How to play football?

Help! How do you play football?

• hey. i was selected to play flag football for my university. it's kind of a tradition. every year they pick specific girls to play on a team. it's considered an honor to be selected but i dont know how to play. i have never played football in my life, and i was added to almost all of my teams plays. i don't want to look like an idiot out there. have any tips? advice? know how to play? i have to play in a week. PLEASE HELP!!

• Answer:

  Here are two posts I made before on the topic. The first is about the positions and the second is an overview of the basic gameplay: ______________________________... POSITIONS ______________________________... Offense: Quarterback - 99% of the time takes the snaps and throws to receivers, runs with it, or hands it off to a halfback/fullback. Halfback- The team's priority running back. Can also take passes. Fullback- The team's secondary running back. He doesn't get the ball as often. Offensive Line (Center and guards)- Blocks for the quarterback and running backs. Tight End- An extension of the offensive line, only they are allowed to receive passes. Wide Receiver- Catch passes from the quarterback. Defense: Defensive Line- In front of the offensive line. Rush the quarterback usually, depending on the play. Linebackers- Either blitz, cover a receiver/runningback, or cover the middle of the field in zone defenses. Safety (Strong/Weak)- Basically the last line of the defense. They make sure no one gets by them on the pass and the run. Cornerback- the receivers of the defense. In man coverage, they cover the wide receivers. ______________________________... GENERAL GAMEPLAY ______________________________... Basics: You get 4 plays (1st down, 2nd down, 3rd down, 4th down) to move 10 yards. If you move 10 yards in 4 plays, you get a first down (another 4 plays to try to get 10 yards). This repeats until any of five things happen: 1. You score a touchdown by running or passing the ball into the end zone (6 points). After a touchdown, you can kick an extra point (1 point) or go for a 2 point conversion (2 points). 2. You kick a field goal (3 points) 3. You punt the ball to the other team (This is done on 4th down if it is, say, 4th down and 3 yards to go. When you punt it, the other team catches it and wherever they are tackled is where they get the ball. The point is you are giving them worse field position (putting them further away from scoring). If you don't punt on 4th down and, say, you don't get the 3 yards I just mentioned. The other team gets the ball where it is at the end of that play. 4. The last thing that can happen is you can turn the ball over. Fumbles happen when someone carrying the ball drops it. If they recover it, play resumes as if there was no fumble. If the other team recovers the ball, it is THEIR first down wherever the ball is. An interception occurs when the defense catches a pass from the offense, and possession (who is trying to score) changes. 5. Finally, a safety can occur when you are trying to move the ball upfield but are tackled in the end zone behind you (the one you're not trying to make it to). This gives your opponent 2 points and then they get the ball too. During the game, there are a number of penalties that can be called. Here are a couple basics. -Offsides: Defense is past the line of scrimmage (an imaginary line from sideline to sideline going through the ball) when the ball is snapped (when the play begins). (5 yards forward for the offense) -False start: Can be anything from a flinch to a jump. Its the same as offsides only the offense does it. (5 yards back for the offense) -Holding: While blocking, the blocker holds whoever they are trying to block, either holding the jersey or wrapping their arms around the blockee in a loving embrace. -Pass Interference: Offense or defense can do this. While the ball is being thrown, either the defense hits the receiver before he catches the ball, or the offense hits the defense before that ball is caught. In college, this is a 15 yard penalty and an automatic first down. However, as long as either player is making an attempt at catching the ball and is not trying just to stop the other person from catching it, there is no pass interference. So there's football in a nutshell. Hope it helps!