🏈 Football terms-what do you think?

[bamacheer07]

I posted this on Bamamag, but apparently no one liked it. I thought it would be fun:

Football terms are so crazy! Like where did the name Quarterback come from? What's a Fullback? ...and Halfback?...and Tailback? ...not to mention Tight End, or Split End!

And why would a safety cost two points? How is that safe?

And does touchback mean someone touched the Quarterback, or Tailback, or Fullback?

And how could someone named a Tackle play on Offense?

Now, center, that makes sense, as does Linebacker.

If someone wants to explain a term, please share. I understand the game, I am just curious how all the names came to be. This should be fun!

 

[PhillyGirl]

Why is there a tight end but no loose end? And halfback, fullback .. what about a three-quarters back? Sorry, couldn't resist.

For "quarterback", according to Google:
The term quarterback has its origin in Scottish rugby, wherein backfield players, according to their customary distance behind the forwards, were designated "quarter back" (i.e. ¼ of the way back), "half back", and "full back". Eventually in rugby the English-Irish nomenclature prevailed, with halfback, three-quarters back, and fullback; in some places the term "five-eighths back" is used as well

 

[bamacheer07]

Yeah. I hate spilt ends, i like tight ends. Loose ends? i am not touching that one

Why is there a tight end but no loose end? And halfback, fullback .. what about a three-quarters back? Sorry, couldn't resist.

For "quarterback", according to Google:
The term quarterback has its origin in Scottish rugby, wherein backfield players, according to their customary distance behind the forwards, were designated "quarter back" (i.e. ¼ of the way back), "half back", and "full back". Eventually in rugby the English-Irish nomenclature prevailed, with halfback, three-quarters back, and fullback; in some places the term "five-eighths back" is used as well

 

[TerryP]

I posted this on Bamamag, but apparently no one liked it. I thought it would be fun:

Football terms are so crazy! Like where did the name Quarterback come from? What's a Fullback? ...and Halfback?...and Tailback? ...not to mention Tight End, or Split End!

And why would a safety cost two points? How is that safe?

And does touchback mean someone touched the Quarterback, or Tailback, or Fullback?

And how could someone named a Tackle play on Offense?

Now, center, that makes sense, as does Linebacker.

If someone wants to explain a term, please share. I understand the game, I am just curious how all the names came to be. This should be fun!

Tight end is referring to how close they are to the offensive line. Split end—split away from the tight end and between the tight end and an end. (confusing in terms, I'm sure) Before those names were actually started you just had ends no matter where they lined up.

Tackle isn't really odd. You had tackles on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. It's a carryover from the two platoon systems and it was simply systematic of how positions were named. Players tended to keep their position name no matter where they lined up. IE: A team might have a tackle in the backfield. After a bit, that became known as tackle backs.

Grab a book on Walter Camp...you'll find a lot in there.