What is an Illegal Formation in Football? (Full Explanation)

ByCoach Martin|Football Rules & Penalties

Football offenses back in the day focused primarily on running the ball, employing bigger players who could physically overpower their defensive counterparts.

As players began to develop new skills and training practices, however, coaches began to open up the game and incorporate more passing plays into the scheme.

Over the years, offensive coaches have constantly innovated to try to stay one step ahead of defenses — and to take advantage of speedier, stronger players at just about every position.

What is the Flat in Football? (Full Explanation)

ByCoach Martin|Football Routes

When you watch a game of football on TV, you might hear announcers refer to a section of the field called the Flat.

The Flat in football describes a specific part of the field, similar to how other names describe other areas.

It describes a specific region on the football field in relation to where the offense sets up and which players are on each side of the field.

How to Become a Football Coach (9-Step Guide)

ByCoach Martin|Coaching

Football is an amazing game with new generations of kids carrying on the tradition year after year.

However, for them to properly learn and enjoy the game, there’s always a need for youth football coaches.

Becoming a football coach takes some time, dedication and education, but it’s well worth all the work you will put in.

Role of an Offensive Coordinator in Football (Duties)

ByCoach Martin|Coaching

The offensive coordinator is one of the three main support coaches to the head coach in football.

Along with the defensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator, their job is to support the head coach by focusing on one aspect of the game — the team’s offense.

While so much of the credit (or blame) for how a football team performs lays into the lap of the head coach, the three main coordinators play a huge role in that.

12 Unstoppable Youth Football Plays (U6 to U10)

ByCoach Martin|Football Plays

Youth football coaches are always looking for new ways to attack defenses.

They might watch a lot of professional or collegiate football to take ideas that they can integrate into their own playbook.

However, a lot of the offensive plays called at the upper levels of the game don’t really work too well at the youth level.

Shaving Points in Football (Here’s How It Works)

ByCoach Martin|Miscellaneous

As sports gambling grows in popularity around the world — with countries continuing to pass legislation that legalizes it — there has been an increase in attention to shaving points in football and other sports.

Shaving points involves players getting influenced by sports bettors to take certain actions during a game to affect the final score.

Know that shaving points in football and other sports is illegal.

It can (and has) resulted in people spending time in jail and getting banned from the sports they play for life.

How to Run the Power Play in Football (Includes Images)

ByCoach Martin|Football Plays

The Power Play is among the most used offensive plays in football today, with more and more teams running it out of multiple offensive formations.

This adds a lot of versatility, as even teams that like to spread the field with multiple wide receivers will sometimes need plays to gain just a few yards every once in a while.

Though ideal for short yard gains, teams can also use the Power Play at just about any point in the game, and from any spot on the field.

What is a Deferred Coin Toss in Football? (Full Explanation)

ByCoach Martin|Football Basics

Before each game of football officially starts, officials (together with players from both sides) conduct a coin toss to determine which team gets the ball first.

The referee on the field brings the captains of each team to the center of the field for the coin toss.

The lead captain on the away team will call either heads or tails, and then the referee will flip the coin into the air.

When Does the Clock Stop in Football? (Full Explanation)

ByCoach Martin|Football Rules & Penalties

In the game of football, there are is a running clock that ticks down as the plays go on.

However, there are pre-determined times when the clock will actually stop.

Understanding when these times occur is important, as offenses can actually use it to give them more time to huddle up and get set for a new play.

Why Do Quarterbacks Say Blue 80 So Often? (Explained)

ByCoach Martin|Football Basics

If you’ve watched a game of football on TV, you probably heard a quarterback utter the phrase “Blue 80” multiple times.

They do this when the offense lines up at the line of scrimmage, after they break out of the huddle, and before the center snaps the ball.

This is all part of what’s known as the quarterback’s cadence.