HANDOUT

HISTORY: The we call “football” is indigenous to . It did not have one inventor; rather, it developed gradually from soccer to , to “”, to football. Soccer is called football other continents it’s the most popular in the world today. Rugby is also played almost everywhere. is a cousin of these , and they all involve, in one way or another, kicking an object up and a field. Kicking games are though to have existed for 2,000 years. Kicking and throwing objects for recreation in America are as old as America itself. In the later part of the 18th century this haphazard “kicking game” assumed a place with the severe mental discipline of college life. As football developed into the way we know of today, it took on many rule changes. is considered the “Father of American Football”. He is developed the rule of the and 4 down to move 10 yards. In the late 1800’s athletic clubs took up the sport, and professional football can be traced as far back as 1892. It was centered in Pennsylvania and then spread to . There that became known as the “” was formed 1920.

NATURE AND PURPOSE: The object of the game of football (and it’s variations) is to advance the over the opponent’s line without being “tackled”. When a has of the ball they are on . When a team is trying to stop the opposing team from scoring they are on . The offense has 4 attempts/downs to move the ball 10 yards. If the ball is moved 10 yards or more before the 4 downs are completed the offense is awarded another 4 downs and so on. If the 10 yards is not obtained the ball is given to the other team and they become the offense. Once the has signaled to start, the offense has 25 seconds to the ball.

VARIATIONS: football (11 man or 8 man), football, football, football, and .

LENGTH OF THE GAME: Pro- 4 quarters in the game, 15 minutes each College- 4 quarters in the game, 15 minutes each High School- 4 quarters in the game, 12 minutes each

SCORING: - 6 points Point(s) after a touchdown - 1 point for kicking or 2 points for run or pass - 3 points Safety - 2 points scored by defense

PLAYING FIELD: An official field is 100 yards long marked at 5 yard intervals and has an zone at either end of the field that are 10 yards in length. The field is 53 yards in width.

OFFENSE DEFENSE

O O O O O O O X X X X O X X X X O O O X X X KEY TERMS: BACKWARD PASS – Play in which, the ball is thrown or passed in any direction except towards the opponent’s goal. Any player may make a backward pass.

BLITZ – To the .

BLOCK – Action of offensive linemen and backs in which they use their bodies to ward off defensive players from the ball carrier.

BOOTLEG PLAY – An offensive play in which a back fakes handling the ball to a team mate conceals it on his/her hip, and turns in the opposite direction.

CLIPPING – A blocking action in which a player throws his/her body across the back of the legs of a player not carrying the ball. This may cause injury and is a personal .

DEFENSE – The team trying to prevent a and trying to get the ball back.

DOWN – An attempt to move the ball, a play, or a . The offense gets 4 downs in a series

EXTRA POINT – Points scored after a touchdown.

FAIR CATCH – A player may make a on a kickoff, return , or kick from scrimmage by raising his/her hand clearly above their before making the catch. He/she may not be tackled, and must not take more than two steps after receiving the ball. The ball is played from the spot of the catch.

FIELD GOAL – An attempt to score by kicking the ball through the goal post.

FIRST DOWN – After having moved the ball 10 yards, the offense gets another set of downs.

FORWARD PASS – An offensive play in which the ball is thrown toward the line of scrimmage.

FUMBLE – The loss of possession of the ball.

HAIL MARY PASS – A made in desperation, with only a very small chance of success. It usually occurs at or near the end of a game.

HAND OFF – An offensive play in which one back hands the ball off to another back; who then attempts to advance the ball. Typically quarterback to .

HUDDLE – The offense meets in a where the next play is decided by the quarterback.

INTRECEPTION – A forward pass that is caught by the defense.

KICK OFF – Start of each half or after a team scores a touchdown or field goal, the scoring team kicks the ball to the other team from their own 35 yard line.

LATERAL PASS – An offensive play in which the ball is passed sideward or backward to the line of scrimmage.

LINE OF SCRIMMAGE (LOS) – An imaginary line, or vertical plane, through the end of the goal lines. This there is a line of scrimmage for each team, an the area between the two line is called the neutral zone. Any player of either team is offside if he/she encroaches upon the neutral zone before the ball is snapped.

OFFENSE – The team with the ball that is trying to score.

OFFSIDE – A player is offside when any part of his/her body is beyond his/her line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped or kicked.

PASS INTERFERENCE – Anytime a defensive player interferes physically with a receiver, when the ball is in the air.

PUNT – If an offensive team does not advance the ball 10 yards or more or does not score; a team may kick the ball down field to other team on the 4th down. It is a kick made when a player drops the ball and kicks it while it is in flight.

RUSH – Linemen try to get around the blockers at the line of scrimmage and sack the quarterback.

SACK – To tackle the quarterback before he/she can complete the play.

SAFETY – A score made when a free ball, or one in possession of a player defending his/her , becomes dead behind the goal, provided the impetus which it to cross the goal was supplied by the defending team.

SHOTGUN OFFENSE – in which the quarterback lines up 5 or 6 yards behind the center. Usually one or both halfbacks may line up 1 or 2 yards on either side of the quarterback.

SNAP – An action of the center giving the ball to a quarterback.

SPECIAL – The unit of players who handle kicking plays.

SPIRAL – The proper spin on a thrown ball.

TOUCHBACK – When the ball becomes dead behind the opponent’s goal line legally in possession of player guarding his/her own goal, provided the impetus which caused it to cross the goal line was supplied by an opponent. No points are scored on the play, and the ball is put in play by a scrimmage at the 20 yard line.

TOUCHDOWN – A score of 6 points made by a player getting the ball over the goal line. It may be carried or passed.