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College Football Glossary | M-P

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Man in Motion
An offensive player who runs behind the line of scrimmage and parallel to it, as the quarterback calls the signals.
Man-to-man Coverage
Pass coverage in which every defensive back is assigned to a particular receiver.
Middle Guard
The defensive tackle who lines up opposite the offensive center.
Midfield
The area of the field in the general vicinity of the 50-yard line.
Motion
When an offensive player begins to move laterally behind the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped.
Mousetrap
A blocking scheme where a defensive player is allowed through the offensive line only to be blocked by another player behind the line.
Multiple Offense
An offensive strategy that utilizes a number of different formations.
National Football League
The largest and most recognizable professional football league in the world.
Necessary Line
A line the offense must cross to get a new first down.
Neutral Zone
The area between the two lines of scrimmage, stretching from sideline to sideline.
NFL
An acronym for the National Football League.
NFL Championship
The game that decides the champion of the NFL.
Nickel Back
An extra defensive back who is used mostly in obvious passing situations.
Nickel Defense
A defensive formation that utilizes five defensive backs.
Nose Guard
The defensive tackle who lines up opposite the offensive center.
Nose Tackle
The defensive player who lines up directly across from the center.
Odds
The return on money bet on a game, which is based on the likely outcome of the game as determined by an Oddsmaker.
Oddsmaker
One who establishes the odds for sports betting.
Offending Team
The team that committed a foul.
Offense
The team that has possession of the football and attempts to advance it toward the defense's goal line.
Offensive Backfield
The area of the field or the players lined up behind the offensive linemen.
Offensive Holding
A foul in which an offensive player keeps a defender from advancing by grasping him with his hands or arms. Offensive linemen are allowed to use their hands as long as they keep them to the inside of a defenders body, but if they get to the outside of the defender's body, it is a penalty.
Offensive Line
The five offensive players that line up on the line of scrimmage and block for the quarterback and ball carriers.
Offensive Linemen
The offensive players that line up on the line of scrimmage, whose primary job is to block the defensive players.
Offensive Pass Interference
A penalty in which an offensive player significantly hinders a defensive player's opportunity to intercept a forward pass or pushes off of the defender to give himself an advantage.
Officials
The men in the striped shirts who officiate the game.
Off-Season
The period of the year after the final game is over and before training camp opens.
Offside
A penalty that occurs when any part of a defender's body is beyond his line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped.
Off-Tackle
A running play designed to go to the strong side and take advantage of the hole supplied by the tackle, the tight end, and the full back.
Onside Kick
An attempt by the kicking team to recover the ball by kicking it a short distance down the field.
Open Up Holes
Pushing the opposition aside to make room in their defense for a ball carrier to run with the ball.
Open Receiver
Any potential receiver that breaks away from pass coverage.
Option
An offensive play in which the quarterback has the choice (option) of either passing, running, or pitching the ball to a running back.
Out of Bounds
The area touching or outside the sidelines and end line.
Out of Bounds at the Snap
A player may not enter the field of play after the football is snapped.
Outside
The general area of the field that is near, or in the direction of the sideline.
Overtime
An extra period tacked onto the end of a game when regulation ends in a tie.
Pass
The act of throwing the ball to another player.
Pass Defender
A defensive player whose assignment is to cover an opposing receiver.
Pass Interference
Illegally hindering another player's chances of catching a forward pass.
Pass Pattern
A predetermined route run by a receiver in an attempt to get open for a pass.
Pass Protection
The blocking scheme used by offensive players to keep the defense from getting to the quarterback on passing plays.
Pass Route
A predetermined path run by a receiver in an attempt to get open for a pass.
Pass Rush
An attempt by the defensive players to get to the quarterback so they can tackle him before he can complete a pass.
Passing Game
The offensive attack created by throwing the football.
PAT
After a touchdown, the scoring team is allowed to add another point by kicking the football through the uprights of the goalpost.
Penalty
Punishment for an infraction of the rules.
Personal Foul
A flagrant illegal act that is generally deemed to unnecessarily risk the health of other players.
Pick
1. An offensive maneuver in which two receivers cross and one bumps the defender of the other.
2. Another term for interception.
Pick-Off
A pass that is caught by a defensive player, giving possession to the team that intercepted it.
Pigskin
A slang term for the football.
Piling On
An illegal play where several players jump on the player with the ball after he's been tackled.
Pitch
The act of the quarterback tossing the ball to a running back who is moving laterally away from him.
Pitch-Out
The act of the quarterback tossing the ball to a running back who is moving laterally away from him.
Placekick
A kick made while the ball is held in place on the ground by either another player or a tee.
Placekicker
The player who kicks the ball on kickoffs, extra point attempts, and field goal attempts.
Play
In general, the actions of the players following a snap or kickoff. More specifically, the type of action taken as part of a planned manuever.
Play-Action Pass
A pass play where the quarterback fakes a handoff to a running back while he's dropping back to pass.
Playbook
A collection of plays a team uses put into a notebook format.
Play Clock
A clock displayed above each end zone that limits the time teams may take between plays.
Playmaker
A player that has a history of making big plays.
Playoffs
The post-season tournament that determines the NFL champion.
Pocket
The area of protection given to a quarterback by his offensive line when he drops back to pass.
Point After Touchdown
After a touchdown, the scoring team is allowed to add another point by kicking the football through the uprights of the goalpost.
Point Spread
A gambling term that indicates the number of points one team is favored over another by oddsmakers.
Pooch Kick
A low, line drive kickoff that often bounces around before it is fielded by the kick returner.
Possession
1. When a team has control of the ball, the are considered to be in possession of it.
2. When a player maintains control of the ball while touching both feet, or any other part of his body other than his hands, to the ground.
Post
A forward pass that the quarterback throws down the center of the field as the intended receiver runs toward the goalpost.
Postseason
The time after the regular season is over when a tournament is played to determine a champion.
Power Sweep
A running play in which two or more offensive linemen pull out of their stances and run toward the outside of the line of scrimmage, leading the running back who receives a handoff or pitch from the quarterback.
Preseason
The period of time before the regular season during which teams play exhibition games and check out new players.
Previous Spot
The exact location on the field where the ball was placed before the preceding play.
Primary Receiver
The receiver who, on a particular play, is designed to be the first option for the quarterback to throw the ball to.
Pulling
When a player leaves one area of the field, generally moving back and then over, to block in an area other than his normal position.
Pump Fake
A move the quarterback uses to deceive the defense by moving his arm in a throwing motion in the direction of a receiver, but holding onto the ball and drawing it back to throw in another direction or area of the field.
Punt
A kick made when the punter drops the ball and kicks it while it falls toward his foot.
Punter
The player who stands behind the line of scrimmage, catches the long snap from the center, and then kicks the ball after dropping it toward his foot.
Punt return
Running the ball back toward the punting team after it's been punted.
Pylon
A short orange foam marker that marks all four corners of each end zone.