Understanding Football Positions: A Guide for Fans and Loved Ones

Let’s take a closer look at football positions explained for the fan or loved one of a young football player. A basic understanding of the football positions will help football fans to better appreciate the game and the duties that each player has on the football field.

High school football wide receiver races for the end zone.

The Basics: Offense and Defense

There are 11 players on the field at once for a team whether the team is on offense or defense. Just to be clear, a team is on offense when they have the football and are trying to drive the ball down the field to eventually score either a field goal or a touchdown. A team is considered to be on defense when they are trying to prevent the other team from moving the ball downfield by making tackles and defending passes.

Quarterback — The Offensive Maestro

Let’s take a close look at what the quarterback is. The quarterback calls the plays in the offensive huddle and is considered to be the leader of the offense. The quarterback may hand the ball off to a running back or he may even run the ball himself to gain yardage. The quarterback may also throw passes down the field to receivers to move the chains on offense and pick up a first down to keep an offensive drive going. In essence, the quarterback drives the offense…