Football Glossary

In this article we're going to explain not only the basic formations that you'll see from so many offenses in football, but also some wrinkles and gadgets, as well as some unusual formations that you might only see on a Friday Night from a high school team. Before we get started, it's important to remember one thing: The language of football doesn't always make sense. A lot of coaches use different words to describe the same thing, and so the names you're going to read about in this article are very generic, and not necessarily the name that a team...

In the rare instance you see a fullback score a touchdown in a football game, you’ll be sure to see the entire team celebrate even more than normal – knowing full well the sacrifice fullbacks make for the good of the offense on a weekly basis. Fullbacks in the modern game of football are a true extension of the offensive line, looking to do whatever it takes to help offense to move the ball, and doing the dirty work in order to make it happen. Fullbacks are hard not to love, often being guys who lack natural gifts such as...

With recent offensive innovation taking over football, teams are scrambling to find ways to put more points on the board on a weekly basis. Skill players are getting paid better than ever, with the eye-popping salaries of quarterbacks and wide receivers continuing to go up. The kicker falls on the opposite end of this spectrum. Often undrafted, paid minimally compared to their teammates, their main job is to assist the offense in reaching the goal of scoring more through extra-points and big time field goals at any point in the game. The job is cutthroat, and one that demands both...

The emphasis on the quarterback position is undeniable in the game of football today. Quarterbacks who can sit back and deliver the football accurately are being paid higher than ever before. As defenses look to combat this, having an elite defensive end is arguably the #1 way to slow down opposing offensive passing attacks. Defensive ends are arguably the most freakish athletes on the defensive side of the ball, and are paid accordingly as the most prioritized position on a team’s defense. An elite defensive end is able to make an opposing offensive coordinator’s head spin, as he must find...

Centers are both the underdog of their offensive line counterparts – and the brains behind the entire operation of the offensive line unit. Centers often find their way to the position being a little less naturally gifted than the guards and tackles positioned to their left and right. Usually a bit undersized, or a step slower, centers make up for this with a combination of high football IQ and gritty style of play that allows them to be the leader up front for the offense. Coaches talk a lot about their great players being extensions of coaches on the field,...