Football position question

[Seahawk]

I have never known the answer to this, apologies if it is a dumb question. Why is a fullback called a fullback, and a halfback a halfback in football?

I've always thought it should be the other way around, since a halfback is deeper into the backfield than a fullback. Quarterback made sense to me, since he is behind the line, but usually not by much.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

In the traditional T formation, the fullback lined up directly behind the quarterback, while the two halfbacks were on each side.

Also, I would think it has to do with each back's duties. Fullbacks traditionally run the ball between the tackles, while halfbacks run all different plays.

 

[mustangj17]

In many systems the backfield has numbers as high as 4.

QB=1 (1/4 of four, equals quarterback)
HB=2 (1/2 of four equals halfback)
FB=4 (4 = full equals fullback)

So a 28 sweep is the halfback taking a sweep to the 8 hole (all the way to the right of the end)
A 44 blast is a fullback up the four hole, between the guard and the tackle on the right side.
A 23 dive, the halfback up the 3 hole on the left side between the guard and tackle.

 

[Seahawk]

In many systems the backfield has numbers as high as 4.

QB=1 (1/4 of four, equals quarterback)
HB=2 (1/2 of four equals halfback)
FB=4 (4 = full equals fullback)

So a 28 sweep is the halfback taking a sweep to the 8 hole (all the way to the right of the end)
A 44 blast is a fullback up the four hole, between the guard and the tackle on the right side.
A 23 dive, the halfback up the 3 hole on the left side between the guard and tackle.

Thanks for the explanation. Makes sense.

 

[Pantalón del Fuego]

Huh. You really do learn something new every day.

 

[mustangj17]

Although usually with those plays, you never hear a quartback doing an 18 dweep, or an 11 dive. It's usually a qb boot, or a qb sneak.

Also, some systems will have a power I with another back between the halfback and the fullback that will be the 3 back.

 

[crusoes]

In many systems the backfield has numbers as high as 4.

QB=1 (1/4 of four, equals quarterback)
HB=2 (1/2 of four equals halfback)
FB=4 (4 = full equals fullback)

So a 28 sweep is the halfback taking a sweep to the 8 hole (all the way to the right of the end)
A 44 blast is a fullback up the four hole, between the guard and the tackle on the right side.
A 23 dive, the halfback up the 3 hole on the left side between the guard and tackle.

In dinosaur days, when I played, the fullback was the 2 back. The left halfback (we ran the T) was the 3 and the right halfback was the 4.

 

[spnited]

Why are there tackles on the offensive line? Offensive linemen don't tackle anybody.

 

[mike311gd]

Why are there tackles on the offensive line? Offensive linemen don't tackle anybody.

You just blew my mind.

 

[lone star scribe]

Why are there tackles on the offensive line? Offensive linemen don't tackle anybody.

Obviously hasn't seen Flozell Adams pass blocking lately.

 

[mustangj17]

Why are there tackles on the offensive line? Offensive linemen don't tackle anybody.

Obviously hasn't seen Flozell Adams pass blocking lately.

In his defense, the defender smelled like a delicious ham sandwich.

 

[Batman]

Why are there tackles on the offensive line? Offensive linemen don't tackle anybody.

I'll answer you when I stop driving on the parkway, get home and park in my driveway.

 

[spnited]

Why are there tackles on the offensive line? Offensive linemen don't tackle anybody.

Obviously hasn't seen Flozell Adams pass blocking lately.

I thought Flozell just laid on top of people.

 

[forever_town]

Why are there tackles on the offensive line? Offensive linemen don't tackle anybody.

You just blew my mind.

That isn't hard.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Why are there tackles on the offensive line? Offensive linemen don't tackle anybody.

Probably stems back to when players were real men, and played both ways.

 

[apeman33]

Why are there tackles on the offensive line? Offensive linemen don't tackle anybody.

I'll bet they had to make a lot of tackles when Ryan Leaf was quarterbacking the Chargers (rim shot).

 

[KYSportsWriter]

Why are there tackles on the offensive line? Offensive linemen don't tackle anybody.

Obviously hasn't seen Flozell Adams pass blocking lately.

In his defense, the defender smelled like a delicious Raisin Ham.

 

[Bamadog]

Why are there tackles on the offensive line? Offensive linemen don't tackle anybody.

I'll bet they had to make a lot of tackles when Ryan Leaf was quarterbacking the Chargers (rim shot).

Can I borrow one of your pain pills? Can I?
-Ryan Leaf

 

[RedCanuck]

Yeah, we ran the FB as the two back as well, I think it all depends on how your offence is designed how the play calls go. Different teams run different hole numbers too - some offences go 1,3,5,7 to the left, 2,4,6,8 to the right, and others just go straight from one side to the other.

 

[Optimus Subprime]

Not sure if this matters: The positions in rugby union share a lot of the same names as American football.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rugby_formation.svg

They play with a fullback, two halfbacks and a pair of flankers. I had always assumed some American football positions took names from their rugby counterparts, but I could be way wrong.