Let's face it, sports are not everyone's thing. A first down or fumble sounds so alien that it belongs in ET, and a Pick 6 is simply another drawing in the lottery.
Yet for any college student at a major division 1 university, attending football games Saturday's in the fall is a rite of passage. Getting to participate in the various traditions and experience lauded gameday hype make for an unforgettable experience, in which even the least knowledgeable fan wants to feel at home.
But sometimes, simple excitement and school spirit aren't enough. Even at its most simplistic level, it takes somewhat of a football IQ for you to cheer for the right penalties, groan at bad calls, and be in tune with the game. While football may seem like a complex sport with a complicated rulebook, there are some easy concepts to learn which provide a solid base for any fan. By the end of the next 7 steps, much of your game day confusion will no longer be an issue.
1. Not ALL penalties are bad
Even though the title for this sub-section is in itself an oxymoron, in football, a penalty can be accessed (the technical term) against either team. So, before you start cheering when your offensive line is called for holding or groan when your wideout is fouled and pass interference is called on the defense, pay attention to the head referee (the one in the center of the field with a white hat and striped black and white shirt) and which way he signals. Each time a penalty is called, the referee will point at the team which committed it. So, if the referee points at your team, take your opportunity and boo, but if he points away, it's time to get excited for another opportunity to score.
2. Don't cheer when your team is on offense...
As you sit in the stands, it seems like the biggest difference you can make is incessantly cheering your team to victory. While there are times when your student section leader or jumbotron begs for your screams, if your team is on offense, it's important that you tone down the volume. In a stadium with many times at least 50,000 fans, it can become impossible for your team to hear important calls or instructions from the sideline, which can effectively harm any positive momentum your team may have. An important rule of thumb is that when you see your quarterback (the guy that throws the ball) looking towards the sideline, keep your cheers to a minimum…
3. Unless there's a big play
Get excited! Scream, cheer, stomp your feet. Seeing your team make a huge play is the most exciting part of watching a football game, and let people know. Very few times in your life will you feel the adrenaline rush of thousands of people united in one solid exasperation of excitement and joy. Take pride in your school and your traditions, and make sure the opposition knows they made a big mistake.
4. A touchdown is worth 6 points
Before I explain how much a touchdown's worth, it's probably important that I first explain what a touchdown is. A touchdown occurs when a player in possession of the ball (either on offense or defense) crosses the goal line of the opposing team. More simply put, when a player who holds the ball runs across, or a player catching the ball is behind the thick white line representing the start of the "end zone," then they have scored a touchdown. After scoring a "TD," as it is so affectionately called, the offense is given the opportunity to either kick a PAT (Point after touchdown: a short field goal worth 1 point) or go for 2 (attempt to score again from the 2-yard line, worth 2 points). Typically, teams save going for 2 for situations of necessity, which causes most scores to be multiples of 7. So, what happens if you get close to the end zone, but are unable to score? That's when it's necessary to bring out your special teams unit (we'll get to that later) and kick a field goal.
5. A field goal is worth 3 points
If an offense stalls just short of the goal line, rather than turn over the ball, they have the opportunity to kick a field goal. To receive the 3 points from kicking a successful field goal, the offense's kicker must put the ball above the crossbar and between the two uprights (the same rules for a successful PAT). Field goals can make or break games, and many teams have suffered gut-wrenching losses based on a made or missed field goal. Now, to answer an age-old question…
6. What are "special teams"?
In basic terms, the special teams are the group of players on the field whenever the ball is being kicked (either through a field goal, on kick-off, or being punted). This unit is responsible for making sure these processes go smoothly and are typically not made up of the normal starters you will see on offense and defense. Only about a tenth of total plays in one game will require special teams, so as long as a mistake isn't made you will likely never remember a play made on it.
7. You can't always run it outside
Since I began playing football, my mother has always attended every game. As she became more and more accustomed to football and its various rules, the one aspect of strategy should couldn't get is why the running back, or the player handed and carrying the ball, runs up the middle of the field, rather than simply running it outside. While in theory running away from the people whose entire mission is to tackle you seems like a bright idea, being able to force plays up the middle of the field sets up a wide assortment of future play calls. So even though to the amateur coach in the bleachers it may not make sense, just remember the trained professionals on the sideline know what they're doing (well, most of the time).
