Patent Application
20240131410
The embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to a football training apparatus.
American football is one of the most popular spectator and participant sports among young people. A football team has two sides in the traditional sport of American football: the offensive side and the defensive side. Eleven players are assigned to various positions on the offensive side on the practice field. In a mandatory football formation, seven of the eleven players stand side by side to form a line of scrimmage. A line of scrimmage is an imaginary transverse line across the width of the football field, over which players cannot cross until the play has begun. Each player on the line of scrimmage is assigned a named position and two hole assignments. The hole assignments for each player on the line of scrimmage are only for running plays involving running backs, i.e. an offensive back whose primary job is to be the ballcarrier. The running backs' hole assignments determine where they must carry the ball; however, the quarterback calls the offensive plays, deciding whether it is a run or pass play.
On the defensive side, eleven players are assigned to various positions on the practice field. The defensive players line up against the offensive players at the line of scrimmage in accordance with the offensive formation. As a result, the defense play formations determine whether a player's head is up against the opposing player or in the gap between the offensive line of scrimmage players.
Coaches today, however, continue to use training equipment that has been around for more than 50 years, such as orange cones, tires, football dummy pads, and so on, to depict fictitious players, which can be confusing to novice football players who are learning to play the sport.
Embodiments of the invention are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like numerals represent like elements throughout the several figures, and in which example embodiments are shown. However, embodiments of the claims can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The examples set forth herein are non-limiting examples and are merely examples, among other possible examples. Throughout this specification, plural instances, e.g. “610,” can implement components, operations, or structures, e.g. “610a,” described as a single instance. Further, plural instances, e.g. “610,” refer collectively to a set of components, operations, or structures, e.g. “610a,” described as a single instance. The description of a single component, e.g. “610a,” applies equally to a like-numbered component, e.g. “610b,” unless indicated otherwise. These and other aspects, features, and implementations can be expressed as methods, apparatuses, systems, components, program products, means or steps for performing a function, and in other ways. These and other aspects, features, and implementations will become apparent from the following descriptions, including the claims.
The embodiments disclosed herein relate to football training apparatuses used to teach new football players such as quarterbacks and running backs to identify and execute plays through a scrimmage line. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes multiple stand-up displays that are organized to simulate a line of scrimmage. In further embodiments, a device includes multiple football jerseys that, when worn by live players organized in a scrimmage line, denote open assignment gaps to players learning to execute defensive strategic plays. In yet further embodiments, a training device includes multiple tagged belts that communicate hole assignments to also execute offensive strategic plays. In embodiments, jerseys are worn for defensive training which shows alphabetical letters for gap callouts. In other embodiments, belts are worn for offensive training which shows numerical letters for hole callouts.
In some embodiments, the apparatus is used by a new player to learn football strategy. For example, the apparatus is used to assist novice football players and coaches in visualizing various offensive and defensive football formations on practice fields, thereby accelerating and promoting rapid learning. In an offensive formation, a player can identify holes between objects in the simulated scrimmage line before executing a play. In a defensive formation, players can use gap assignments to easily identify where to move and rushing to the opposing players to make a tackle during a play.
Everything in the game of football starts up front at the line of scrimmage. It is the point of attack—where the ball starts and where everything must go through on both offense and defense for a play to be successful. Both offensive and defensive coaches come up with a number of schemes and plays to try to keep the other team off balance.
Offenses employ different blocking schemes that include zone blocking and having offensive linemen pull to one side or the other. They run play-action passes, draws and counter runs to deceive the defense, making them think a play is going to one side of the field when it is actually going the other.
Defenses employ similar techniques to keep the offense guessing. They have defensive linemen employ stunts to make offensive linemen make quick adjustments to their blocking assignments. They blitz linebackers, cornerbacks, and safeties to put extra pressure on the quarterback.
Even though there is a wide variety of techniques and plays that coaches use, it's all done with one simple thing in mind—to either open up (offense) or plug up (defense) the gaps and holes at the line of scrimmage. Understanding what these gaps and holes are and how they are used in football terminology is essential for any football player as they try to carry out their duties on every play.
Let's dive a little deeper into what gaps and holes are, and how they are used to teach and run the game effectively.
Football gaps and holes are alphabetical and numerical symbols, respectively, given to each space along the line of scrimmage. Offenses and defenses use these symbols to label the different holes and gaps to simplify the process of understanding where a particular play is going, and where players will be responsible to block and/or go through. By labeling each gap with a standard symbol, it is easier for players to understand the field. This is especially important for two reasons:
(1) The number of players on both the offensive and defensive line can change on each play. It can also change from one team to the next.
(2) It's a lot easier to say “A gap” than “the space to the left of the center and to the right of the guard,” for example.
The simplicity and standardization of the gaps and holes allows any football player, no matter what position he is playing and no matter what team he is on, to understand plays and responsibilities quickly and correctly.
Football gaps and holes are technically the same thing, as they refer to each of the spaces between two offensive linemen. So, for example, the space between the center and the guard is a gap or hole. Technically speaking, if you are running a defensive scheme, you refer to the space between the center and guard a gap hole. The space between the guard and the offensive tackle is another gap or hole. Technically speaking, if you are running an offensive scheme, you refer to the space between the guard and the offensive tackle a hole. And so on and so on.
Here are each of the gaps:
Notice that we did not specify which side of the field we are talking about. That is because there are two of each gap on each side of the field. In other words, the space between the center and the offensive guard to the left and right side of the field are both referred to as the A gap. Defenses can differentiate the specific A gap they are referring to by calling one the strong-side and one the weak-side (or back-side) A gap.
The first way is to run a stunt with just one player and the other is to run a stunt-and-pull combination with two players. A stunt would simply involve the defensive linemen going through the gap that is opposite where he's lined up. In the above example with the nose tackle, that would mean he would attack the A gap on the opposite side of the field where he is shaded.
A stunt-and-pull is slightly more complicated. It often involves one defensive tackle and one defensive end. On this play, instead of attacking the gap that's straight ahead, one lineman “stunts” to the outside gap while the defensive lineman next to him loops behind him. In this example, the defensive tackle lines up shaded to the outside shoulder of the offensive guard, and the defensive end next to him lines up on the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle. In a base play, the defensive tackle attacks the B gap and the defensive end attacks the C gap. On this stunt-and-pull, the defensive tackle angles out to the C gap. The defensive end pulls or curls around behind the defensive tackle and attacks the offense through the B gap.
These little variations to the way the defense attacks the offense can happen on just one side of the line or on both sides of the line simultaneously as well.
Here are each of the holes:
Each hole corresponds to a defense's gaps, of course. The terms are interchangeable, then, but the offense uses a different number for each space to make it easier for backs to understand and identify the part of the field that they are running to. Again, being able to say run through the “1 hole” is a lot easier than saying run through the “A gap to the left side of the field.”
Offenses use the holes a little differently than defenses use gaps. Offenses do not use the holes to signify where offensive linemen will block. The blocking assignments are done on a man-to-man or zone basis. Offensive linemen do not pay attention to the holes when they are blocking. In fact, they often refer to their assignments based on what gaps the defenders are lined up across from and which ones they attack. What they do, though, is open up space in these holes for ball carriers to run through.
On each standard running play, the running back has a hole that he is assigned to run through after taking the hand-off. His first move is toward that hole on the field. He, of course, has the leeway to make cutbacks or go through a different hole if the one that he is assigned to run through is not open when he approaches it. For example, the running back may be assigned to run through the 1 hole. If that hole did not open up, though—if a defender plugged it—then the running back can adjust and go through another hole that he sees is open.
The holes are also used to identify blocking assignments for backs during passing plays. On passes where the running back does not run a route, he stays in and is responsible mostly for blocking the first defender who breaks through the line of scrimmage. However, he will be asked to primarily concentrate on a few holes, depending on the play called on offense and the alignment of the defense.
Thus, to make understanding blocking, running, and attacking assignments easier, coaches have labeled spacing between offensive linemen along the line of scrimmage. This standardization allows players to easily identify their roles and responsibilities on each play, no matter what looks the offense or defense gives them. The defense calls these spaces gaps and labels them with letters. The offense calls these spaces holes and labels them with numbers.
In an embodiment, in a defensive formation (see
In embodiments, in an offensive formation (see
As can be seen in
In embodiments, wrist band can be used in place of belts.
In embodiments, the jerseys, wrist bands, and/or belts may be used in combination.
The description and drawings herein are illustrative and are not to be construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, in certain instances, well-known details are not described to avoid obscuring the description. Further, various modifications can be made without deviating from the scope of the embodiments.
The terms used in this specification generally have their ordinary meanings in the art, within the context of the disclosure, and in the specific context where each term is used. Certain terms that are used to describe the disclosure are discussed above, or elsewhere in the specification, to provide additional guidance to the practitioner regarding the description of the disclosure. For convenience, certain terms can be highlighted, for example using italics and/or quotation marks. The use of highlighting has no influence on the scope and meaning of a term; the scope and meaning of a term is the same, in the same context, whether it is highlighted. It will be appreciated that the same thing can be said in more than one way.
Consequently, alternative language and synonyms can be used for any one or more of the terms discussed herein, nor is any special significance to be placed upon whether a term is elaborated or discussed herein. Synonyms for certain terms are provided. A recital of one or more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in this specification including examples of any term discussed herein is illustrative only and is not intended to further limit the scope and meaning of the disclosure or of any exemplified term. Likewise, the disclosure is not limited to various embodiments given in this specification.
It is to be understood that the embodiments and variations shown and described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and that various modifications can be implemented by those skilled in the art.
