Have you ever watched a football game and felt really lost among all the talk about fullbacks and tight ends? Have you ever secretly sworn to yourself that you’d Google these things so that next time you watch a game, you’ll fully understand it?
I have. Personally, I love watching football. Few things please me more than watching football on a crisp, cold Sunday, curled up in a blanket with a beer in one hand and the remote in the other. However, I don’t always understand what the commentators and referees are saying. And, if I’m being honest, I don’t always understand what is happening in every play.
This year, I swore to myself that I’d learn the basics of football. Then, I thought to myself, why not share my newly acquired football knowledge with the Her Campus world? I’m sure there are some girls out there, that like me, don’t quite *get* football but really want to. So, without further ado, I’ll be kicking off this “Football Crash Course” article series talking about the different kinds of players and their roles on the field.
Quarterback
Everybody knows this one at least in some way. Every team has a quarterback, who is the leader of the team. But what exactly does the quarterback do on the field? They call plays, yell signals, and (almost always) catch the football after each snap.
Center
The center, as you would expect, stands in the middle of the field. Their primary job is to snap the ball to the quarterback at the start of every offensive play. Centers are also typically the leader of the offensive line, and they make sure that every player is following along with the offensive play.
Running Back
Basically, this is the guy who runs with the football. Another role running backs sometimes take on is that of the blocker, but usually you’ll just find them running down the field trying to evade the defensive line.
Fullback
The fullback is basically a body guard; their primarily role is to protect and block. Mostly, the fullback protects the running back by blocking the opposing team and pass-blocks for the quarterback. However, they’ll protect just about anybody carrying the ball–as long as they’re on the same team, of course.
Wide Receiver
The wide receiver’s main job is to run along the field and catch the quarterback’s pass. Wide receivers are very fast and very tricky; they sometimes use their trickery to act as a decoy or blocker instead of catching the ball during offensive plays.
Tight End
The tight end is very similar to the wide receiver in that they catch the ball and help block the defensive line. But, while the wide receiver’s major role on the field is to receive the ball, the tight end finds more of a balance between catching the ball and blocking the defensive line.
Left/Right Guard
The Left and Right Guards are exactly what they sound like–they guard the quarterback on both sides. The left and right guards are always situated right next to the quarterback in the inner offensive line.
Left/Right Tackle
Again, the left and right tackles are exactly what they sound like–they tackle opposing team members. More specifically, they usually block for the quarterback and provide gaps for the running back to run through. You can spot them as the outermost players on the line.
Defensive Tackle
There are two defensive tackles on the line, and you can spot them as the innermost two. Defensive tackles are usually supposed to stay in position in order to block and stop plays, but they can also run through gaps in the offensive line to disrupt the offensive formation sometimes.
Defensive End
Again, there are two of these guys, and they’re the outermost two on the defensive line. Their main job is to force the offensive ball carrier out of bounds or into the grips of defensive tacklers. Defensive ends sometimes meet each other in the backfield before teaming up to tackle the ball carrier.
Linebacker
This guy is the ultimate tackler on every team. The linebacker’s job is to defend both the run and the pass by tackling anyone who tries to interfere.
Congratulations, you now know all the player types on the football field! Want more football crash course content? Stay tuned for part two of the series where we’ll be discussing the rules and layout of the game.