The shotgun formation gives the quarterback more time and more options. When the quarterback lines up in the shotgun formation, he is usually about 7 to 8 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Instead of having the ball snapped from the center's hands directly to the quarterback, the center has to pass the ball backward to the quarterback. This formation was devised by former San Francisco 49ers head coach Red Hickey during the 1960 season when his team faced the formidable pass rush of the Baltimore Colts.
Fumbles are part of football. Even the NFL's best players lose control of the ball from time to time. Carry the ball the right way and use the proper grip to keep control of the football. Keep you eyes open and anticipate conta...
If you are a receiver in football, it is likely that you are among the best athletes on the team. You must be quick and agile, with excellent concentration and coordination. Unless you are a tight end, blocking is not your prim...
Whether they are on the high school gridiron or in a professional stadium, football players can reach a physical breaking point. Fit and robust, these players give no surface indication of health vulnerability, which can manife...
Winning at football requires you to score more points than your opponent. The modern game is a high-scoring one and coaches are constantly looking for new ways to put the ball in the endzone by creating offensive mismatches. Te...
Football defensive units look for anything they can to get an advantage and stop the offense. Blitzing is one of the techniques used to put pressure on the offense and turn the tide in favor of the defense. Defenses use a varie...
The center also plays an integral leadership role, directing his fellow offensive linemen and distributing blocking assignments. Although almost exclusively concerned with blocking and pass protecting, the center may also catch...
Football passing skills are designed to help improve your passing accuracy and form while in a game or during practice. In addition, passing skills can help improve your distance on the ball. While quarterbacks often throw the ...
The cover 2 alignment is used to prevent the opposing offense from getting the ball deep downfield and completing the medium- and long-range pass. The safeties are the key players in making the cover 2 effective.
Screen passes are short throws, typically targeting running backs and wide receivers. They are designed to take advantage of certain defenses, usually blitzes and man-to-man alignments. The passes are called screens because the...
Throwing the ball and developing a sharp passing attack is essential for most football teams who play at the high school level and above. It's not that running the ball isn't important. However, when it comes to building a lead...
Finding a way to be successful in football is about teamwork, hard work, talent and execution of the selected plays. It's also about strategy and gameplanning. Ideally, you want to use passing plays when your opponent is expect...
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound quarterback did not miss a single start between 1998 and 2010, making him one of the most durable players in history. He also holds a number of NFL passing records, which have cemented his legacy in the ...
Defensive linemen have the ability to keep an opposing offense from consistently making big plays. Football is won by the team that controls the line of scrimmage. If the defensive linemen are getting the best of the opposing o...
Passing plays have never had greater importance in football than they have since Bill Walsh introduced the West Coast offense to the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers in the early 1980s. Many teams use the short-pass offense as ...
Football has become a sport in which the passing game has become dominant. Many teams have traded their running game for a short passing game because it's easier to make long plays after catching a short pass than it is while r...
It is a physical clash between offensive and defensive players that rewards not only brute strength, but also strategy. Outside of individual assignments, it is a larger scheme designed to manipulate the positioning of the defe...
Quick hit in football is any situation in which players get to the point of attack faster than they do at other times. This might be during a running play or passing play, and the result is often a violent collision. Protective...
The squib kick and onside kick are similar plays but with two different purposes. Both plays are made by a football team's kicker during a kickoff. Squib kicks and onside kicks are short kicks and don't travel nearly as far as ...
In June 2009, the U.S. men's national soccer team was in South Africa in the Confederations Cup against a sublimely talented Spanish team that would win the World Cup a year later. Marylander Oguchi Onyewu and Wisconsin's Jay D...
Accurate passing is critical for a football player wanting to play quarterback. As of 2007, 56 percent of all plays by teams of the National Football League were passes. This means that more than half of all plays depended on t...
In the modern game of football, many teams are less likely to commit to the running game and will instead use their passing game in situations they would have previously used to run the ball. This means that the short passing g...
Teams substitute specific personnel into a game depending on the situation, and the opposing coach tries to counter the opposition's moves by making personnel changes of his own. These will often involve the use of additional d...
Strengthening exercises not only help increase the velocity of your throw, but also allow you to get the ball out of your hands quicker. Getting more power or strength in your throw requires more than just shoulder strength, be...
What makes a great football team is precision when it comes to executing plays. When it comes to surprising your opponent with "new" plays, there is really no such thing. The wildcat formation got a lot of hype in the NFL when ...
Indoor football is a game that is popular in the United States and features professional players. Better known as arena football, the game features many high-scoring contests because passing is nearly unstoppable. Arenas that u...
Ultimate Frisbee combines the non-stop transition action of soccer with the aerial passing game of football. Two teams of seven players compete to pass a Frisbee, or disc, the length of the field. Catching a pass in the opponen...
Throwing a long pass successfully takes arm strength, timing, technique and foot work. Once a long pass play has been called, a quarterback has to use his body and step into his throw in order to get the ball downfield. Arm str...
Passing the football is one of the most fundamental skills a quarterback must develop in order to be an effective player. Players new to football can benefit from simple drills that teach them the proper form and technique of p...
When a team gets inside the opponent's 20-yard line, it is likely to change its offensive philosophy in order to use more plays that are more appropriate on a short field and take out long passing plays. Fantasy football player...
Those dreams often begin to take shape not only in the imagination, but in the back yard. You can start sharpening your accuracy with minimal work and expense by building your own football passing target just outside your own d...
Continuously practicing hitting this target will help the quarterback's accuracy and his vision on the football field. Building this target is fairly simple; all you need is a bit of time and the the correct supplies.
The passing game in football serves an important role in the success of the offense. The ability to effectively throw the football can manage the game clock and confuse the defense. To be effective, the quarterback and receiver...
Eight-man football is a form of tackle football played in states that would otherwise have a hard time putting enough players on a roster to play 11-man football. Eight-man football is particularly big in Minnesota, North Dakot...
The position requires athletic talent, preparation and a fearless attitude that allows him to take physical punishment and still deliver a pass to his receivers.
This, however, is wrong and will more times than not lead to a dropped pass. You must catch the pass with your hands and then secure it to the body. Never point your finger directly toward the thrown football. This can result i...
