Common Terminology

Announcers
See "Talking Heads"
Area
A lineman protecting an assigned space on a passing play.
Audible
The QB changing or calling the play at the LOS.
Backside
The area away from the playcall.
What most defenders land on after being pancaked.
Base
Blocking man on or over you.
Blitz
"Check 100! Check 100!"
Bootleg
A QB sprinting out of the pocket with a run/pass option.
Illegal transportation of alcoholic beverages across state lines.
Bullpen Center
The position I played in highschool.
Combo
A lineman leaving a doubleteam to block another man.
Here are two examples
of combo blocks.
Counter
Any misdirection play, esp. the counter trey.
Crackback
A receiver blocking inside to cut off backside pursuit.
This is a legal block if coached to be above waist.
This is an illegal block if executed below waist.
Cover 2
A zone coverage with two deep defenders;
also called "halves".
Cover 2 Man
A coverage with two deep defenders and man underneath.
Cover 3
A zone coverage with three deep defenders.
Daylight
What a ballcarrier is coached to look for;
the time at which coaches begin and end their work day.
Draw
A running play designed to resemble a passing play.
EMOL
End Man On the Line
Even
Any defensive front in which the center is uncovered.
Family
Your wife and children first, fellow coaches and the kids who
play for you second, and you get to be third.
Fire
Quick drive block at the knees of man on or over.
Fold
An exchange in blocking assignments.
Forward Lateral
The correct term is "illegal forward pass".
FUBAR
Fumbling the ball on a draw play on 3rd and 25.
Hinge
Contain blocking, usu. protecting the backside.
Huddle
Set by the Center; where the QB calls the play.
Hurl
What a QB does to the football. What I'll do if
I hear the term "West Coast Offense" one more
time this year.
Incroachment
Method the defense uses to give an offense a first down
with 5 or less yards to go.
Isolation
Identifying a single defender to pancake.
Kickout
Blocking a man to the outside of the play.
Kids
The real reason we coach prep football.
LCD
Lowest Common Denominator
Log
Blocking a man to the inside of the play.
LOS
Line Of Scrimmage
Lucy
Call made by R or F to tell the uncovered lineman to pick left.
Man
A lineman blocking his assigned man on a passing play.
Also a defense that covers a specific player.
Marriage
See "Trap"
Odd
Any defensive front in which the center is covered.
Pancake
Any block that makes you pump your fist and yell "oooh!";
Peelback
See "Crackback"
Pick
An illegal method of repositioning defensive personnel.
See "Rub".
An uncovered lineman blocking away from his area
on a passing play.
Playaction
A passing play designed to resemble a running play.
Playside
The area toward the playcall.
POA
Point Of Attack.
Prevent Defense
A contradiction in terms.
Pull
The real reason we make linemen run wind sprints.
Reach
Taking a step to block a defender a shade or two away from you.
Ricky
Call made by R or F to tell the uncovered lineman to pick right.
Rub
"My receiver can't help it if he just happens to run into your defender."
Technique of screening a defensive man away from another receiver.
The receiver must keep his eyes upfield and his arms pumping.
Run and Shoot
Term coined by Tiger Ellison and adapted by Mouse Davis.
Basically, the QB sprints out and throws to receivers who
run option routes that are determined by the defense.
Slam
A power block driving man away from the POA.
SNAFU
3rd and 25.
See "Prevent Defense"
Stalk
A receiver blocking a cornerback over him.
Sunday
The day prep football coaches spend with their families.
Any man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man.
Sweep
An outside running play with pulling guards.
Talking Heads
See "LCD"
TARFU
Calling a draw play on 3rd and 25.
Trap
Luring a defender into an area and slamming him out of the play;
a prenuptial agreement.
Unabated
A fishing hook without a worm.
Under
A fill block, usu. to cover for a pulling lineman.
Waggle
A playaction pass with bootleg action.
West Coast Offense
What TV announcers call any split back formation
from which a pass is thrown.
Wind Sprints
Positive reinforcement.
Zone
A downfield block with the flow of the play.
Also a defense where an assigned area is defended.
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