![Football-Formation-C](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Football-Formation-C.svg)
Center or Centre (C) is a position in
. The center is the innermost
lineman of the
offensive line
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...
on a football team's
offense. The center is also the player who passes (or "
snaps
Snaps ( ) is a Danish and Swedish word for a small shot of a strong alcoholic beverage taken during the course of a meal. A ritual that is associated with drinking snaps is a tradition in Scandinavia, especially in Denmark and Sweden, where ...
") the ball between his legs to the
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
at the start of each
play
Play most commonly refers to:
* Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment
* Play (theatre), a work of drama
Play may refer also to:
Computers and technology
* Google Play, a digital content service
* Play Framework, a Java framework
* Pla ...
.
The importance of centers for a football team has increased, due to the re-emergence of
3–4 defense
In American football, the 3–4 defense is a common defensive alignment consisting of three down linemen and four linebackers. It is a called a "base defense" because it is the default defensive alignment used on "base downs" (1st and 2nd downs). ...
s. According to
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
general manager
Ozzie Newsome
Ozzie Newsome Jr. (born March 16, 1956) is an American former professional football player and executive who is the executive vice president of player personnel of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Newsome was a tight e ...
, "you need to have somebody who can neutralize that
nose tackle
A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...
. If you don't, everything can get screwed up. Your running game won't be effective and you'll also have somebody in your quarterback's face on every play."
Roles
The center's first role is to pass the football to the quarterback. This exchange is called a snap. Most offensive schemes make adjustments based on how the
defensive line
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...
and
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
s align themselves in relation to the offensive line, and what gaps they line up in. Because the center has an ideal view of the defensive formation before the snap, he typically makes the first line call. This call is typically based on the position of the
defensive linemen or linebackers in his gaps (0i-1i), most subsequent adjustments are dependent on this call. In some cases, the center may call an adjustment for the entire offensive line. This was taken to an extreme by the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
in the early 21st century, with center
Jeff Saturday
Jeffrey Bryant Saturday (born June 18, 1975) is an American football coach and former center who is the interim head coach for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of North Ca ...
having equal say with quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
in play calling, including audibles.
The center is therefore usually the most intelligent player on the offensive line; intelligence is critical to a center's success.
![BumDay](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/BumDay.jpg)
After the snap, the center performs
blocking assignments. The blocking assignments vary by offense but typically consist of the following:
Run blocking
Run blocking assignments will vary based on the current play and the defensive formation when the ball is snapped. Typically, these assignments consist of the following:
*Blocking middle or backside linebackers in certain formations, then moving up to secondary levels if no linebacker is present.
*Assisting
guards in their blocking assignments. This may be a center/guard double-team where the center and guard are assigned to the same target (usually a
defensive tackle
A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...
) to get extra push or drive. Assistance may also be just a quick hit or "chip" to throw the defensive player off balance and help the guard to execute his block, while the center moves up to higher-level targets.
*Backside blocking of
defensive tackle
A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...
s for pulling guards. In some offensive schemes, certain plays will involve "pulling" an
offensive lineman
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...
to block for the ball carrier. If a guard needs to pull for a block, the center will typically block the defensive tackle in order to fill the guard's void.
Pass blocking
* Pass blocking for a center is similar to run blocking for a center. The center will initially help guards based on the position of the defensive linemen. In the case of a
blitz
Blitz, German for "lightning", may refer to:
Military uses
*Blitzkrieg, blitz campaign, or blitz, a type of military campaign
*The Blitz, the German aerial campaign against Britain in the Second World War
*, an Imperial German Navy light cruiser b ...
, the center may need to pick up a rushing linebacker,
safety
Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to risk management, the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
There are ...
or
corner
Corner may refer to:
People
*Corner (surname)
*House of Cornaro, a noble Venetian family (''Corner'' in Venetian dialect)
Places
*Corner, Alabama, a community in the United States
*Corner Inlet, Victoria, Australia
*Corner River, a tributary of ...
. A good center also needs to stay vigilant during pass blocking to protect against defensive stunts and twists.
During the play
On most plays, the center will snap the ball directly into the quarterback's hands. In a
shotgun formation
The shotgun formation is a formation used by the offensive team in gridiron football mainly for passing plays, although some teams use it as their base formation. Instead of the quarterback receiving the snap from center at the line of scrimmage ...
, the center snaps the ball to the quarterback lined up several yards behind him. In
punt and
field goal
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
formations, the center also snaps the ball several yards behind him to the
punter or
holder on the field goal unit. Because bad snaps can ruin
special teams
In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their "position". Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...
plays and cause turnovers, most teams have a center who is specifically trained for snapping the ball in punt and field goal formations. This player is referred to as the team's
long snapper
In American football, the long snapper (or deep snapper) is a center on special teams whose duty is to snap the football over a longer distance, typically around 15 yards during punts, and 7–8 yards during field goals and extra point attempt ...
. Also, the center does not have to snap the ball to the quarterback, holder, or punter. He is allowed to snap the ball to anyone behind him. Because of this, some plays involve snaps directly to
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
s instead of the player generally expected to receive the snap, hoping to fool the defense.
![Carson Wentz behind center 2017](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Carson_Wentz_behind_center_2017.jpg)
In slang, the player receiving the snap is said to be "under center" if he receives the ball directly from the center (not in shotgun). This phrase is typically applied to quarterbacks but has been used in reference to other positions as well.
Special teams
On all
special teams
In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their "position". Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...
formations, the center is a
long snapper
In American football, the long snapper (or deep snapper) is a center on special teams whose duty is to snap the football over a longer distance, typically around 15 yards during punts, and 7–8 yards during field goals and extra point attempt ...
. Today, all NFL teams have a dedicated long snapper.
Drawing penalties
Although the quarterback commands the ball, it is the center's snap that renders the ball in play; the defensive line may not cross the
line of scrimmage
In gridiron football, a line of scrimmage is an imaginary transverse line (across the width of the field) beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun. Its location is based on the spot where the ball is placed after the end o ...
until the center snaps the football. An astute center can help draw an opposing team offside prior to the snap or potentially trick the other team into a penalty by quickly snapping the ball while the opposing team attempts to substitute players.
Under college and high school rules, the center, as a long snapper, may not be contacted until 1 second after the snap has been initiated. This will result in "roughing the center."
Additionally, a snap must be a continuous motion. If a center halts the snap motion, this draws the penalty of "illegal snap."
In
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
, the
Dave Rimington Trophy
The Dave Rimington Trophy is awarded to the player considered to be the best American football center in college football. Dave Rimington was a center who played at the University of Nebraska from 1979 to 1982.
A member of the National College F ...
is awarded annually to the nation's most outstanding center.
References
{{American football positions
American football positions