By Coach Martin | Football Basics
Wide receivers spend a lot of time building up the basic skills their position requires.
This includes speed, agility, strength, explosion and soft hands, to name a few.
One “skill” that is often overlooked, though, is the ability of wide receivers to line up correctly and to explode off the line of scrimmage.
Click Here to Read This Post
By Coach Martin | Football Basics
In short-yardage situations, a football offense will often change their playcalling approach to gain just a yard or two.
On third-and-2, for example, most teams will call plays that have the objective of only gaining those two yards necessary.
Instead of spreading the field out and calling a long passing play, for example, the offense may bring in extra offensive linemen, tight ends and fullbacks to power the ball forward a few yards on the ground.
Click Here to Read This Post
By Coach Martin | Football Basics
If you watch an NFL game, you might think that all touchdowns are worth 7 points.
That’s because in most cases, when a team scores a touchdown, you’ll see their score increase by 7 points.
But, if you’re new to the game of football, what you might not realize is that there are two (2) parts to every touchdown.
When a player crosses the goal line with the ball in his hand, his team scores 6 points.
Then, that team has the opportunity to score one (1) additional point through what’s known as a PAT — or a Point After Touchdown.
Click Here to Read This Post
By Coach Martin | Football Basics
Practice is one of the most important aspects of being a football coach.
While there’s so much focus on games and which team wins or loses, the real time youth football players learn is during practice.
A practice that’s run effectively will teach players great on-field skills as well as valuable lessons they may take with them throughout their entire lives.
Click Here to Read This Post
By Coach Martin | Football Basics
If you’re going to teach the game of football to youth players, you’ll need to teach them what all the terms of the game mean.
At the same time, it’s equally important for players to understand football lingo.
Here are 50 football terms all players and coaches must know.
Click Here to Read This Post
By Coach Martin | Football Basics
The 2-point stance is one of three main stances players will align themselves in before the snap of the ball.
The other are the 3-point stance and the 4-point stance.
Linebackers and members of the defensive secondary have long used this stance.
But, in recent years, the 2-point stance has become very popular, especially for edge rushers on defense.
Click Here to Read This Post
By Coach Martin | Football Basics
The 4-point stance is one of three main stances players align themselves in before the snap of the ball.
The other are the 2-point stance and the 3-point stance.
Different players use each stance for different reasons, and each have their pros and cons.
The 4-point stance is often used most by defensive linemen, especially in goal line and short-yardage situations.
Click Here to Read This Post
By Coach Martin | Football Basics
In the last few years, football leagues have been trying to crack down on plays that have a high chance of causing serious injuries.
This is especially true for those that could result in a serious head injury.
As a result, the NFL, college football, and even other levels have instituted a new rule called Targeting.
This is a great new rule that really seeks to eliminate hard hits to an opponent’s head, which is a serious cause for concern.
Click Here to Read This Post
By Coach Martin | Football Basics
Not all rules are this straightforward and easy to understand.
One of these more complicated penalties in football is clipping.
Clipping is one of the more serious penalties in football.
Click Here to Read This Post
By Coach Martin | Football Basics
Football leagues have rules that protect players who find themselves in vulnerable positions.
Whether this be receivers waiting for a pass, kick returners waiting for the ball, or punters in the act of kicking, there are different rules that are set to reduce the chances of injuries in the game.
The Roughing the Kicker is one of those rules meant to protect both place kickers and punters while in the act of kicking.
Click Here to Read This Post