America doesn’t love anything much more than the great game of football, especially in the SEC, but sometimes understanding the game of football is no walk in the park. It’s a numbers game, and mostly all about strategy. For me, I was given the privilege of growing up with the game; my dad coached my brother from a young age. Below are the basics to the game that I have come to know and love from the help of my family, ESPN and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Basics
The basics of college football are not the easiest to remember, however the three most basic and important aspects to know about football are the field, the offense and the defense.
First is the field:
- The playing field is 100 yards long, measured by 10-yard intervals from the end zone (10 yard-line) to the center of the field (50 yard-line).
- The line where playing field meets the end zone is called the goal line.
- Each end zone is 10 yards deep—totaling the entire field at 120 yards long.
The Offense is the team with possession of the ball, in hopes of scoring. The most important thing to know about the offense is the positions.
Positions
- Quarterback (QB) – think AJ McCarron
- Running back (RB) – think Eddie Lacy or T.J. Yeldon
- Center (C) – think Barret Jones
- Right Guard (G) – think Anthony Steen
- Left Guard (G) – think Chance Warmack
- Right Tackle (T) – think D.J. Fluker
- Left Tackle (T) – think Cyrus Kouandjio
- Tight End (TE) – think Michael Williams
- Wide Receiver (WR) – think Kenny Bell
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Offensive Formations – 6 most basic and commonly used offensive formations.
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The Defense is the team trying to prevent the opposing offense from scoring and gaining any yards beyond the line of scrimmage.
Positions
- Defensive Tackle (DT) – think Jesse Williams
- Defensive End (DE) – think Damion Square
- Outside Linebacker (OLB) – think C.J. Mosley
- Inside Linebacker (ILB) – think Nico Johnson
- Outside Linebacker (OLB) – think Adrian Hubbard
- Cornerback (CB) – think Dee Milliner
- Safety (S) – think Robert Lester and Vinnie Sunseri
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Defensive Formations – 3 most commonly used defensive formations.
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The Glossary – below are football terms that are commonly unknown but frequently used in the world of football.
Backfield – the area behind the line of scrimmage, and generally refers to the offensive players line up behind the offensive line such as the quarterback, running back, tailback and/or fullback.
Blitz – a defensive ploy, in which the linebackers charge the quarterback/backfield instead of remaining behind the line of scrimmage.
Fullback (FB) – an offensive position whose responsibility is to block for the running back and pass-blocking to protect the quarterback. Also, short yardage runners—generally used for 4th downs.
Halfback (HB) – an offensive position, usually a type of running back and similar to a fullback.
Lateral – a pass thrown with no motion or yardage toward either end zone, similar to backward pass.
Option – (my favorite play) a play in which the quarterback has the option of handing off, keeping or laterally tossing to one or more back to toward one side of the field. Frequently, used in formations such as the veer option, or counter option.
Pass Interference – when a cover position player obstructs a receiver’s opportunity to catch a forward pass.
Red-Zone – the 20 yard line and the goal line of the defensive team.
Sack – the tackling of the ball carrier whose intention is to throw a forward pass.
Safety – 2 meanings
- A defensive position commonly referred to the free safety and strong safety.
- A scoring opportunity of 2 points by tackling an opposing ball carrier or forcing a fumble in their own end zone.
Secondary – general nickname for the defensive “backfield,” specifically the safeties and cornerbacks.
Sneak – (a.k.a. quarterback sneak) offensive play designed for the quarterback to run. Immediately receiving the snap the quarterback charges through the defensive line, typically used for a short-gain on 4th downs, or 1st and goal.
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Alabama Football 101
The two numbers Alabama is most proud of are 14 (hopefully 15 by January 8th) and (now) 23. 14 National Championships and 23 Southeastern Conference Championships.
14 Nationals Championships (hopefully soon to be 15)
Year
Coach
Opponent
Bowl
1925
Wallace Wade
Washington
Rose Bowl
1926
Wallace Wade
Stanford
Rose Bowl
1930
Wallace Wade
Washington State
Rose Bowl
1934
Frank Thomas
Stanford
Rose Bowl
1941
Frank Thomas
Texas A&M
Cotton Bowl
1961
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
Arkansas
Sugar Bowl
1964
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
Texas
Orange Bowl
1965
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
Nebraska
Orange Bowl
1973
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
Notre Dame
Sugar Bowl
1978
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
Penn State
Sugar Bowl
1979
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
Arkansas
Sugar Bowl
1992
Gene Stallings
Miami
Sugar Bowl
2009
Nick Saban
Texas
BCS National Championship
2011
Nick Saban
LSU
BCS National Championship
23 Southeastern Conference Championships
Year
Coach
1933
Frank Thomas
1934
Frank Thomas
1937
Frank Thomas
1945
Frank Thomas
1953
Harold Drew
1961
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
1964
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
1965
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
1966
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
1971
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
1972
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
1973
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
1974
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
1975
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
1977
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
1978
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
1979
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
1981
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
1989
Bill Curry
1992
Gene Stallings
1999
Mike DuBose
2009
Nick Saban
2012
Nick Saban
Sources:
http://football.about.com/cs/football101/a/bl_football101.htm
http://www.rolltide.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/alab-m-footbl-mtt.html
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-identify-football-formations.html
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/footballs-offensive-team-formations-for-running-ba.html