A Quick Intro to Football

Football season starts this month. (Finally!)

Lots of people learn football by playing it. The rest of us probably attended our first game as part of a family or school event. When I watched my first games, I knew only that the quarterback should throw the ball to a guy who should outrun everyone else and get in the endzone, and that he should avoid being sacked. But the game is much more fun to watch if you understand even a little bit about the positions and the strategy.

This video is designed to give that little bit: Super-Basic Guide to Football

Disclaimer: To keep it short, I over-simplified. For example, I call all backs “running backs” (except the quarterback). I call all receivers “wide receivers.” I don’t even mention the possibility of only having three defensive linemen up front instead of four. I don’t mention offensive formations, like the “Wishbone” or “I” formation. I skip over why it’s so dangerous for a team to be near its own endzone– not even mentioning the possibility of scoring a safety. I don’t mention penalties, not even the most common ones. Etc., etc., etc. Still, it’s something I wish I’d seen before I watched my first game!