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A very short guide to the Rules |
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This game seems very strange at first sight - they go into little
groups, then line up still and suddenly chaos breaks out for a
few seconds and it all stops again. Its origins lie in rugby football,
but has developed into possibly the most complicated field game
in the world, a mixture of chess and warfare, demanding of its
players both intellectual and physical skills.
This summary cannot be an exhaustive explanation of the rules, but will be more than enough to get you started and for you to enjoy this great game.
As is the custom in the UK, American spellings are used for "technical" terms of the game.
The Field of Play
An average American Football Field is 100 yards long and 53 yards wide. However the
BAFA (British American Football Association) do allow a small
amount of flexibility with these dimensions. The field is divided
up into 10 yard sections, width ways, and into three sections
lengthways (two wide areas on the sides, and a thin strip running
down the middle of the field.
The "hash" marks, every yard, divide the field up in this way. The field is so marked to enable the progress of the ball to be measured accurately - field position is all important in this game.
At heart, the idea is to get the ball downfield past the defending
team into the End Zone for a Touchdown (6 pts.); it is no longer
necessary to actually touch the ball to the ground, having control
of it as it enters the end zone is what matters. A Touchdown may
be converted for one extra point by a place kick or for two points
by running or passing the ball into the End zone.
Touchback!
The Players
A squad will consist of 45 players, of whom 11 are on the field
at any one time. There is unlimited substitution, which has led
to teams having separate units for offense (when they have the
ball), defense (when the other side have it) and special situations
like place kicks, punts etc. Player numbers are normally related
to position and function.
Touchback!
The Drive
This is a series of plays, each starting from a scrimmage or "down".
The team in possession (Offense) have 4 attempts or Downs to advance
the ball at least 10 yards. As soon as this is achieved, a further
series of 4 downs starts. If they fail, possession goes to the
other side, whose offensive unit will come on and start their
drive in the opposite direction. If the offense are on their 4th
down and still have several yards to go, they have 2 options.
If they are close enough, they will attempt a place kick for a
field goal (3 pts). If they are out of range of their kicker,
they will punt the ball downfield so that the other side have
further to drive when they recover possession. The team in offense
may lose yards if a play goes wrong and the defense succeed in
pushing the offense back. Losing yards is also the most common
form of penalty. Penalties are indicated by an official throwing a Yellow Flag.
Touchback!
Offensive play
Each play starts with the ball being "snapped"
by the Center to the Quarterback, usually crouching behind him. Sometimes the QB uses a "shotgun" formation.
The QB calls out a coded signal to his team which tells them the
tactics to employ on this play. At a prearranged signal, the ball is snapped and the QB has basically three options:
- To pass the ball. In this case he will rely on the linemen at the front to protect him from the defense long enough for his intended receiver to achieve the desired position downfield. 3 seconds of protection is good - much less can lead to disaster for the offense leading to a sack (QB tackled for loss of yards). Unlike rugby, one forward pass is allowed in each play, usually by the QB. This is a distinctive feature of American football. As soon as the ball carrier is tackled or stopped, play stops, and the next down takes place from that line where play ended.
- To hand off the ball. Here the ball is handed or tossed to a Running back who uses his agility or power to carry the ball through a gap in the defense created by the offensive line in the seconds since the snap. If the line of scrimmage is close to the goal line, pro running backs may be seen to leap over the battle between the two front lines into the end zone for a Touchdown. A running back may also run downfield behind a screen of his own team, who protect him from the defense. Sometimes a trick play such as a Reverse will be used. While only the ball carrier may be tackled, other players may block to create a path for the ball carrier. Thus there is contact off the ball also.
- Bootleg, or the QB runs with the ball himself. Unusual, and has a surprise value if not used too often. If it goes wrong it can lead to a sack or an undignified scramble as the QB runs for the sideline, chased by the defense. QBs need intelligence, lightning reactions along with power and accuracy for the long throw.
The offensive strategy will change depending on their position on the field, and especially within the Red Zone.
Touchback!
Defensive play
The defense will try to anticipate the play to be employed by
the offense and counter it. As with offense, defensive formations
vary, depending on their guess of the offensive tactics. They
may mark man for man, or zone defense. They may go for the Blitz,
an all out attempt to sack the QB before he passes the ball. If
it fails though, and the pass gets away, the rear of the defense
has been left relatively open by the concentration required for
the blitz. It is possible for the defense to score by getting a Safety. The offense tends to get the glamour, but good defense
wins games!
Touchback!
Turnovers
Possession changes during a play, either by the defense intercepting
a pass, or from a fumble, the loose ball being recovered by the
defense. In either case, the defense will make a return run for
a touchdown if they can get that far. Very dramatic to watch!
Touchback!
Timing
The game consists of an hour's play divided into 4 quarters. In
fact the game may last over two hours with intervals and the stopping
of the game clock. This will be stopped after a score, after an
incomplete pass, when the ball goes out of bounds, when there
is an infringement of the rules and a penalty flag is down, at
the discretion of the referee and each team may stop the clock
3 times in each half (time-outs). There is also a 30 second clock
which is the time the QB has to start each play. At the end of each half there is a Two Minute Warning given. There is therefore
no time wasting. The fans pay for an hour of football, and they
get it!
Touchback!
Why American Football?
It is a game demanding both physical and intellectual skills.
It has a high tactical component which will exercise thinking
ability, as well as testing athletic ability. It has been likened
to chess, with its structure of a series of set piece moves, designed
to outwit the opposition. Yet with all this, at junior level it
offers opportunities for those children who otherwise might never
get the chance to be on a school team. Those who are slow and
heavy, or who have little ball sense can have a role to play.
As blockers on the line, either in offense or defense, these children
can find a new confidence in themselves and among their peers.
Touchback!
Playing Positions
Offensive Formation - Pro Set Right
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Pro Set Right, just one of many available offensive variants.
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If the Tight End is
on the left end of the interior line, it is called a Pro Set Left.
In that case, the Wide Receiver on that side must line up a yard
off the line, because of the pass receiving rules. Running backs
can also line up behind each other, called an "I"
formation. There are other possible formations such as the "shotgun", and others, often achieved
by players changing positions "going in motion"
just before the ball is snapped.
Kicking Formation
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Kicking formation. The initial position of the kicker assumes a right footed kicker. If the kicker is left footed, the formation would be mirrored. Senators' kicker Gary Marshall is left footed. At one time, many kickers were "straight on" kickers, but the soccer style kicker is now predominant.
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For place kick, either as a field goal attempt or a kick for a "point after" (conversion), a Holder catches the long backward "snap" from the Center and sets the ball up for the kicker. As soon as the ball is snapped, the defense will rush the holder and kicker, so the timing has to be perfect. The kicker must get the ball in the air, high enough to prevent it being batted down by tall defenders, with 1.25 seconds of the Center snapping it back.
Punting Formation is similar, except that the Punter stands further
back, and there is no holder. The punter catches the ball direct from the snap and kicks it away. The extra player acts an another
blocker to protect the punter.
The formation at Kick Off is different. The ball is usually kicked from a kicking tee and the team line up across the field, and follow the ball downfield, in order to tackle the returning opposing player as soon as possible. A fairly rare exception is an Onside Kick.
Defensive Formations
4-3 Formation
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The 4-3 formation illustrated is one of the most common, but there are many possibilities within the rules of the game. The Safeties and cornerbacks are known as the "Secondary", a term you may hear used.
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The Safety opposite the Offense's Tight End
is the Strong Safety, the other Safety is the Free Safety.
Defensive keys
The Line pressure the Quarterback, by breaking through the Offensive
line aiming to tackle the QB behind the line of scrimmage (a Sack).
Cornerback mark the wide receivers, Linebackers key on the running
backs, if pass, they drop back to defend the pass. Strong safety
keys on the Tight End, Free Safety defends the pass, but watches
in case the QB comes downfield with the ball, or even to receive a pass (trick play department!).
There are of course many as defensive schemes as there are offensive plays, and the basic "man to man" described here is usually developed into highly sophisticated and flexible schemes, often based on defenders defending a zone of the field rather than a particular offensive player, so "Zone Defense" is a term you may hear also.
Touchback!
Canadian football
Known to its fans as the "longer, wider, faster" variant, it is very similar to American football. But a careful look shows there are 12 men on the field rather than 11, and the field is much larger. Also, the Canadians have just 3 downs to get 10 yards, rather than 4, so the kicking and punting aspects of the game are even more important. There are other rule differences as well. Canadian football tends to be more pass oriented because of this need for rapid progress. The professional league in Canada, the CFL, has been a place where many NFL quarterbacks and receivers have honed their talents.
Touchback!
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