About the Fundamentals of Football

American football is a highlight of the fall months. Though the game has millions of fans and is easy to watch, it can be a complex game to play. In no other game do 22 sweaty guys (they are usually guys, and usually sweaty) vie for possession of an ovoid chunk of rubber while covered in more padding than some people have in their home insulation.

History

American football derived from English rugby in the 19th century. The game is said to originate from William Ebb Ellis at the Rugby School in England, who picked up the ball during a soccer game and ran with it down the field. Though this broke the rules, it opened up fans' imaginations to an entirely different kind of game. Walter Camp, player and coach at Yale University, was the first to institute the unique rules that distinguished the game from rugby and soccer (what the rest of the world calls football). Until his death in 1925, Camp edited every American Football rulebook.

Identification

American football rules differ from rugby and soccer in the following ways:
1. One side retains possession of the ball until the other team takes it away, or it is taken through violations.
2. There is a specific line of scrimmage.
3. There are 11 players on each side (as opposed to 15 in other games).
4. The quarterback and the forward pass were unique additions.
Scholastic-level football teams in America may only have six, eight or nine players on the field.

Features

Each team has an offensive and defensive unit. Only one offensive unit and one defensive unit are on the field at a given time. The team in possession of the ball plays with its offense and tries to score a touchdown by bringing the ball into the opposing end zone, or score a field goal by kicking the ball between goal posts at the end of the field. The defensive unit guards against the other team in its attempts to score. Members of the offensive unit include the quarterback, running back or full back, wide receiver or tight end, and the linemen. Members of the defensive line include the linebackers and cornerbacks. The field itself is rectangular and split into 100 1-yard segments. The 50-yard line is the halfway point of the field.

Effects

There is a kickoff at the start of each game and after every touchdown. The ball is set 30 yards away from the defensive end zone (35 yards in college football). A placekicker runs and kicks the ball according to strategy. No matter where the ball is kicked, the player who catches it tries to advance forward. Kicking is usually the only time the foot and ball actually connect in football. The rest of the game consists of players holding the ball in their hands and arms, or passing to another player by throwing the ball. Strategy is an important aspect of football. Plays are defined by where the players go and what they will do. Plays are usually decided on before the game and studied by the players and coaches.
The quarterback is the on-field leader of the team. Each play begins with the line of scrimmage, where each team lines up usually with the biggest players closest to the ball. Play begins when the center throws or hands the ball from the ground, between his legs, to the player behind him, usually the quarterback. This is called the snap, and is generally triggered by the quarterback's verbal signal.

Potential

Play continues until either the ball carrier is tackled or falls, the quarterback as the ball carrier is caught by a defender, the ball carrier's goes out of bounds, a pass is incomplete, a foul is called, a field goal attempt fails, or the team scores. There is no limit to the variations of play and strategies a team can take. Wherever the play ends is where the next scrimmage line starts. The offense has four chances, or "downs," to score a touchdown. If the offense cannot score a touchdown in four tries, it has the option of advancing the ball at least 10 yards down the field. If the offense is unable to do either, possession of the ball switches and the other team goes on the offensive.
A touchdown is worth six points. After each touchdown, the scoring team is allowed to try for one or two more points. For two extra points, they line up at the 2-yard line and try to cross into the end zone. For one extra point, they can attempt to kick the ball through the goal posts from the same 2-yard line. During the fourth down, a field goal earns three points. If an opponent is tackled in its own end zone, that earns two points for the opposing team.

Resources

• Football Rules
• Football Scoring