By Coach Martin | Football Basics
A false start is one of the most common penalties called against the offense in football.
It’s a “minor” penalty that results only in a loss of five yards but can still derail an offense’s progress.
The false start is a relatively simple rule to understand but not as easy to avoid — especially for players who are just learning to play the game.
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By Coach Martin | Football Basics
Holding is one of the most commonly-called penalties in football.
At times, it can be difficult to understand what constitutes holding and what doesn’t just by watching a game.
Although quite common, holding can also be the most devastating penalties called during a game.
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By Coach Martin | Football Basics
The screen pass is one of the most used deceptive passes, but can be one of the toughest to master on a consistent basis.
It’s a type of pass that’s meant to make the defense think the play will be a deep pass, only to end up being a short pass in the end.
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By Coach Martin | Football Basics
There are plenty of physical lines painted on a football field, but the most important one — the line of scrimmage — is an imaginary line.
But just what is the line of scrimmage, its relevance and what are the rules surrounding it?
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By Coach Martin | Football Basics
Understanding what these gaps and holes are and how they’re used in football terminology is essential for any football player as they try to carry out their duties on every play.
Let’s dive a little deeper into what gaps and holes are, and how they are used to teach and run the game effectively.
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By Coach Martin | Football Basics
If you’ve watched a National Football League game before, chances are that you’ve seen a punt returner execute a fair catch.
As soon as he catches the high-flying punt, the play is instantly blown dead, with players on the kicking team simply running by him without making any contact.
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By Coach Martin | Football Basics
There are many ways to score points in a football game. The most common point-scoring plays include a touchdown (6 points) and a field goal (3 points).
Smaller point totals are also given for conversions after a touchdown, including 1 point for an extra point and 2 points for what’s known as a two-point conversion.
Teams can also score 2 points on a safety, which is a much rarer occurrence.
Even more rare is a 1-point safety.
This scoring play is so rare that not many people even know it exists — but it does.
Let’s take a look at the history of the 1-point safety, and what a team would have to do in order to convert one.
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By Coach Martin | Football Basics
Kickers aren’t often thought of among the most important players on a football team.
That is, of course, until they become the brunt of the blame for missing a key field goal… or until the entire team rushes the field to celebrate after the kicker makes a game-winning kick as time expires.
Kicking is an extremely important part of football that is often overlooked by the everyday fan.
Football coaches know just how important having a good kicking game is, though, which is why an entire coach is dedicated just to helping the kickers get better.
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By Coach Martin | Football Basics
Following the proper tackling form will not only allow you to avoid injury — and to avoid causing injury to another — but it’ll also ensure that you tackle the most effectively, accurately, and with the most power.
Practicing the fundamentals will also keep you from being faked out by a ball carrier and left in the dust as he runs downfield.
Let’s take a step-by-step look at how to tackle in football properly.
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By Coach Martin | Football Basics
This list of football books is a great reading list for all football junkies out there.
Whether you’re a coach or player trying to develop your skills, a novice fan just trying to learn the ropes, or a devout follower who wants to read something football-related while waiting in between seasons, these 75 football books are for you.
This list is complete with biographies of legendary coaches, memoirs of star players, inspirational messages from respected football figures, and manuals for strategies and schemes.
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