American Football Guide

Cornerback (CB)- The defensive player who is there to break-up or intercept the pass. Covers
receivers as they run down field and tackles or assists in tackling an offensive player who is in
the backfield. In general, cornerbacks are swift and very athletic, but are not the biggest players
on​ ​the​ ​field.
Cover-​ ​to​ ​cover​ ​someone​ ​means​ ​to​ ​defend​ ​the​ ​player​ ​closely,​ ​to​ ​stay​ ​aware​ ​of​ ​where​ ​he​ ​is​ ​on
the​ ​field​ ​at​ ​all​ ​times.
Cover​ ​Two-​ ​A​ ​zone-style​ ​defensive​ ​formation
Creating​ ​a​ ​turnover-​ ​when​ ​a​ ​defense​ ​or​ ​special​ ​teams​ ​unit​ ​causes​ ​a​ ​fumble​ ​or​ ​an​ ​interception​ ​to
happen
Crossing the plane- To score a touchdown, the nose of the football must cross the goal-line. If a
player is struggling to get into the end-zone and manages to simply extend the football past the
goal-line, a touchdown is scored even if the player’s entire body is not in the end-zone. There is
an imaginary invisible line called the plane that runs from left to right from one orange cone to
the other on each side of the goal line. The line judge watches intently to see if the player did
indeed​ ​cross​ ​the​ ​plane​ ​with​ ​the​ ​ball.
Cut​ ​–​ ​there​ ​are​ ​two​ ​meanings:​ ​to​ ​release​ ​a​ ​player​ ​from​ ​the​ ​team​ ​and​ ​―making​ ​a​ ​cut‖​ ​(see
―making​ ​a​ ​cut).
D
Dead​ ​Ball-​ ​the​ ​ball​ ​is​ ​not​ ​in​ ​play​ ​and​ ​the​ ​game​ ​clock​ ​has​ ​stopped-​ ​no​ ​action​ ​may​ ​commence.
Decibel​ ​level-​ ​The​ ​level​ ​of​ ​volume​ ​created​ ​in​ ​a​ ​stadium​ ​during​ ​a​ ​game.​ ​Crowd​ ​noise​ ​is​ ​often
compared​ ​to​ ​the​ ​noise​ ​created​ ​by​ ​a​ ​jet​ ​plane​ ​or​ ​a​ ​chainsaw.
Defense-​ ​The​ ​unit​ ​on​ ​the​ ​field​ ​whose​ ​mission​ ​is​ ​to​ ​stop​ ​the​ ​offense​ ​from​ ​gaining​ ​positive
yardage​ ​and​ ​scoring​ ​points.
Defensive​ ​Back-​ ​The​ ​players​ ​of​ ​the​ ​defensive​ ​secondary,​ ​namely​ ​cornerbacks​ ​and​ ​safeties.
Defensive Coordinator- the defensive coordinator is an assistant to the head coach who
specializes​ ​in​ ​defensive​ ​strategy.
Defensive End (DE)- A member of the defense who plays at each end of the defensive line.
Defensive​ ​ends​ ​are​ ​fast,​ ​strong​ ​and​ ​huge.​ ​The​ ​are​ ​usually​ ​the​ ​players​ ​who​ ​apply​ ​pressure​ ​to
the​ ​quarterback​ ​but​ ​they​ ​also​ ​can​ ​stop​ ​the​ ​run​ ​and​ ​make​ ​tackles​ ​on​ ​the​ ​field.
Defensive linemen - These players line up opposite the offensive line. Their basic job is to rush
the quarterback to hopefully get a sack, or to stop the run. They have to contend with massive
Yanks​ ​Guide​ ​-​ ​The​ ​#1​ ​Guide​ ​to​ ​American​ ​Football
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