If a team is stopped before they score they have the option of kicking a field goal which is three points.
The other, and uncommon, method of scoring is a safety which counts for two points and comes when the offence is stopped in its own end zone, the quarterback steps out of the back or side of the end zone, or the quarterback throws the ball away while still in the pocket.
The Irish league uses NCAA rules rather than NFL rules. The key difference is that when a player’s knee is down, the play is over whereas in the NFL a player must be down by contact.
Each team has four plays (each of which is called a down) to make 10 yards; if they fail to do so they turn over the ball. In practice most teams will use three downs and punt on the fourth in order to gain field position. If a team makes the 10 yards, then they are rewarded with another four downs to make another 10 yards and so on until they score or punt.
Offence: The offence comprises the quarterback, running back, wide receivers and offensive line. At any one time seven players must be on the line. It’s a penalty if they do not comply with this rule. If a player moves after the quarterback calls “set” and before the snap it is also a penalty as this is a false start.The line comprises five players numbered between 50 and 79. They are not allowed hold defensive players and their job is to protect the quarterback on a passing play and give him enough time to choose his target and deliver the ball. On passing plays they are not allowed downfield and drop back to form a pocket to protect the quarterback. On running plays they must create holes for the running back by blocking defenders or moving them out of the way using drive blocks. They are allowed downfield on these plays. The line is made up of the centre, who snaps the ball, with two guards on either side and two tackles outside of them. The tackles tend to be more athletic and need to have good footwork in order to deal with the defensive linemen.The quarterback is a key player whose job is to pass the ball or hand it off to the running back. On a passing play, the quarterback usually has a choice of five players to pass to but sometimes the running back will stay in to block a defender. Occasionally the quarterback runs himself. This usually happens in short yardage situations in order to make the first down and is called a quarterback sneak. In college, numerous teams also use a quarterback option whereby the quarterback runs and has a choice as to whether to keep the ball or pass it to a running back who runs close to him in an effort to make the defence to commit to one of the players, freeing the other one.Running backs, as the name suggests, run with the ball but occasionally they catch passes or in the Wildcat formation, made popular by the Miami Dolphins, they may also pass.
Wide receivers run predetermined routes in order to try and free themselves from defenders in order to give the quarterback a clear target. They also block defensive players on running players. Some of the best examples of that are Terrell Owens of the Dallas Cowboys and Anquan Boldin of the Arizona Cardinals.
The tight end is basically a hybrid of a wide receiver and lineman. Eligible receivers, they may also stay in the box to block defensive players rushing the quarterback.
Defence: The defence’s job is to stop the opposition from making a first down or to force turnovers either by intercepting the offence, stripping the ball or forcing a fumble. They can sometimes hold players but not in run support. The defence comprises a defensive line, the linebackers behind them who are also known as the second level, and the defensive backs who in turn are made up of cornerbacks and safeties.The cornerbacks basically cover the wide receivers. They can play either man coverage, which is self explanatory, or zone coverage, where each has responsibility for a certain area of the field. On passing plays, if they hit an offensive player without the ball being in the immediate area they are guilty of pass interference. In the Irish league, this means that the ball is spotted at the place where the illegal interference occurred. Cornerbacks are also expected to help in run support.The safeties are typically the deepest players. They too can play zone or man coverage, hitting receivers coming over the middle or moving out to cover wide receivers. On running plays the strong safety, also known as the stud, is expected to help stop the run.Linebackers either rush the passer, drop into coverage or block linemen. They tend to make the most tackles on a team as they read whether the play is a run or a pass and attempt to prevent both. They can also rush the quarterback. Teams typically have three to five linebackers.
The defensive line attempts to get to the passer or else occupies the gaps between the offensive linemen to stop the run. In a three man line, the defensive player in the middle is known as a nose tackle and must occupy the gaps either side of the centre. If they are four defensive linemen, the two in the middle are known as defensive tackles. The defensive tackle closest to the centre can also be called a nose tackle or a one technique. The defensive tackle further away from the centre is also called a three technique.
The two defensive linemen at either end of the line are known as defensive ends and they must rush the passer or beat the tackles to stop the run. If a defensive player passes the ball before it’s snapped and the offence reacts the play is known as a neutral zone encroachment and results in a five yard penalty.
People are often confused when they hear terms like 3-4 and 4-3 on television in relation to defensive formations. They simply signify the number of linemen and linebackers on the field at that time. A 3-4 for example means there are three defensive linemen and four linebackers. Teams in Ireland usually use a 4-4.
Other key rules
On special teams and on turnovers, you are not allowed block below the waist.
You cannot hit the kicker
You are not allowed grab a player’s facemask. The referees judge whether it was intentional or not with the penalty being five and fifteen yards respectively.
You are not allowed make initial contact with your helmet or any part of your facemask. This is known as spearing and is exceptionally dangerous, both to the player hit and to the player delivering in the hit as it can result in paralysis.
Player are not allowed block in the back,. Doing so incurs a 10 yard penalty.
Unsportsmanlike conduct is not tolerated. This covers a wide category of infractions and carries a 15-yard penalty.