There are two types of football fans in the world: those who know the game and those who don’t. Everyone has heard “that girl” in the stadium, clueless about the game, letting everyone know it. Here’s a hint ladies: guys do NOT think that’s cute.
So, to ensure you know your stuff for the beginning of our Buckeyes’ season, here are some fast football facts for collegiettes:
The Basics:
There are 11 guys on the field from each team. The offense is the team with the ball. They want to move it to the other team’s end zone to score a touchdown (worth six points) or kick a field goal (worth three points).
The offense has four attempts to move the ball 10 yards. Each try is a “down.” Once the team travels 10 yards, they get a first down. When you hear “2nd and four” on the loudspeaker, it isn’t telling you how much time is left in the quarter (trust me, I’ve heard it before). It’s referring to the offense being on their second down with four yards to go to achieve a first down and start their four tries over. Once they do, the crowd goes wild.
The process starts over until the team scores or doesn’t get the full ten yards. At this point they send their punter out, who punts the ball to the other team.
At the start of the third quarter, the teams will switch end zones. This means if quarterback Braxton Miller was throwing the ball toward you for the first half, he will now be throwing it away from you. Don’t get caught cheering for the other team!
Fan Etiquette:
Remember to stay positive throughout the game. If our guys are stuck on our own five yard line, don’t get discouraged; you have the best view in the stadium! (We’ll talk more about tight ends in a bit.)
Be enthusiastic, but don’t be the only person standing up when we are 35 points ahead. People might take their necklaces apart and start pelting you with Buckeyes.
Key Offensive Players:
Quarterback (QB): Braxton Miller. This is the guy who throws the ball.
Running Back (RB): Carlos Hyde. He gets the ball from the QB and runs with it. Also seen as Tail Back (TB) and Half Back (HB).
Wide Receiver (WR): Devin Smith and Jake Stoneburner. These guys specialize in catching those long “Hail Mary” passes from the QB.
Tight End (TE): Nick Vannett. I told you we’d get back to this. Vannett’s job is to block for runners, but he can also catch passes from the QB.
Other positions include the center and offensive line. They block for the player carrying the ball, trying to get him into the end zone.
Key Defensive Players:
These positions can be split into three categories. All of these men are doing their best to protect their end zone to keep the other team from scoring.
Defensive Line: Defensive Tackles (John Simon) and Defensive Ends (Michael Bennett)
Linebackers: Middle and Outside Linebackers (Etienne Sabino, Ryan Shazier and Curtis Grant)
Defensive Backs: Cornerbacks (Bradley Roby, Travis Howard) and Safeties (Christian Bryant, C.J. Barnett)
At his press conference Monday, head coach Urban Meyer let us know that “our guys are ready to go play.” Take this information with you to the stadium and you’ll be ready, too. Know your stuff and reap the benefits (guys love a girl who knows her sports).