Positions of Football Players

Offensive Backfield

• The quarterback is the player who directs the offense. His primary roles are to pass the ball to one of his receivers, hand the ball off to his running back or run the ball himself. The running back typically lines up behind the quarterback --- unless the team is in the "shotgun" formation --- and his roles include running the ball, catching passes from the quarterback and blocking. Some teams also elect to use a fullback. He often performs the same role as a running back but tends to be used more as a blocker.

Receivers

• The primary function of wide receivers is to catch passes from the quarterback. Wide receivers are typically fast, have the ability to run good routes and have excellent hand-eye coordination. They line up on either side of the offensive line, seven yards apart from the linemen. Tight ends are similar to wide receivers, but they are usually bigger and stronger because they are required to block more frequently. Tight ends usually line up on the outside of the offensive line, next to the tackle.

Offensive Linemen

• The offensive line consists of five players: a center, two guards, and two tackles. The center --- the player in the middle of the line --- is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback. The guards are positioned either side of the center, and the tackles line up on the outside of the guards. The offensive line is responsible for protecting the quarterback from the opposing defense as well as blocking for the running back.

Defensive Line

• The defense is made up of three parts: the defensive line, linebackers and the secondary. Defensive lineman are the biggest players on the defensive side, and their jobs are to prevent the other team from running the ball and to rush the passer. Teams will use either a 4-3 or a 3-4 defensive scheme, which refers to the number of defensive lineman and linebackers on the field. A 4-3 defense will consist of four defensive lineman --- two tackles and two ends --- while the 3-4 defense calls for a nose tackle and two defensive ends.

Linebackers

• Linebackers are essentially the second line of defense. The number of linebackers is determined by the type of defensive scheme. Teams that use the 4-3 defense will have one middle linebacker and two outside linebackers, while teams using the 3-4 scheme will have two in the middle and two on the outside. Linebackers are required to help stop the opponent's running attack, drop back to help cover receivers and pressure the offense by blitzing.

Defensive Secondary

• The secondary is the last line of defense and is comprised of safeties and cornerbacks. The primary function of a safety is to prevent big plays, whether it be tackling the runner or providing assistance in coverage to the cornerbacks. Some safeties also cover wide receivers. The job of a cornerback is to prevent the opponent's wide receivers from catching passes from the quarterback. Cornerbacks and safeties also apply pressure on the offensive team using blitzes.

Special Teams

• The performance of the special teams unit can often be the difference in a close game, and there are several important roles within the group. The placekicker is responsible for kicking field goals and doing the kick-offs, while the punter's job is to force the opposition to start a drive deep in their own territory. The long snapper must snap the ball cleanly on punt and field-goal attempts, as a poor snap could prove costly. The holder must collect the snap and hold the ball in place for the kicker during field-goal tries. Players assigned the task of returning kick-offs are known as kick returners, while punt returners perform the same duty on punts. Returners are typically fast and can change direction quickly. A gunner's duty is to sprint down the field on punts to tackle the returner.