There are few things in life that I love more than the game of football.
Having grown up in a Notre Dame dominated household, I developed not just a passion for ND football, but the overall game itself. The sheer intensity and action on the field along with the strategic elements implemented in various plays captivate me. The center, quarterback, running backs, receivers, blockers, and defenders all must use their strength, wit, and instinct to read a play, react to a ball, or stop the play.
I know what most of you are probably thinking. “This is too much. What does that all even mean?” I get it. Football can be a complex sport to understand, and being a girl who has probably never had the experience of playing football doesn’t help. But with a little knowledge of the game, you can be that girl in the stands booing at bad calls, frantically worrying when the offense goes for it on fourth down, or getting overly emotional when Notre Dame scores a touchdown.
That’s why I’m here! My goal is to teach you Domer dames with little to no prior knowledge of football to truly enjoy Notre Dame gamedays for more than just the tailgating and post parties. Notre Dame football games are such an amazing experience, and knowing what’s happening on the field can only enhance your overall football and even collegiate experience. Plus, just imagine the number of men you will impress! *wink wink*
I’ll guide you through the gridiron step-by-step. To start off, know that there are three separate units of a football team:
The Offense (aka the players on the field with possession of the ball):
The main goal of the offense is to advance the ball down the field and score a touchdown. The offense consists of linemen, such as centers, guards, and tackles. The center usually begins the play by snapping the ball to the quarterback. Next to the center on both sides are guards, whose primary function is to block the defensive linemen on both passing and running plays. Finally, the tackles play outside the guards and prevent the defense from getting through and sacking the quarterback.
Standing behind the offensive linemen are backs and receivers. The most notable player is the quarterback, who receives the ball and makes the play happen. The runningbacks are in position behind the quarterback to receive the ball and execute a rushing (running) play. There are two types: the fullback and the halfback. The halfback (or tailback) is the primary ball carrier on rushing plays, while the fullback is primary a blocker and tends to be a little bit larger than the halfback. Next, we have the wide receiver, who can be seen as the pass-catching specialist. He usually runs pass routes and gets open for pass plays. Last by not least, tight ends come into the picture as hybrid-style players. By this, I mean that they double as a wide receiver and offensive linemen. Tight ends are frequently called to block the defense, but are also eligible to catch passes.
The Defense (aka the team without possession of the ball):
The defense’s main purpose is to prevent the offense from scoring. They can accomplish this by tackling the offensive player who is carrying the ball or by causing turnovers. Turnovers can be in the form of a fumble, which is when the ball is knocked out of a player’s hands, or an interception, which is when a defensive player catches the ball.
The defense also consists of linemen, who can be identified as either a defensive tackle or a defensive end. The defensive tackle attempts to stop running plays directing at the middle of the line of scrimmage (where the ball is placed). More specifically, the nose tackle is the defensive tackle who plays at the center of the defensive line and lines up directly across from the ball. Defensive ends attack the passer and stop offensive runs from the outer sides of the line of scrimmage.
Behind the defensive line are the linebackers. The middle linebacker is primarily the defensive play caller and tries to cover pass plays over the middle of the field. They also put pressure on the quarterback when running a blitz play. Outside linebackers essentially do the same thing, but are outside the middle linebackers.
When you hear the word “secondary,” this refers to the defensive backs. Their main job is to prevent against pass plays, therefore covering the wide receivers and tight ends. The cornerbacks typically tend to cover wide receivers, while the safeties usually help the cornerbacks with deep pass coverage.
The Special Teams:
The special teams are the units who execute and defend punts and kicking plays. On field goals and kick offs, there are three important positions to note. The placekicker is the player who kicks the ball into the goal (those yellow poles at the ends of each side of the field) when the offense is going for a field goal or after the offense gets a touchdown. The long snapper snaps the ball to the holder, and then the holder holds the ball for the placekicker to kick.
On punt returns, which typically occur on fourth downs to give the ball back to the opposing team, the punter is the player who gets the ball thrown to him by the long snapper and then kicks it to the opposing team’s punt returner. The punt returner’s job is to either catch the ball and call it fair (which places the ball where the punt returner caught it), or to catch the ball and run with it to try to gain more yardage. The punt returner also has the option of letting the ball drop, allowing it roll into the end zone so the offense can automatically get the ball placed at the 25-yard line.
And there you have it, ladies. You now understand the fundamentals of football. Congrats! Where do you go from here? Take everything that you have now learned and apply them to the next Notre Dame home football game. Soon enough, you’ll be wishing you had known more about football in the first place. Now go out there and get your head in the game!
PS- Yes, I really did just quote High School Musical right there. Judge me.
Lots of love my fellow football fanatics!