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College Football Glossary | E-H

A-D | E-H | I-L | M-P | Q-T | U-Z

Eligible Receiver
An offensive player who can legally catch a forward pass.
Encroachment
A foul in which a defender makes contact with a member of the offense before the snap.
End
1. An offensive player who lines up on the very end of the line of scrimmage.
2. A defensive player who lines up on either end of the defensive line.
End Line
The very end of the field, at either end.
End Zone
A 10-yard section stretching the width of the field at both ends of the playing field.
Excessive Time Outs
Calling a time out after having used the three allowed per half.
Extra Point
After a touchdown, the scoring team is allowed to add another point by kicking the football through the uprights of the goalpost.
Face Mask
1. The bars attatched to a football helmet that cover a players face.
2. A foul for grabbing an opponent's face mask.
Fair Catch
When the player returning a punt signals by waving his extended arm from side to side over his head, making it illegal for the opposition to tackle him.
Fair Catch Interference
A player may not interfere with a punt returner's opportunity to catch the football after having signaled for a fair catch.
Faking a Roughing
An illegal act by a quarterback, kicker, or punter in which they fake being roughed by the opposition in the hopes of drawing a roughing penalty.
False Start
An infraction in which an offensive player moves before the ball is snapped.
Fantasy Football
A game played by football fans in which participants draft their own team and compete with teams built by others.
Fantasy League
A group of fantasy football teams that compete against one another for a league championship.
Field Goal
A scoring play worth three points that involves a placekicker kicking the ball through the uprights of the goalpost in the opponent's end zone from anywhere on the field.
Field Judge
The official that lines up 25 yards deep in the defensive backfield on the tight end side of the field. His duties include:
Keep track of the play clock and call delay of game if it expires
Make sure the defensive team has no more than 11 players on the field
Rule on plays that cross the defense's goal line
Watch all eligible receivers on his side of the field
Rule on the legality of catches and pass interference penalties on the strong side of the field
Mark the spot where a play goes out of bounds on his side of the field
Watch for illegal use of hands by the receivers and defensive backs
Field of Play
The area of the field between the goal lines and the end lines.
First and Ten
Refers to a situation where a team has a first down with ten yards to go to get another first down.
First Down
The first play of every series.
Flag Football
Similar to most other forms of football, but with typically six to nine players. Tackling is not permitted. Instead, a flag attatched to a belt and carried on each side of a player's hip must be pulled loose to constitute a tackle.
Flanker
A player who catches passes. In an offensive formation, he usually lines up outside the tight end, off the line of scrimmage.
Flat
The area of the field between the hash marks and the sideline near the line of scrimmage.
Flood
A strategy used by offenses where they send more players to a particular area of the field than the opposition can effectively cover.
Formation
A predetermined alignment that the offense or defense uses.
Forward Pass
Throwing the ball so that it ends up further downfield than it started.
Foul
Any violation of a playing rule.
Franchise
The legal arrangement that establishes ownership of a team.
Franchise Player
1.A designation given to a player by his team to keep him from leaving via free agency. According to the NFL's collective bargaining agreement, the player must be paid the average salary of the top five players at his position.
2. A term used to refer to a superstar player who is invaluable to his team.
Free Agency
An open signing period during which an NFL team can sign any unrestricted player who is without a contract.
Free Agent
A professional football player who is not currently under contract with any football team.
Free Kick
Either a kickoff or a punt following a safety.
Free Safety
A defensive player who lines up the deepest in the secondary and defends the deep middle of the field against the pass.
Freeze
Attempting to keep possession of the football for a long time without scoring or attempting to score.
Front Four
The defensive linemen in a formation that includes two ends and two tackles.
Front Seven
The front line of defense that generally includes the linemen and linebackers.
Fullback
An offensive player who lines up in the offensive backfield and generally is responsible for blocking for the running back and also pass-blocking for the quarterback.
Fumble
When any offensive player loses possession of the football before a play is blown dead.
Game Ball
An informal award, consisting of a ball used in the game, normally given to a winning team's player or coach considered to have most contributed to the win.
Gap
The open space between players along the line of scrimmage when they are aligned.
Goal Line
The line on each end of the field that separates the end zone from the rest of the playing field.
Goal-line Stand
Stopping the opposition at or near one's goal-line on a series of plays.
Goalpost
The poles at the rear of each end zone through which teams score field goals and extra points.
Gridiron
The football field.
Guard
A member of the offensive line. There are two guards on every play, and they line up on either side of the offensive center.
Gunner
The members of the special teams who specialize in racing downfield to tackle the kick or punt returner.
Hail Mary
An offensive play where the quarterback throws the ball up in the air without really targeting any particular receiver, hoping someone on his team catches it.
Halfback
An offensive player who lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays.
Handoff
The act of giving the ball to another player.
Hands Team
A team of sure-handed players that specializes in recovering onside kicks.
Hang Time
The amout of time in which a punted ball remains in the air.
Hash Marks
The two rows of lines near the center of the field marked off in one-yard increments.
Head Coach
The member of the coaching staff that is responsible for all aspects of the team, and is in charge of all other coaches.
Head Linesman
The head linesman is the official that sets up straddling the line of scrimmage on the sideline designated by the referee. His duties include:
Watch for line of scrimmage violations like offsides and encroachment
Rule on all out-of-bounds plays on his side of the field
Keep tabs on the chain crew
Mark the chain to a yard marker on the field as a reference point for a measurement on the field
Mark a players forward progress after a play is whistled dead
Keep track of all eligible receivers
Watch for illegal motion, illegal shifts, illegal use of hands, illegal men downfield
Helping the Runner
Another player cannot assist the ball carrier by pushing or pulling them forward.
Heisman Trophy
An award presented annually by the Downtown Athletic Club of New York to the best college football player in the country.
Hitch and Go
A pass pattern where a receiver goes downfield to catch a pass, fakes a quick turn inside or outside, then continues downfield for a deeper pass.
Holder
The player who catches the snap from the center and places it down for the placekicker to attempt to kick it through the uprights of the goalpost.
Holding
An illegal action where one player keeps another from advancing by grabbing him and holding him back.
Hole Number
A number assigned to each gap or space between the five offensive linemen and the tight end.
Home Field Advantage
The benefit a team gets by playing games in its own stadium.
Hook and Ladder
A pass play in which the receiver catches a pass facing toward the line of scrimmage, then laterals the ball to another offensive player who is racing toward the opponent's end zone.
Hotdog
A player who shows off by displaying flamboyant antics instead of going about his duties in a buisnesslike fashion.
Hot Receiver
A receiver designated to accept a quick pass from the quarterback in the event of a blitz by the defense.
Huddle
When the 11 players on the field from one team form a group to discuss the upcoming play.
Hurry-Up Offense
An offensive strategy designed to gain as much yardage as possible while running as little time off the clock as possible.