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

By Coach 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.

Click Here to Read This Post

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

By Coach 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.

Click Here to Read This Post

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

By Coach 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.

Click Here to Read This Post

Inside Zone Blocking Scheme: Everything You Need to Know

By Coach Martin | Football Basics

Inside zone blocking is perhaps the most commonly-used blocking scheme in all of football today.

There’s a very simple reason for that — it works.

That’s obviously a very simplistic explanation of why the inside zone blocking scheme is so popular.

Click Here to Read This Post

18 Football Referee Signals (Ultimate Guide With Images)

By Coach Martin | Football Basics

In football, there are many different penalties referees can call on any given play.

Once each play is over — or when a referee blows a whistle to stop a play — the referee will gather with the other officials to get the penalty call.

Then, the referee will march toward the scoring booth and call out the penalty, and what happens as a result.

Click Here to Read This Post

Football Kickoff: Everything You Need to Know

By Coach Martin | Football Basics

The football kickoff is one of the most overlooked aspects of the game.

Most people who watch football tend to look at the kickoff as just one of those procedural parts of the sport that marks the transition of possession from one team to the next.

It’s true that kickoffs do just that — serve as one of the main ways that one team will give possession of the ball to the other team.

Click Here to Read This Post

Defensive Line Positions in Football (All Roles Explained)

By Coach Martin | Football Positions

The defensive line consists of the “big boys” upfront.

These are players who line up right at the line of scrimmage, directly across the offensive linemen.

Defensive linemen are the defenders closest to the ball and are responsible for clogging up holes along the line of scrimmage.

Click Here to Read This Post

What are Downs in Football? (Full Explanation)

By Coach Martin | Football Basics

An important concept to understand in football is what’s referred to as downs.

Whenever you watch a game of football or play it, you will hear each play referred to as a “down.”

This could be in the form of “first down and 10 yards to go” or, more commonly, first-and-10.

Click Here to Read This Post

What is a Turnover in Football? (Full Explanation)

By Coach Martin | Football Basics

In football, offenses try to advance the ball downfield as far as possible so that they can score points.

Scoring in football can be in many different forms, but the offense usually does so by either scoring a touchdown or kicking a field goal.

There are times, though, when they fall short of being able to score, and end up punting the ball away on fourth down.

Offenses do this so that they don’t risk getting back up too far and handing the ball over to the other team deep in their own zone.

Click Here to Read This Post

Offensive Line Positions in Football (All Roles Explained)

By Coach Martin | Football Positions

The offensive line is one of the most crucial personnel groupings in all of football.

The “big men” upfront have a huge effect on every offensive play in a game.

They are responsible for protecting the quarterback on passing plays, and for opening up huge holes in the running game so ball carriers can find daylight.

Click Here to Read This Post