The Football Field

Okay Ladies, first things first. You need to ask questions but not too many or you will be getting dirty looks from the get go. So go easy with your questions and thoughts, but for right now all you need to know the basics. SO lets start with the structure of the game. A football field is 100 yards long and 160 feet wide. The middle of the field is the 50 yard line (and if you ever buy tickets to a game, try to get your seats as close to the 50 yard line as possible...the view is the best from the middle!). The lines are labeled every 10 yards descending in both directions from the 50 yard line. Thus there are two 40 yard lines and no 60 yard line. Each team owns half of the field (they switch sides every 15 minutes of play). Thus, the two 40 yard lines are distinguished by who owns them. In a football game, two sides are always being represented: Offense & Defense so any given time, only 11 players from each team are allowed on the field. These players will meet on a field that is 100 yards long and 53⅓ yards wide, which doesn’t include the two 10-yard end zones on each end where the teams can score.. Each of these sides are only allowed to have 11 players on the field at a time. If more than eleven players are counted on the field, then the guilty team will suffer a penalty (more about penalties and referees to come ). The object of the game is to move the football down the field into the defense's territory and score points. This can happen 3 ways: a touchdown (6 points), a field goal (3 points), or a safety (2 points). For now dont bother yourself with what a safety is. Extra points can be gained after a touchdown is scored. The scoring team can opt to kick a field goal for 1 point or try to run into the endzone for 2 points called a conversation.Its more of a TD where the player needs to cross the line with the boys in his hands.

When you are on offense is the time that your team has the ball The O Line has you will hear it referred to is amde up of a quarterback (he is the one who calls the play and calls the signals before the play begins offensive linemen (they block and keep the defense from stopping the play); running backs (they try to stay low with the ball and find a hole to get thru); and then there are the wide receivers these players run down the field to catch the ball). Depending on their positioning on the field, running backs and wide receivers go by many de script names like Slotback, Wideout, Tight End, Split End, Fullback, or Tailback. The names at any moment depend on the play being run and the how the offense is lining up.

The team who is on the other side of the ball is called the Defense. They consist of defensive linemen, linebackers (middle and outside), cornerbacks, & safetys. Again, you may hear interchangeable terms for the cornerbacks and safetys (ex. strong safety, free safety, or defensive backs).