong and weak sides, who will receive the ball and are fastest in passing the ball. A halfback player placed behind the wide receiver players runs, blocks, receives, and passes the ball. An important player who is extremely powerful runner, excellent blocker and good passer is positioned in the fullback on the strong side. The defence team lines up on the defence line of scrimmage, exactly opposing the offense team, with 2 tackle and 2 end players blocking the centre player of the offense, being the strongest are known as front four. The front four players battles headto-head against the offense. Their main aim is to stop the running attack, rush the passer and take control of the ball. They are even permitted to use their hands against the offense. A nose tackle player positioned as the middleman to help the defence line players. There are 3 linebackers stationed exactly behind the tackle and end players.

They are the most handymen with their main objective to pursue running, play, drop back, defending against the passes, and disrupting the pass plays. Two cornerback players, also known as defensive backs, are placed a little behind the linebackers in the area of defence called secondary area. These players are required to tackle fast runners in the plays and interrupt the passing. They also have commendable speed to strike down the wide receivers of the offense. The last two players called the safeties will try to take the control of the ball from the offense. Quick Glimpse of the Game The offensive team with 11 players takes possession of the ovoid ball and tries to advance the ball by throwing and running to the opponent team’s goal post to score points. Both the teams try to gain points by crossing the goal line and getting into the end zone. The opponent team called the defence tries to stop the offensive team and takes the control over the ball. Out of both the teams, the team with the ball has to score more points or the team is forced to give up the possession of the ball. The offensive and defensive teams change roles (the offensive team goes on defence and the defensive team goes on offense).

The same continues back and forth, until all four 15 minute quarters of the game have been played. The game starts with the kickoff. The ovoid ball is placed on a tee (a cone shaped platform which holds the ball) at the defence's 35-yard line, and a special kicker also known as a placekicker kicks the ball to the offense. Any player from offense team will try to catch the ball and advance to the defence. When a kickoff is caught in the offense's end zone, the kicker has two options to play. First option is to run the ball away from the end zone and second option is to kneel down in the end zone to gesture a touchback and to stop the play immediately. The ball is positioned on the 20-yard line and game is started again. The offensive team tries to get as much space as it can to try and move closer to the defence’s end zone. Every time the offense gets hold of the ball and has four downs or chances to gain 10 yards. If the offensive team effectively passes and moves the ball 10 or more yards, they earn a first down and similarly other set of four downs.

If the offense fails to gain 10 yards space then they lose control of the ball. The defence tries to prevent the offense from scoring and gaining the 10 yards needed for first down. If the offense reaches fourth down then they end up punting the ball (kicks it away). This makes the defence team to begin its game from further down the field. One of the important game rules of American Football is the play from scrimmage. It is the movement of the game during which one team tries to advance the ball, get a first down, or a point, and the other team tries to stop them or take the ball away. These plays from scrimmage include–field goal attempts (from either a place kick or a drop kick), passing the ball, retaining the ball and running, punting the ball (dropping the ball from the hands and then before it reaches the ground, kicking the ball), or freekicks such as kick-offs and fair catch kicks. The game also consists of a series of downs, referred to as a time period in which the individual plays in a certain duration, outside of which the ball is dead or not in play.

Replacement of players can be made only between the downs, which allows for a great deal of choice for the team to send in the best suitable player for that particular situation. Moving the Ball –The Run and the Pass Usually the game begins with the snap of the ball at the line of scrimmage. The quarterback of the offense calls out a play in code and the centre player passes or snaps the ball under his legs. The quarterback than continues from there and takes a quick decision on either to throw the ball or run with it. The offense can advance the ball in two ways. First one is The Run and this happens when the quarterback player passes the ball off to a running back player, who attempts to gain as many yards as possible by escaping the defensive players. The quarterback is also one of the runners and is permitted to run with the ball. Another alternative to taking the ball is to Pass it. The quarterback player generally passes the ball to trick the defence. Any other player from the offensive team can also pass the ball as long as the pass is thrown from behind the line of scrimmage. A pass is complete after another offensive player catches the ball, typically the wide receiver or tight end player of the catch the ball.

If the ball smashes the ground before any other player catches it, then it’s an incomplete pass. The defence players stop the offense from progressing with the ball by getting the ball to the ground. A player is said to be Tackled when the players knees touch the ground. This results in end of the play. A play also finishes in case if the player runs out of boundaries. Scoring The game is played on a point based scoring system. The main objective of the players is to score points and team with scoring highest number of points is declared winner of the game. According to the scoring structure points can be scored in four methods that is Touchdown, Extra point (PAT), Field goal, and Safety points. A Touchdown is achieved when a player carries the ball and crosses the opponent team’s end zone. The player who is successful in advancing the ball or otherwise gains control of the ball by catching it in the end zone is qualified as a touchdown. If a forward pass was thrown on the play, the quarterback is also credited with a passing touchdown. It is the biggest single score in the whole game worth six points, and it allows the scoring team an opportunity to attempt to get an extra point.

Following a Touchdown the ball is spotted at the opponent's two-yard line, the offense has two possibilities. Either the offense will try for an extra point called the Point After Touchdown (PAT) conversion or the offense magnificently kicks the ball through the goal post to earn one point. Two extra points can also be scored by running or throwing the ball into the end zone similar to a touchdown. A Field Goal can be recorded by the team if the ball is place kicked, drop kicked or free kicked in between the goal posts in the opponent’s end zone. With field goal a team is worth of three points and often are the determining points in the climax of the game. These goals can be tried from anywhere on the field on any down, but mostly are kicked from inside the defence's fourth down position. If a field goal is missed, the ball is kept back on the original line of scrimmage or on the 20-yard line if ball goes further from the goal line and the control of the ball goes to the other team. Place kick is the best way to make a perfect field goal. The defence attempts to block the offense from making a field goal and stop the ball from reaching the goal post. The Safety is worth two points.

A safety rises if the player grounds the ball making it a dead ball in his own end zone. In that case two points are awarded for safety to the opponent team. A safety is also granted to the team if the other team commits a foul in its own end zone. A Turnover happens when the team is trying to advance the ball to the end zone and by chance loses the possession of the ball without kicking it. A Fumble occurs when the ball mover or passer drops the ball, any player can recover the ball by leaping on it or he can run with it. The team that recovers a fumble gets the control of the ball. A violent defence can regain the ownership of the ball by intercepting (catching) passes than an Interception takes place. The fumble recoveries and interceptions can advance up to the end zone to score a touchdown. Quarterback (American football) - definition of Quarterback (American football) by The Free Dictionary Quarterback (American football) - definition of Quarterback (American football) by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . quar·ter·back (kwôr′tər-băk′) n. Abbr.

QB Football The offensive backfield player whose position is behind the line of scrimmage and who usually calls the signals for the plays and receives the ball when snapped. v. quar·ter·backed, quar·ter·back·ing, quar·ter·backs v.tr. 1. Football To direct the offense of. 2. Slang To lead or direct the operations of: "needed someone to quarterback the [brain trust] for the first U.S. ICBM program" (Forbes). v.intr. Football Center | American Football Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Share Center (C) is a position in football . In modern professional football, centers are usually the smallest offensive linemen, but this is not to say that they are unimposing. An average NFL center would weigh in at over 300 lbs (130kg) and may stand over 6 feet (180cm) tall. The center is at the center of the offensive line , and it is the center who passes (or "snaps") the ball between his legs to the quarterback at the start of each play . Centers play an integral part of the offensive line and act as the primary protector of the quarterback after the snap.

The center is often referred to as "the smartest person on the field next to the quarterback", in the sense that the center acts as the line's "mind". Before the snap, the center is given the responsibility of assessing the likely action of the defensive team (based on his knowledge of their defensive schemes, as well as the placement and stance of players on the field) and will then often adjust the blocking assignments of all the offensive linemen and the backfield by communicating using audible and visual signals referred to as "line calls". 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. After the snap, the center must block defensive players from reaching the ball carrier (on running plays) or the quarterback (on passing plays). On passing plays in particular, the center often must block blitzing defensive players. In special teams situations, the center is referred to as a "long snapper," who snaps the ball with two hands to a punter standing approximately 12-14 yards behind him, or to the holder for the placekicker , kneeling approximately 7 yards behind him.

These long snappers are often players particularly talented at performing these snaps, and are not necessarily the same center used on other plays. In fact, professional football teams may carry a player on their roster for the sole or primary purpose of long snapping. 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. Football Referee Glossary | Smitteez Sportswear Football Referee Glossary Our Retail Location Football Referee Glossary This page is intended to help our significant others become more aware and better understand a sport/profession we all truly love: American Football Referee or Official An official is a person who has the responsibility for enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game. They are traditionally clad in a black-and-white striped shirt , black pants with a black belt, and black shoes . During professional and college football, seven officials operate on the field. High school and other levels of football have other officiating systems.

American football officials are commonly referred to as referees, but each has a title based on their position. They consist of: Referee, Head Linesman, Line Judge, Umpire, Back Judge, Side Judge, and Field Judge. Because the referee is responsible for the general supervision of the game, the position is sometimes referred to as head referee to distinguish it from the other "referees". Football Officiating Crews Generally Use The Following Equipment, Gear and Accessories: Whistle - Used to signal the end of a play. Penalty Flag - A bright gold colored flag with a gold, black or white head that is thrown on the field toward or at the spot of a foul. It is wrapped around a weight, such as sand or beans (or occasionally bb's, though this is discouraged, as it can injure a player), so it can be thrown with some distance and accuracy. Most veteran officials will carry a second flag in case there are multiple penalties on a play. Bean Bag - Used to mark various spots that are not penalties. For example, it is used to mark the spot of a fumble or where a player caught a punt.

It's colored white, black or royal blue, depending on the official's league, college conference, or level of play. Down Indicator - A specially designed wristband that is used to remind officials of the current down. It has an elastic loop attached to it that is wrapped around the fingers. Usually, officials put the loop around their index finger when it is first down, the middle finger when it is second down, and so on. Primarily black in color. Some officials, generally the Umpire position, may also use an indicator to keep track of where the ball was placed between the hash marks before the play (i.e. the right hash marks, the left ones, or at the midpoint between the two). This is important when they re-spot the ball after an incomplete pass. Some officials use two thick rubber bands tied together as a down indicator. One rubber band is used as the wristband and the other is looped over the fingers. Game Data Card and Pencil - Officials write down important administrative information, such as the winner of the pre-game coin toss, team timeouts, and fouls called. Game data cards can be disposable paper or reusable plastic. A pencil with a special bullet-shaped cap is often carried.

The cap prevents the official from being stabbed by the pencil while it is in his pocket. Hat - If a player not carrying the ball steps out of bounds (a wide receiver running a deep passing route or a player running downfield on punt coverage; for example), the official will drop his hat to mark the spot of where the player went out of bounds. The hat also is often used: to signal a second foul called by the official on a play (by those officials that may carry only one flag); to indicate un-sportsmanlike conduct committed against the official himself (as when a player shoves an official); or when some other situation requires a physical mark and the official has already used the ordinary item on the play. Football Referee / Officials Positions and Responsibilities: Referee A referee (R) is responsible for the general supervision of the game and has the final authority on all rulings. Thus, this position is sometimes referred to as head referee. He can be identified by his white cap, while the other officials wear black ones. During each play from scrimmage he positions himself behind the offensive team, favoring the right side (if the quarterback is a right-handed passer). On passing plays, he primarily focuses on the quarterback and defenders approaching him.

The referee rules on possible roughing the passer and, if the quarterback loses the ball, determines whether it is a fumble or an incomplete pass. On running plays, the referee observes the quarterback during and after he hands off the ball to the running back, remaining with him until the action has cleared just in case it is really a play action pass or some other trick passing play. Afterwards, the Referee then checks the running back and the contact behind him. During punts and field goals, the referee observes the kicker (and holder) and any contact made by defenders approaching them. In College football, the NFL and other professional leagues, and in some high school games, the referee announces penalties and the numbers of the players committing them (college and professional), and clarifies complex and/or unusual rulings over a wireless microphone to both fans and the media, including the result of instant replay reviews. In addition to the general equipment listed above, the referee also carries a coin in order to conduct the pre-game coin toss. Umpire The umpire (U) stands behind the defensive line and linebackers, observing the blocks by the offensive line and defenders trying to ward off those blocks looking for holding or illegal blocks.

During passing plays, he moves forward towards the line of scrimmage as the play develops in order to (1) penalize any offensive linemen who move illegally downfield before the pass is thrown or (2) penalize the quarterback for throwing the ball when beyond the original line of scrimmage. He also assists on ruling incomplete passes when the ball is thrown short. Head Linesman The head linesman (H or HL) stands at one end of the line of scrimmage (usually the side opposite the press box), looking for possible off-sides, encroachment and other penalties before the snap. As the play develops, he is responsible for judging the action near his sideline, including whether a player is out of bounds. During the start of passing plays, he is responsible to watch the receivers near his sideline to a point 5-7 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Line Judge The line judge (L or LJ) assists the head linesman at the other end of the line of scrimmage, looking for possible off-sides, encroachment and other penalties before the snap. As the play develops, he is responsible for the action near his sideline, including whether a player is out of bounds.

During the start of passing plays, he is responsible to watch the receivers near his sideline to a point 5-7 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Afterwards, he moves back towards the line of scrimmage, ruling if a pass is forward, a lateral, or if it is illegally thrown beyond the line of scrimmage. On punts and field goal attempts, the line judge also determines whether the kick is made from behind the line of scrimmage. In high school (four-man crews) and minor leagues, the line judge is the official timekeeper, receivers and defenders. He rules on pass interference, illegal blocks downfield, and incomplete passes. With the back judge, he rules whether field goal attempts are successful. Side Judge The side judge (S or SJ) works downfield behind the defensive secondary on the same sideline as the head linesman. Like the field judge, he makes decisions near the sideline on his side of field, judging the action of nearby running backs, receivers and defenders. He rules on pass interference, illegal blocks downfield, and incomplete passes. During field goal attempts he serves as a second umpire. In college football, the side judge is responsible for either the game clock or the play clock, which are operated by an assistant under his direction.

< passes. incomplete and> With the field judge, he rules whether field goal attempts are successful. If the official time is kept on the stadium scoreboard clock, the back judge becomes the backup timekeeper. In college football, the back judge is responsible for either the game clock or the play clock, which are operated by an assistant under his direction. In high school (five-man crews), the back judge is the official timekeeper of the game. The back judge is also the keeper of the play clock in high school games, and times the one minute allowed for time outs. Other officiating systems: Arena football, high school football, and other levels of football have other officiating systems. A three-official system uses only the referee, head linesman, and line judge, or in some cases, referee, umpire and head linesman. It is common in junior high and youth football. A four-official system uses the referee, the umpire, the head linesman, and the line judge. It is primary used at lower levels of football, including junior varsity and some high school varsity. A five-official system is used in arena football and most high school varsity football. It adds the back judge to the four-official system.

A six-official system uses the seven-official system without the back judge. It is used in some high school and small-college games. Introduction to American College Football Rules Introduction to American College Football Rules American football grew out of the English game of rugby. Unlike soccer, the foot hardly ever touches the ball in American football. (Soccer is the game most of the world calls football.) The Field is 100 yards long (and 160 feet wide). The middle of the field is the 50 yard line. The lines are labeled every 10 yards descending in both directions from the 50 yard line. Thus there are two 40 yard lines and no 60 yard line. Each team owns half of the field (they switch sides every 15 minutes of play). Thus, the two 40 yard lines are distinguished by who owns them. The "zero yard line" is called the goal line. The areas to either side of those 100 yards, extending 10 yards past the goal lines, are called the end zones. Teams try to get the ball past the opponent's goal line into the end zone to score a touchdown.

At far edge of each end zone are the goal posts which, together with the cross bar, look like a big H. These are used only when a team decides to kick a field goal instead of going for a touchdown or to kick for an extra point after scoring a touchdown. To score the field goal or extra point, the ball must go between the vertical posts and over the bar. In the other direction, the field is divided into three parts, left, center and right, by the hash marks, which are 60 feet from each side line. Normally, for each play, the ball starts where it ended up at the end of the previous play. However, if the ball ends up outside of the center part of the field, it is brought back to the nearest hash marks so plays never start at the extreme sides of the field. The area to either side of the field is out-of-bounds. Kickoffs: At the start of the game there is a coin toss to see which team gets the ball first. The team that has the ball is the offense; the other team is the defense. A football game is supposedly one hour, but takes about three hours to play because the clock is often stopped for various reasons.

The game is divided into 15 minute quarters with a major division at 30 minutes which is called half time. At the end of the first and third quarters, the players merely switch sides. The ball is moved to the corresponding point on the other side of the field, and play continues. This switching of sides evens up any advantage due to the sun or wind. The players leave the field for 20 minutes at half-time. After half-time, play does not continue where it ended. Instead, the team that originally lost the coin toss gets to have the ball first following another kickoff. At the start of each half and after each touchdown or field goal (when it's time to let the other team have the ball), the defending team starts by placing the ball on a tee at their 35 yard line and kicking the ball toward the other team. This is a kickoff. The other team tries to catch the ball and run it back as far as possible. If the player catching the ball sees there is no hope of running it back, he raises his hand asking for a fair catch. In a fair catch, the defending team may not tackle him and he may not run with the ball.

If the ball is kicked into the end zone and no one catches it or the player catching it does not run with it, there is a touchback and the first play starts at the offense's 25 yard line. Unlike a touchdown, a touchback does not score any points. Downs: The offense has 4 plays or downs to cover 10 yards or more. A play ends when the player with the ball is either stopped or goes out-of-bounds or if the ball is thrown and missed (which is called an incomplete pass). A player is stopped when his knees touch the ground either because he was tackled by a defensive player or because he fell. When a play is over an official blows a whistle. Normally, teams try to cover the 10 yards in 3 plays or less. If they don't make it in 3 plays, they use the 4th down to kick the ball toward the other team. The ball is not placed on the ground and kicked as it is in a kickoff. Instead, the ball is snapped back to the kicker who kicks the ball. This is punting. For a touchback on a punt, the ball comes out to the 20 yard line.

Teams don't have to punt on 4th down. Sometimes, if the distance to complete the 10 yards is very short or if a team is far behind in the score, they elect to go for it on 4th down--to try to complete the 10 yards with another play. If they fail to make it on 4th down, the ball is turned over on downs where it ends up. On 4th down, if they are close enough to the defense's goal posts, the offense may also elect to kick a field goal. If the field goal misses, the ball is turned over to the other team where it was before the field goal attempt. If a team succeeds in advancing 10 yards or more, they get a first down. That is, they get a new set of 4 downs to make another 10 yards. Scoring: The object of the game is to score more points than your opponent. A touchdown is worth 6 points. After a touchdown, the team then attempts to kick the ball through the goal posts to get an extra point.

Because this kick almost always works, most people think of a touchdown as being worth 7 points and then subtract a point if the extra point kick is missed. The team that scored the touchdown has the option of trying to get the ball into the opponent's end zone again in just one running or passing play instead of kicking for the extra point. If this two point conversion works, they get two points instead of just one. This is, however, more than twice as difficult as kicking an extra point. A field goal is worth is worth 3 points. If an offensive player is stopped in his own end zone, the defense scores a safety which is worth 2 points. This rarely happens. After a safety, the offense must kick the ball to the other team with a free kick where the kicker kicks the ball from his own 20 yard line. It's called a free kick because the kicker may not be tackled. The Players: Each team has 11 players on the field. Before a play starts, the offensive players meet in a huddle to decide which play to use. Plays are normally selected by the coaching staff who radio their selection to the quarter back who then tells the other players.

The defensive players might also huddle to select their own strategy for the next play. The players then come up to the line of scrimmage which is an imaginary line drawn from one side of the field to the other through the tip of the football closest to the defense. Each team must stay on their own side of the line of scrimmage until the play starts. The offensive team typically has a quarter back (the team leader), two additional players behind the quarterback often called the fullback and the tailback, five players in a line in front of the quarter back called the offensive line, and three receivers off to either side of the offensive line that are called tight end, split end, and flanker. The tight end is close to the offensive line; the others are further away. The center player of the five linemen on the offensive line is the center. The defensive team typically has four linemen in front, three line backers in back of them and four defensive backs further back or to the sides called corner backs and safeties. The Plays: The offensive linemen all put a hand on the ground except for the center who puts both hands on the ball. The quarter back stands behind the center with his hands between the center's legs.

The quarterback calls out a series of signals. Only the offensive players know which signal starts the play; the defense has to wait to see the play start before they can react. Once the secret signal is given, the play starts when the center snaps the ball to the quarterback. The offense has a maximum of 25 seconds from the end of the previous play to start the next play unless a time-out has been called. In a pass play the quarterback takes a few steps back, waits for someone to get open, and throws the ball to that person. That pass receiver can be any offensive player other than a lineman. During a pass play, the defensive front four rush the quarterback hoping to either make him throw the ball early or perhaps even sack him by tackling him before he throws the ball. The offensive linemen try to prevent this by blocking the defensive linemen. However, the offensive lineman are not allowed to use their hands while blocking. Meantime the defensive backs cover the receivers (try to stop the receivers from catching the ball) by either running with them in man-to-man coverage or by covering any receivers in their part of the field in zone coverage. Sometimes the defensive team blitzes by sending one or more defensive backs after the quarter back.

That can be dangerous because it can leave a receiver open--but that won't matter if they can sack the quarterback. If the pass is not caught before it touches the ground, it is an incomplete pass and the ball returns to the original line of scrimmage. If a pass is picked off (caught) by a defensive player, it is an interception and the ball is turned over to the other team. In a rushing play the quarterback hands the ball off to the tailback or, sometimes, the fullback and that person runs with the ball. The offensive linemen try to open holes in the defensive line for the rusher to run through by blocking the defensive linemen. If the rusher fumbles by losing the ball before the play is over, there is a mad scramble while everyone tries to pounce on the ball. If a defensive player recovers the fumble, the ball is turned over to the other team. Penalties: The people in the stripped shirts are the officials.

They carry out various tasks such as raising their arms to signal a touchdown or field goal, deciding if a pass was caught in bounds or out-of-bounds, placing the ball on the line of scrimmage for the next play, measuring to see if 10 yards have been covered, and assessing penalties for rule infractions. To call a penalty, an official takes a piece of yellow cloth, called a penalty marker or flag, from his pocket and throws it on the ground. There is then a flag on the play. Illegal procedure: An offensive linemen moved before the play started or a receiver who was in motion before the play started did not move parallel with the line of scrimmage. Or the quarterback was past the line of scrimmage when he threw a pass. 5 yard penalty. Ineligible Receiver Down-field: An offensive lineman was too far advanced past the line of scrimmage when the quarterback threw a pass. 5 yard penalty. Delay of Game: The offensive team took more than 25 seconds to start the play. 5 yard penalty. Grounding the Ball: The quarter back threw the ball away instead toward a possible receiver because he was about to be sacked. 5 yards and loss of down.

Off-sides: A defensive player moved across the line of scrimmage and either made contact with an offensive player or failed to get back before the play started. 5 yard penalty. Holding: An offensive lineman used his hands while blocking. 10 yard penalty. Clipping, Illegal Block, Chop Block: Blocking a player from the back. This can hurt a player because he doesn't know the hit is coming. 10 yards. Pass Interference: Grabbing or tackling the pass receiver while the pass is in the air. The defender must wait until the ball arrives. However, the defender can try the catch the ball himself, so he may collide with the receiver as they both try to make the catch. If there is interference, the penalty is 15 yards (or to the point of interference if that's less) and a first down is granted even if the ten yards has not been made. Unnecessary Roughness, Roughing the Passer, Roughing the Kicker: Tackling someone after he no longer has the ball or after the play is over. 15 yards. Facemask: Grabbing the front of a player's helmet during a tackle. 15 yards if flagrant; 5 yards if incidental.

Unsportsman-like conduct: 15 yards. After a penalty is called, the other team can accept or decline the penalty. When a penalty is assessed, the ball is brought back to the original line of scrimmage and the penalty is marched off from there. The down is then repeated unless the penalty includes loss of down. That is, the play with the penalty does not count as one of the four allowed to get 10 yards. Thus, if the team with the penalty did poorly on the play, the other team may want to turn down the penalty and accept the play as it was. If both teams get a penalty on the same play, the play is repeated from the original line of scrimmage. The maximum penalty is half the distance to the goal line even if a larger penalty would otherwise be assessed. The Clock: The last two minutes of a half can take a long time to play. Throughout the game, the clock is stopped whenever there is an incomplete pass or the player with the ball runs out-of-bounds. And the clock is stopped temporarily when there's a first down so the officials can move the chains at the side of the field that are used to measure the 10 yards.

And each team has 3 time-outs they can call per half to stop play for a couple of minutes. In the last 2 minutes, the offense uses incomplete passes and running out-of-bounds just to stop the clock. Unlike professional football, there is no "two minute warning." The clock does not run during a try for extra point(s) following a touchdown. Quarterback's - definition of Quarterback's by The Free Dictionary Quarterback's - definition of Quarterback's by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . quar·ter·back (kwôr′tər-băk′) n. Abbr. QB Football The offensive backfield player whose position is behind the line of scrimmage and who usually calls the signals for the plays and receives the ball when snapped. v. quar·ter·backed, quar·ter·back·ing, quar·ter·backs v.tr. 1. Football To direct the offense of. 2. Slang To lead or direct the operations of: "needed someone to quarterback the [brain trust] for the first U.S. ICBM program" (Forbes). v.intr.

Football American Football Monthly - The Center / Quarterback Exchange American Football Monthly © October 2006 Every scrimmage down starts with the centerï¿½s snap; yet it can be one of the most neglected areas of football. There have been many games lost because of a fumbled Center / QB exchange. The snap is a procedure that must not be taken for granted. The fundamentals of snapping the football should be emphasized and practiced everyday, just as you practice the fundamentals of blocking, tackling, receiving, etc. All phases of snapping should be practiced with repetition until it becomes second nature to all involved. Donï¿½t assume the snap will be automatic. Emphasize and work it, until it becomes automatic. Once your center becomes proficient, keep the same practice procedure to keep them that way. The two phases of snapping the football are: 1. The Quarterback under the Center exchange 2. The Shotgun Snap We will work a step-by-step procedure with our Center's and QBï¿½s for five minutes before each practice and before every game. The procedure does three things for us: 1. It develops a high efficient exchange 2.

It acts as part of the playersï¿½ warm up, serving to stretch the Center's and loosen up the QBï¿½s voices and their bodies 3. It enable us to rep some basic fundamentals used by our Center's and QBï¿½s Our Center / QB exchange should be exactly alike between all Center's and all QBï¿½s. All Center's snap right-handed and all QBï¿½s receive the snap the same way (with their right hand up). We also train other offensive linemen to snap. You can never have enough Linemen who can also snap. The philosophy of our snap is simple. The QB will form a ï¿½Vï¿½ with his hands. The Center will pull the ball straight back, lodging the ball deep into the ï¿½Vï¿½ formed by the QBï¿½s hands. The ball should lodge at an 80-degree angle formed by the offset formed by the QBï¿½s hands, forming the ï¿½V.ï¿½ There are seven basic steps that we follow during each session at Texas: 1.

Command: ï¿½Hands, Stance and Ballï¿½ ï¿½ At this command, the QB should form a ï¿½Vï¿½ with his hands and hold it up for you to inspect. The ï¿½Vï¿½ should be nice and wide with the fingers spread: The left thumb should slide down the right thumb until it fits into a natural groove. The Center's should assume a good knee-bent, flat-backed stance. The head should be up. The ball should be extended as far as possible, positioned directly in front of the right ear. The laces of the ball should be up (The angle of the laces usually should be tilted inward slightly. This may vary somewhat per Center.). The ball should be gripped toward the front half of the ball. The laces need to come up across the QBï¿½s right hand. NOTE: The only deviation in the process for a left-handed QB is that the laces can be tilted to mesh the bottom hand. The remainder of the procedure is the same. 2. Command: ï¿½Center's, bring the ball to the mesh at 80 degrees.

QBï¿½s coach them.ï¿½ At this command, the Center's should bring the ball back and hold it to the mesh where the QBï¿½s hands will be. The Center should hold the ball of the mesh point to be checked by the QB. The ball should come up flush with the Centerï¿½s butt and be at a slight angle (80 degrees). This procedure should be repeated five or six times or until the QB has the ball coming up correctly. 3. Command: ï¿½Butt of the Hand.ï¿½ At this command, the QB should place his right hand only under the Center. His hand should be wrist deep. The middle finger should be down the center of the Centerï¿½s body. All five fingers should be comfortably extended and pressed against cloth. The Center should continue the process of Step 2. The ball should skim off the butt of the QBï¿½s hand. The Center should try to drive the ball back as deep as possible off the butt of the QBï¿½s hand and up his wrist. This procedure checks the mesh point, the ball angle, stretches the Center and helps prevent the short snap.

NOTE: The ball is never exchanged in Steps 1 through 3. 4. Command: ï¿½Exchange and Short-Short.ï¿½ Step 4 is the first time the ball is actually exchanged. At this command, the QBï¿½s will assume their appositions behind the Centers. They will form the entire ï¿½Vï¿½ with their hands under the Centers. The Centers will snap the ball at will with no command. This step should be repeated four to six times. Through half of the reps, the Center should step with their right foot first. Through the other reps, the Center should step left. The Centers should never take more than a six-inch step at this time. This step forces the QB to keep a proper ï¿½Vï¿½ with his hands and to ride the Center with his hands. The time of the snap and the direction of the Centerï¿½s step are unknown to the QB. 5. Command: ï¿½Snap Counts.ï¿½ All Center's are aligned on the same line, about four yards apart. During Step 5, each QB takes a play and a snap count and the entire line reps it together.

Centers step through each play executed. After each QB reps his play, he rotates to another Center. The procedure should continue until each QB has worked with each Center. The snaps should be interchangeable between all players. There are several basic plays that need to be repeated during this step: A. Center base or zone blocking right, then left B. Center sweep blocking right, then left C. Center drop-back pass setting right, then left D. Center play-action pass blocking right, then left E. Center extreme move (flat reaches) right, then left NOTE: Different steps should be substituted per your offense. 6. Any variation in your procedure you need to practice can be worked at this time. Suggestions: A. Variations in your normal snap count. B. Include some Defensive Linemen and your Guards and practice your QB sneak. C. Good QB Sneak, etc. REMINDER: Train several other Linemen to snap the ball. You can never have enough Linemen master the procedure. This will help you in interchanging Linemen, line depth and travel and dress-out numbers. 7. The Shot-Gun Snap is the final phase of our Center-QB practice session. The QB will assume a position approximately four yards behind the Center.

(This can vary depending on the protection used and the depth of routes and QB drop.) The Center should adjust his grip to gain more of the fate of the ball. The snap procedure is as follows: A. The Center will look between his legs. The QB will lift one foot when he is ready. The Center should also get a visual image of his target (the QBï¿½s waist to his chest strike zone). B. Once the Center receives the QBï¿½s ready signal, he should raise his eyes to the defense. He should make any needed calls at this time. C. After the ready signal, the Center can snap the ball when he is ready. Upon snapping the ball, he should give a verbal snap count such as Hut or Go or Set. This will allow the other Linemen to concentrate on their assignments and the defense without having to look in at the ball any more than necessary. D. The Actual Snap: The snapping hand should make a quarter of a turn. The ball should be kept close to the ground during its backward movement. The follow-through by the Center will raise the ball. The Center should shove the ball to the QB (it should float back). The ball should be a medium fastball.

Donï¿½t try to spiral the ball back. A ball floating back sideways is easier for the QB to catch. A ball that is too hard, too soft, out of the ï¿½strike zoneï¿½ or just too hard to catch will diminish the QBï¿½s ability to deliver the ball. NEW! Get the Manual

Question: In American football, who stands behind the centre and calls the play?
Answer: Quarterback