FOOTBALL GLOSSARY
Astroturf:
an artificial surface used instead of grass on many football fields.
audible:
verbal commands shouted by the quarterback to his teammates at the line of scrimmage to change a play on short notice.
backfield:
the area behind the line of scrimmage.
backs:
the running backs; the halfback and the fullback.
ball carrier:
any player who has possession of the ball.
beat:
when a player gets past an opponent trying to block or tackle him.
blackout:
when a regional network TV affiliate is forbidden from showing a local game because it is not sold out.
blitz:
a play where the defensive team sends players rushing towards the line of scrimmage as soon as the ball is snapped to try to sack the quarterback.
blocking:
the act of preventing a defensive player from getting to the ball carrier; blockers use their arms and bodies but may not hold an opponent.
bomb:
a long pass thrown to a receiver sprinting down the field.
bowl game:
a college football game played in late-December or early-January, after the regular season, between two successful teams.
bump-and-run:
a technique used by pass defenders, where they hit a receiver once within 5 yards (1 yard in college) of the line of scrimmage to slow him down, and then follow him to prevent him from catching a pass.
call a play:
instruct players to execute a pre-planned play.
clipping:
blocking an opponent below the waist from behind; this illegal block is a personal foul, punishable by a 15-yard penalty.
complete pass:
a forward pass to a teammate who catches it in the air.
conferences:
groups into which teams are divided in professional and college football; the NFL is divided into National and American Conferences.
controlling the game clock:
the use of tactics by an offensive team to either save or use up time on the game clock, which often dictates its choice of plays.
cover or coverage:
preventing a player from gaining yards; in pass coverage, a defender follows a receiver to prevent him from catching a pass; in kick coverage, members of the kicking team try to prevent a long kick return.
cut back:
a sudden change in direction taken by a to make it more difficult for defenders to follow and tackle him.
dead ball:
a ball becomes dead when a play is over and becomes live as soon as it is snapped for the next play.
division:
in the NFL, sub-groups within conferences, such as the Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Divisions; also, a grouping of teams in college football, where Division I contains the most competitive teams and Division III the least.
double coverage:
when 2 defensive players cover one receiver.
down:
one of 4 chances a team on offense has to gain 10 yards; also, the state of a player who has just been tackled; also, a ball that a player touches to the ground in the end zone to get a touchback.
down the field:
in the direction of the opponent’s goal line.
draft choice:
a player chosen by a professional sports team from a pool of college players in an annual draft.
drive:
the series of plays a team puts together in an attempt to score.
drop back:
when a quarterback, after taking the snap, takes a few steps backward into an area called the pocket to get ready to pass.
drop kick:
a type of free kick where a player drops the ball and kicks it right after it hits the ground; rarely used today.
eligible receiver:
a player allowed by the rules to catch a forward pass; all offensive players are eligible except linemen and the quarterback, who must notify the referee if they wish to become eligible and stand at least one yard behind the line of scrimmage before the snap.
encroachment:
if a player (besides the center) is in the neutral zone and contact occurs prior to the snap; a foul punishable by a 5-yard penalty.
end line:
the boundary line that runs the width of the field along each end.
end zone:
the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines, which a team on offense tries to enter to score a touchdown.
extra point(s):
additional point(s) scored by a team after it has scored a touchdown, either by a point-after-touchdown (1 point) or a 2-point conversion (2 points).
fair catch:
when a kick returner decides only to catch a punt or kickoff and not advance it, protecting himself from being hit by an opponent; he signals for a fair catch by raising one hand in the air and waving it.