Football I.Q.

   

Knowing is half the battle.  - GI Joe

It is good to clarify.  Vince Lombardi, the Hall of Fame and legendary Green Bay coach for which the Super Bowl is named, was a subscriber to this theory, as well.  Once, after a particular humiliating loss to an inferior team, Lombardi began practice by huddling up his players and holding a football high in the air.  Then he spoke these clarifying words of reprimand, “Okay, we go back to the basics this morning…gentlemen, this is a football.

The following is an attempt to give more clarity concerning the game of football that can get confusing with all of its jargon.  Sadly, well into my adult years, I knew nothing of the terms I am about to share with you.  I never played organized football, but rather played pickup games, and often all we would say in the huddle was: Get open. 

Here are some terms I think can expand your football IQ:

The FADE PASS is not when the reception goes blank on your television screen just as a receiver is about to make a big play.  Actually, it is when the quarterback will lob the ball over a beaten defender to a receiver at the back corner of the end zone.  In essence, throwing to where only the receiver catch it.

The BACK SHOULDER PASS is not a pass that you throw over your back shoulder in order to trick your opponent.  Instead, it is a pass thrown when the defender has turned his back in order to keep up with the receiver. The quarterback recognizing this throws the ball aiming at this teammate’s back shoulder, in hopes the receiver will turn around at the last second to catch it.  When thrown well, it is nearly impossible to defend.

The FIVE TECHNIQUE is not a strategy a football player contrives to see where he will be financially in five years.  Rather, the five technique is when a defensive lineman lines up on the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle. In today’s game, this term is thrown out often and it sounds cool, although the average fan has no clue what it means.

 

A POST PATTERN is not a football player who routinely posts a blog about his feelings after the game.  Actually, it is when a receiver runs straight down the field for about ten to twenty yards and then cuts toward the middle of the field, in the direction of the facing goal post.  It often results in a big gain or touchdown when properly executed.

The RAZZLE DAZZLE play is not when you purchase a bag of multicolored highly sugary candies called Razzles that make your teeth fall out.  Instead, the razzle dazzle is a broad term for a trick play, such as the flea flicker or hook and lateral, where the highly risky play looks like one thing and turns out to be another.

An ELIGIBLE RECEIVER is not a young football player who is actively seeking a potential spouse.  Relatively speaking, an eligible receiver is often an extra offensive lineman, who is not a tight end, that lines up on either end of the offensive line.  This player must report to the official, and often comes into the game near the goal line as a ploy to trick the defense.  When the play is run he pretends to block and often goes uncovered. Sometimes it will result in a touchdown, depending if the burly player doesn’t have butterfingers and can catch.

Last, but not least, is the READ OPTION that is not a choice you give a high school student between choosing a book or watching a video.  The read option is normally when a quarterback, with running ability, takes the ball in shotgun formation and runs with the ball toward one side of the field, with the running back close behind him. The QB will look at what angle the defensive end is coming from and then either run himself or hand it off to the running back who is behind him. If this play is run correctly, it often allows for a fairly big gain.

Now that you have more clarity about football remember to use it wisely, because it is always good to know more, however, it is never good to be a jerk about it.

Football I.Q. is great, but make sure you are investing even more time in being a decent human being.

Swavel