There must be a lot of “dummies” in the world, considering the number of books dedicated to them: Taxes for Dummies, Loneliness for Dummies, and, yes, even Captain America for Dummies. But, one doesn’t need to be a “dummy” to get confused about football. Fortunately, it’s never too late to jump into the game.
American football is one of the most popular team sports of all time. It’s a competitive combination of teamwork, strategy, and athleticism that makes for an entertaining game. People of all ages play and watch the sport–and even own their own football–but how many people really know the rules of the sport? There are overtime rules, penalties, and rules for the scoring, which not everybody may know.
But to begin, there needs to be a focus. Why is all this passing, running, and kicking in the game if there is no reason to? Like many other games,the main objective of football is to score points by getting the ball into the end zone. Afraid to ask where that is? The field is typically 100 yards long with an end zone that extends 10 yards at each end of the field. Every yard line marks every 5 yards of the field. Within this space, there are tons of fouls and penalties, but to name a few, there are offsides, holding, and passing interference–which typically result in one’s team losing yards. Yes, that’s a bad thing. Remember, keep moving toward the end zone!
When it comes to scoring points, it’s pretty simple: a touchdown earns 6 points by having carried the ball into the end zone. After a touchdown, a team can kick the ball through the uprights–those things that look like giant tuning forks–for an additional point. There is a standard field goal and safety when the defense tackles an offensive player in their end zone. A team has 4 attempts (or downs) to try and get the ball at least 10 yards to get a new set of downs. If that fails, the other team will get the ball.
As with all things, the game can’t go on forever. There are four quarters, each of which are 15 minutes long. There’s also typically a halftime break after the second quarter. This is when the band comes out to perform. But, if the game is tied in score after the second half, keep a seat! The game now goes into overtime. In a typical game, if the second half ends in a tie, it’s going to be a race to see which team can score first for a quick win. In the playoffs, however, it starts a whole 5th quarter of the game, where teams play a full 15-minute period. But, don’t worry about that during regular season.
In this metaphorical chess game, there are multiple player positions on the board. Let’s begin with the Quarterback, who is typically the leader of the offense, throwing passes and calling the plays. The Running Back is going to be the one who primarily runs the ball, while the Wide Receiver catches the ball from the Quarterback. On the defensive side, there are Linemen, Linebackers, and Defensive Backs–all working to stop the offense.
Understanding how the defensive team operates can be confusing to some. To help explain, junior defensive football player for the Elkhart Lions, Rey Deloya, illustrates his role: “I play defensive tackle; it’s a simple position but plays a huge role in a defensive scheme. If we don’t go to the right spot,” Deloya points out, “it could mess up a blitz [where the defensive team rushes the Quarterback] or a runner could break off for a touchdown. A D-line can really make or break a defense.”
Above all else, it’s a team sport, with every player serving an integral role in the flow of the game. Another Lions football player, junior corner Nicholas Bosworth, had this to say of the game, “I am heavily reliant on my teammates and trust them to get their job done. Without trusting each other,” Bosworth continues, “we can’t successfully perform on and off the field.” To emphasize how crucial this is, he adds, “We were coached heavily on the importance of trust early on, and I feel that this mentality is the main reason for our current success.”
At its core, the most important rule of football is trust. It doesn’t take a “dummy” to realize that.
