Crossing the 50: A place for women to learn about football without all the technical babble.

The players

If there is one football player you are familiar with then it’s probably the quarterback. Well it's time to learn about the other 21 players on the field. Each player on the football team has a position. This position is either on the offensive team, the defensive team, or special teams. You can use the links above to skip around to each section or read all the way through.

Offensive Team

First up, let's talk about the offensive team – the team responsible for scoring. The offense has possession of the ball and is responsible for getting the ball up the field toward the defense's end zone to score. Usually they are working for a touchdown but sometimes they have to settle for a field goal.

Quarterback (QB)

Quarterback aka receiver aka QB. Quarterbacks are considered the generals of the offensive team. They are responsible for passing and throwing the ball to the wide receivers, tight end, and running backs. If the quarterback can’t pass or throw the ball to another player, they will run with the ball to finish the play. In huddles, they call the plays for the offensive team.

Current popular quarterbacks

Wide Receiver (WR)

Wide receiver are important for most of the passing plays. The wide receiver needs to be fast with the ability to move quickly on the field. The quarterback uses them in plays where they need to throw the ball quickly down field. The receiver catches the ball and then attempts to get down field for additional yards or a touchdown.

Current popular wide receiver

Tight End (TE)

A tight end switches between a lineman and a wide receiver. They can stand on the line with the linemen or receive passes from the quarterback. Tight ends have to be large enough to block the defensive lineman and fast enough to be a receiver.

Current popular tight ends

Running Back (RB)

Running back are responsible for receiving passes or hand-offs from the quarterback, blocking defensive players, and catching passes. They are involved in both passing and throwing plays. They are also called fullbacks and halfbacks according to their position on the field.

Linemen (Tackle, Guard, and Center (T)(G)(C))

Linemen line up directly on the line of scrimmage. Linemen are known for their large size and strength. Their primary job on the team is to block the defensive team from tackling the player with the ball. Linemen are not allowed to catch passes. There are five positions that make up the line: one center, two guards, and two tackles.

The center is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback. The guards protect the quarterback and creates a hold for the running back. The tackles protect their team against defensive ends.

Defensive Team

The Goal of any team”s defensive is to stop the opposing teams offense from advancing upfield. They do not have possession of the ball but can gain possession if the ball is intercepted or fumbled. They also can gain possession of the ball by keeping the offense from getting a first down.

Defensive Tackles (DT)

Defensive Tackles are located on the inside of the defensive line. Their job is to break through the offensive line in order to tackle the ball carrier or break up any play in progress. Their strengths are physical strength and size.

Defensive Ends (DE)

Defensive Ends are located on the end of the defensive line. There are also in charge of breaking through the offensive line in order to tackle the ball carrier or stop the offensive play. Their strengths are physical strength, size, tackling ability and agility

Linebackers (Middle linebackers and Outside linebacker (MLB)(OLB)

Linebackers line up behind the line of scrimmage. Their job is to tackle any player from the offense that gets beyond the defensive tackles and ends. Their strengths are physical strength, speed, tackling ability and agility

Cornerbacks (CB)

Cornerbacks line up on the outside of the defensive line in front of the wide receivers. Their job is to block the wide receivers and their strengths are height, speed, and an ability to catch the ball or intercept the ball.

Safeties (S)

Safeties are multipurpose defensive specialists. They are lined up furthest behind the line of scrimmage in order to assess the offensive structure and either work in coverage or a pass rush. Their strengths are speed, speed, speed.

Defensive Team terminology

Below are some words that will be tossed around during football talk or during the game. These words can also be found on the football vocabulary page.

Offensive and Defensive positions on the field

The offense has strict rules as to where they are located on the field. Out of the eleven players on the field, only seven players are allowed on the line of scrimmage. The other four players have to remain behind the line of scrimmage.

The picture below show the red team as the offense and the blue team as the defense. The red team has linemen, a tight end, and a wide receiver on the line of scrimmage. The other four players, the wide receiver, quarterback, and running backs are behind the line

The defense does not have the same strict rules as the offense and can place their players anywhere on the field. The defense has to stick to their side of the line of scrimmage but can stand anywhere on the field.

offensive and defensive on the field

Special Teams

Special Teams refers to the part of the football team that handles kickoffs, punts, and field goals/ extra points.

Kicker (K)

The kicker is responsible for kicking the ball from the hands of a holder or from a tee for field goals and kickoff.

Holder (H)

The holder holds the ball for the kicker on field goals and kickoffs. The kicker is sometimes the backup quarterback or a punter.

Long snapper

The long snapper is also a center. Like the center on the offensive team, he snaps the ball but to the kicker instead of the quarterback. He snaps the ball for punts and field goals.

Below are the jobs that the Special Team would perform in a game.

Kickoff

The kickoff happens at the beginning of the first and third quarter or after a team has scored. The ball is placed on the 35 yard line. If a ball travels out of bounds, it is then given to the team receiving the ball at their own 40 yard line. If it goes behind the end zone the ball is then placed at the 20 yard line.

Once the ball is caught by the other team, the player may also down the ball in the end zone to have it advanced to the 20 yard line. He can also wave his hands in the air to signify a Fair Catch in which the ball will be placed where he waves and he can no longer be tackled by the other team.

The Kicking Unit

A normal Kickoff formation has the kicker in the middle with the other players on the other side in a straight line. The kicker then kicks the ball downfield to the other team and it is the kickoff teams job to stop the other from advancing the ball upfield.

The Recovery

On the other side of the ball you have the “Return Team” that is responsible for catching the ball and advancing it the other team's end zone. The kick return formation sees one or two return specialists far back to receive the kick with two layers of team mates blocking upfield so that the “Returner” can move the ball upfield.