Defense:

• Defensive lineman (DL): Player who rushes the QB to take their flag before the ball is passed. The line up at the line of scrimmage.

• Linebacker (LB): Player who lines up behind the linemen.

• Defensive Back (DB): Player who defend the receivers. They may be cornerbacks (CB) who directly cover a receiver, or a safety (S) who roams around.

 

Football Terms:

• Blitz: A defensive rush to the QB without counting “alligators.”

• Down:

  • a) Each attempt/chance of an offensive play

  • b) The pulling of an offensive player’s flag by a defensive player (downed)

• End Zone: Area at the ends of each side of the field. When the offensive team moves the ball into this area it is considered a touchdown. The goal line marks the beginning of the end zone.

• Forward pass: a pass towards the opponent’s end zone. This can only be done behind the line of scrimmage.

• Hike: The QB says this to start the play.

• Interception: When the defensive player catches the pass of the QB.

• Lateral: a pass that follows a path even to or behind the passer.

• Line of scrimmage: an imaginary line that extends from the football to the out of bounds line at the start of a play. This separates the offense from the defense.

• Man to man defense: Defensive scheme where players guard a specific player

• Offsides: When a player crosses the line of scrimmage before the ball is hiked. This is a penalty.

• Touchdown: The name used for a score in football. It is worth 7 points. (In some co-ed games it will be 10 points for girls.)

• Zone Defense: Defensive scheme where players guard an area

 

Playing the game:

• Object of the game: Score touchdowns

• Start of the game: One team kicks-off (punts or throws) the ball while the other team receives.

• Kickoffs: The kickoff shall be made from the kicking team’s own 20 yard line at the start or after a score. The scoring team stays and the other team jogs back to the other side. The receiving team must be behind their own 20 yard line. Only girls may advance the ball. A male can catch it, but would need to lateral to a female to advance it.

• First downs: A team is given 4 downs to advance the ball to the next zone line (20 yards). Each time they move past a line they are awarded a first down and a new set of 4 downs to get to the next line or end zone.

• The offense is allowed one handoff per set of downs.

• A girl must be the QB, be lateralled or passed to on two of the four downs.

• QBs are not allowed to run past the line of scrimmage, except on blitzes.

• The defense is allowed one blitz per set of downs, otherwise they need to count out loud to 5 “alligators” before rushing the QB. They must yell “Blitz” when they use it.

• Blocking: You may block, but blockers must have both arms crossed and touching their chest.

• Penalties: All of the following penalties will result in a 5 yard loss and a loss of down.

• Tying flags; Offsides, Pass interference

• Unnecessary roughness: player is kicked out of the game

• Dead ball situations: Play stops and you reset on your side on the line of scrimmage

• The ball carrier’s flag becomes detached.

• A pass is incomplete.

 

Receiver patterns to know:

• Go/Fly/streak: run straight as fast as you can

• Hook: Run 10 yards then turn around

• Hook and go: Fake a hook pattern, then turn around for a fly pattern

• Post: Run straight then take a diagonal angle towards the goal posts.

• Slant: immediately run diagonally towards the middle of the field

• Square-in (or out): Run 10 yards straight then cut at a 90 degree turn in towards the center of the field for an “in” or out towards the sidelines for an “out.