How to understand FOOTBALL if you’re a VOLLEYBALL fan

It’s that time of year when everyone is talking Super Bowl. I’m here to explain to you how football works if you’re a volleyball player. I’ve always found the similarities fascinating, and I hope you will too.

Below I’ve written some descriptions. The terminology of the description is for football, but you may substitute the volleyball word at any time.

The Players

Well this one is pretty easy! He’s the one that gets the ball on almost every play to try and score points. Most times he doesn’t score points all on his own (think setter dump), but either throws to another player or hands off it off. The quarterback isn’t always the biggest guy on the field, but he’s cool under pressure and must make split second decisions.

They don’t always get the recognition they deserve, but they are your teams work horse. They are in the trenches. Even when they don’t get the ball they have to run like they have it in an attempt for that split second to fool a defender. The connection between them and the quarterback needs to be so precise that a fraction of second off and they will totally miss the transfer of the ball.

Wide receivers run routes down field. They do a lot of work before the ball is thrown to them to be in a position to get the ball. When a quarterback is in trouble they often just throw it up for a wide receiver to deal with and try to make something happen.

Depending on the play, Tight Ends may have to block, or may get the ball as part of the offense. They sometimes line up on the left side or the right side of the field. They are often large specimens who are physical beasts.  

They are very much part of your team, they make integral plays to your success, but a lot of what they do is different than the rest of the team. They kind of dance to the beat of their own drum. You may not think it’s important to have an outstanding kicker, but when the game is on the line it can often come down to one play by your kicker.

Gameplay

The line of scrimmage is what divides the two teams. When the play starts, both teams need to be on their respective sides. Once the play begins often the defensive line tries to  cross over the line of scrimmage to make a play on the ball.

Defense

The defensive line is the first line of defense, and they try to put all kinds of pressure on the offense.  Even if the defensive line doesn’t get a complete stop, if they make it easier for the defence as a whole, then they have done their job.

The secondary plays behind the defensive line. They work together. As the defensive line puts pressure on the offense the secondary is there to pick up any plays that get through.

The Blitz puts pressure on the other team. It’s a great way to stop them, but if they recognize it, it can leave you vulnerable to highlight plays to wide receivers. Some teams try to rarely blitz and just run with their defensive line. If you can still get pressure on your opponent without needing to blitz, you’ll often be in good shape.

Scoring feels great, but if you ask any playing on defence a sack can be equally satisfy. That’s because the offense has the advantage and when you do get a sack, it’s because you have worked very hard to get your body in position to make the play. I’m sure you’ve seen a player have a nice celebration after a sack.

Offense

When you run the ball, you are attempting to find multiple seams and gaps to attack. Speed is the name of the game, the faster you get through often the better. But it’s also about angles, ensuring you can get your body in the right angle will often be the difference between getting through and finding a large defender waiting for you.

When you throw the ball,  it takes some time to get there, but catching the ball isn’t the only thing the wide receiver needs to do. As soon as the ball is in play, they must run their route. When the quarterback throws the perfect ball, it’s almost as though the ball catches itself – however when there’s a good defense, sometimes the receiver just needs to make a spectacular play.

A screen is a play when the Quarterback quickly gets rid of the ball to another player. Timing is everything with a screen. If the timing is off, then the throw can easily go for a loss because there is no disguise. But if the timing is right, there can be big gains because the defense is off balance especially on a blitz.

Play action is where the quarterback fakes a hand off or throw to one player and the play goes to another player. When it works the second option is often wide open, but it has some risks because a lot of the time multiple players are in the same zone, and can turn in to a disaster with not a lot of options.

I hope my analysis of football has helped all those volleyball players and fans out there that don’t fully understand football. Are there any others? Leave me a comment!