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Posts Tagged ‘Running Backs’

The game of football features two teams going at each other. One team is on offense and the other team is on defense. We’re going to concentrate on the offensive players in this article and the role of each man.

The offense of a team is the key to scoring points. Without a well tuned offense a team doesn’t have a chance. That’s why each man in the offensive unit has to know his role and execute it to the best of his ability. This involves not only skill but also thinking on his feet. Football is a very technical game in many respects and if a player doesn’t have all the plays stuck up in his head, he’s not going to know how to react when a certain play is called.

The offense itself is actually run by the coach who calls the plays, even though he’s not on the field with his players. But on the field, the game is run by the quarterback. This is probably the most important position in the game of football. A good quarterback can mean the difference between winning and losing, especially in the final minutes. He’s the one who hands the ball off to the running backs on a run play or passes it to the receivers on a pass play. Everything falls on his shoulders.

The running backs, which are the halfbacks and fullbacks, are the ones who run the ball on run plays and help give protection to the quarterback on pass plays. They can also act as receivers on pass plays as well. Running backs need to be very quick on their feet. They also need to be strong in order to block for the quarterback. Running backs are probably some of the best athletes on the field.

The wide receivers and the tight ends are the ones who catch the passes thrown by the quarterback. There are a number of routes that these players need to run during the course of a game and each route has to be known beforehand. The routes themselves can be very complicated in an attempt to throw off the defense. Receivers have to be very fast in order to outrun the defense. They also need to have very good hands to catch a football.

The linemen, called guards and tackles, are there for two purposes. On pass plays they are there to provide pass protection for the quarterback so he can have enough time to get his pass off. On run plays they are on the line to create holes for the running backs to run through. In order to do both of these jobs linemen have to be very strong and very big. Some linemen are well over 350 pounds. When these guys hit you, you know you’ve been hit.

Rounding out the offense is the kicker. He is the one who either kicks the extra point after a touchdown is scored or tries for a field goal if the team is close enough to the goal line but not close enough to go for a touchdown. A kicker has to have very strong legs, as some of the kicks he has to try are from quite a few yards away.

For an offense to be effective, all the men on it have to work together. That’s what makes some offenses great and others not so great. It’s called teamwork.

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Flag football drills are essential for helping players understand the fundamentals of the sport in order to prepare for their opponents in game situations. Offense drills are a wonderful way to practice plays and built a strong offense. Here are a few drills that are ideal for quarterback, running backs, and wide receivers.

Open Area:

Open area is a flag football drill for quarterbacks and wide receivers. The purpose of the drill is for a wide receiver to find an open area on the field in order to catch a pass. Like many other offensive flag football drills, this drill illustrates how quarterbacks and wide receivers communicate. The defense should focus on the hips of the ball carrier rather than the shoulders because that is where the flag is.

Setting Up the Open Area Drill:

Designate an area that is ten yards by ten yards, and then divide the players into groups of six, with five players on offense and one player on defense. Next, station four players in the four corners of the area and place a lone receiver and lone defender in the inside of the area. This drill can be used by the whole team by dividing the players into groups of six and performing the drill in separate areas. Each group needs one football.

Outline of the Open Area Drill:

The object of the open area drill is for the quarterback to pass the football around the area until he is able to find an opportunity to make a pass to the wide receiver. The length of the drill is thirty seconds, with six points being awarded for each successful reception, and three points awarded for each interception. Alternating the positions of the players enables the defender and receiver to get some rest and experience the other elements of the drill.

Progression of the Open Area Drill:

As the open area drill progresses you will want to lower the drill time to twenty seconds in length. Then try adding a second defensive back to the area. If the football is intercepted, try putting the quarterback who threw the interception on defense.

Quarterback Toss Drill:

The purpose of the quarterback toss drill is to practice tossing the ball to the running back and to develop proper tosses or pitch techniques. Designate an area twenty yards by twenty yards, and divide teams into even groups. Then line up players opposite one another about five yards apart. One team is the quarterbacks and the other is running backs, and the teams will be alternating.

Outline of the Quarterback Toss Drill:

The quarterbacks will have their backs to the running backs, and the coach will yell out, “SET GO!” Each quarterback then holds the ball in front of them with knees bent and feet apart, as the running back moves right to take the pitch from the quarterback at a distance of three to six yards. Alternate running left and right. It’s a good idea to have players move in slow motion the first time you do these flag football drills so they have a clear understanding of the concept.

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It has been a struggle for the UNLV Rebels since finishing 6-6 in 2003, as they not finished .500 or better since that season. The Rebels are starting to show some signs off life, as they have been pretty close to getting back to bowl eligibility the last two season. Last year the Rebels finished up the year at 6-6 overall and 3-5 in the Mountain West conference. The Rebels enter the 2010 season under a new head coach, as Bobby Hauck was brought in to replace Mike Sanford. The Rebels have 15 starters back for the upcoming season, but it’s likely that this team will struggle this season with having to learn new schemes and they have a tougher schedule than they did a year ago. Here is a quick breakdown of what the Rebels will send to the field this season, plus my thoughts on where they finish the year in the MWC.

Offense:

The Rebels will more than likely go with senior quarterback Omar Clayton, as Clayton has a ton of experience under his belt with 23 starts in his time with the Rebels. Last year Clayton completed 60% of his attempts for 2,230 yards with 13 touchdowns, but he did turn the ball over a little too much than you would like to see with 12 interceptions.

The Rebels return two running backs who are capable of getting the job done in senior Channing Trottoer and junior CJ Cox. Last year Trotter led the Rebels with 541 yards and nine touchdowns, while Cox contributed just 173 and one score, but to his credit he was banged up for most of the season. The Rebels also get some help with the ground attack from the quarterback position, as Clayton and backup Mike Clausen combined for 526 yards and 10 touchdowns.

At wide receiver the Rebels will have to replace their top threat from last season in Ryan Wolfe, who led the way with 74 catches for 760 yards, but they do have some talent back this season, as they return two starters in juniors Phillip Payne and Michael Johnson. Payne actually led the Rebels in touchdown receptions with seven last year. Sophomore Mark Barefield is the likely candidate to step in for Wolfe at receiver, while sophomore Jordan Barret is expected to take over at tight end.

The Rebels figure to be strong up front, as they return four starters from the 2009 season. Senior tackles Evan Marchal and Matt Murphy are both solid on the outside, and senior center John Gianninoto is pretty good in the interior. The only change for this unit will come at right guard, where red-shirt freshman Sean Tesoro looks to be the man to step in and start. Overall this unit is one of the top units in the MWC.

Defense:

The Rebels have not been very good on this side of the ball over the years. In 2009 the Rebels gave up nearly 34 points a game, but they have seven starters back this season so there is some hope that they can improve on this side of the ball.

The Rebels return both starters at defensive tackle this season in seniors Ramsey Feagai and Isaako Aaitui. It will be key that they improve this season, as the Rebels were absolutely horrible against the run last season, giving up 221 yards a game. The Rebels will need to find two new starters at defensive end for the 2010 season, and heading into the fall it looks like it will be junior BJ Bell and senior Preston Brooks.

The Rebels also bring backs some experience at the linebacker position this season, as they return senior middle linebacker Ronnie Paulo and senior weak-side linebacker Starr Fuimaono. The change for this unit will come at the strong-side linebacker spot, where junior Chris Jonesis expected to step in after starting eight games over the last two years.

The Rebels have four starters back in the secondary this season, including both starting corners in senior Quinton Pointer and junior Will Chandler. Pointer is the leading tackler back for the Rebels, as he finished the season with 72 tackles and two sacks. Senior Mike Grant returns at strong safety for the Rebels, and it looks as though senior Alex De Giacomo will start at free safety.

MWC Prediction – 7th: While the Rebels figure and should be more competitive this season, it is going to be hard for this team to show big improvements in the win loss column with the schedule they have this season, as they have to play Wisconsin and West Virginia in non-conference play. When it is all said and done I think the Rebels finish the 2010 season at 6-6.

For a complete look at how the MWC will finish up this season, check out our 2010 MWC predictions.

If you plan on betting the college football odds this season, be sure to stop back each week for our expert college football picks.

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If someone would have told you that referees would affect your NFL weekly picks, you’d probably think that Roger Goodell lost his marbles and hired Tim Donaghy to start officiating football games. Certainly it’s nowhere near that serious, but a small tweak to the positioning of officials has caused a big stir during the preseason.

For years, we’ve all seen video of running backs and linebackers plowing over officials too slow to clear out. While it’s provided plenty of Football Follies fodder over the years, it became a safety issue for many of the older officials in the league. So in an effort to keep the men in stripes from getting caught between the rock and a hard place (namely a linebacker’s helmet), the NFL decided to try placing the umpire in a new spot. Instead of lining up in his traditional spot in the middle of the defense, the league chose to move the umpire into the offensive backfield behind the deepest running back. The official would move back to his original spot during the final two minutes of each half.

One problem: No one consulted Peyton Manning. During last week’s game against the Green Bay Packers, Peyton and pals were flagged twice for illegal snaps – not waiting long enough for the official to get into position before starting the play. That made Manning snap; complaining that the new rule would make it harder for teams – his team specifically – to rally in the two-minute offense. Manning got some backup from his general manager, Bill Polian, who says he would have voted against the rule change if he knew how it would have affected his team.

In response, the league is attempting to tweak the rule. For the final round of preseason games, the umpire will remain in the offensive backfield except for the final five minutes of game, when he will once again spot up in his traditional position. After Thursday night’s games end, the NFL will re-evaluate the change and determine whether to make it permanent.

Regardless of how the rule is enacted, you can expect that the NFL will try to do what it can to protect the umpires who have been increasingly put in harm’s way. As players get bigger, faster and stronger, the chance for serious injury increases exponentially. So while the Colts and their fans may howl about how the new ruling impacts their team’s offense, chances are it’s here to stay – which means your NFL weekly picks should be made wisely.

Who runs a consistent no-huddle offense? How have they adjusted to the new rules? Teams like the Colts and Packers may see their point totals dip a little in the early season. It could also have a negative effect on fantasy football owners as well by limiting the number of big plays for certain players. Keep an eye on these things and you’re more likely to succeed with your own NFL endeavors.

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