Around Des Moines

Iowa has a women’s football team, but many women, and probably some men, know nothing about the game. For Super Bowl Sunday, here is a quick and limited primer:

A football team is composed of players who specialize in certain positions. Only 11 players from each team are allowed on the field at any time. Team is used also to describe the role a group of players takes in the game. For example, there is an offensive team to handle the ball, a defensive team to stop the other team from scoring, and assorted special teams, such as the team that moves in for field goal attempts. The Quarterback is part of the offense.

The football field is 100 yards long with an “H” shaped goal post at each end. Where a goal post stands is called the end zone. Each team has an end zone and half the field (50 yards), which they alternate for the second half.

Touch downs (6 points) and field goals (3 points) are the most common forms of scoring. A touchdown occurs when a player runs into the end zone while holding the ball or catches the ball while standing in the end zone. After a touch down, a team is given an opportunity to score extra (conversion) points. This can be achieved by kicking the ball over the goal post (1 point) or by carrying the ball into the end zone (2 points). A field goal is awarded when the ball is kicked over the goal posts. Distance from the post, distance of the ball off the ground, and effects of the wind are some elements that factor into a field goal. If a member of the opposing team captures a live ball (i.e., a ball in play) but is tackled while in the end zone, that is called a safety (2 points). The safety is not seen very often but it has helped win some games.

A ball goes out of play when the player carrying it touches the ground with a knee or elbow. When you see a player catch a ball and drop immediately to his knee, he is stopping the action for that play. If a ball is thrown, the receiver must be inside the field or in the end zone. Otherwise the toss is considered incomplete. As soon as the player carrying the ball rushes over the side lines, the ball is dead. If he catches the ball with at least one foot on the side line, the play does not count.

The team with the ball has four attempts (downs) to move the ball 10 yards. If the ball cannot be moved 10 yards in 4 attempts, the ball changes hands. The 10 yards can become 15, 20, or more due to penalties or tackles behind the line of scrimmage. The line of scrimmage is the yard line where the ball was when it last went out of play.

There are 60 minutes in the game, divided into 2 halves of 2 15-minute quarters each. Some plays, such as incomplete passes, will automatically stop the clock. The referees also can have the clock stopped, kept running, or pushed back.

There are numerous penalties that can be assessed against a team but the opposing team has the opportunity to ignore some penalties. For example, if the defense moves too close to the offense before the ball is in play, that is called offsides. But if that play resulted in a touchdown, the team that has the ball may decline the penalty and keep the touchdown.

M.R. Field is edtior of Leading Voices: Iowa.