Center
The center lines up in the middle of the offensive line, directly over the ball. He starts every play by snapping the ball to the quarterback, and then he blocks. He is the leader of the line.
What he does
- Snaps the ball to the quarterback, under center or into the shotgun
- Reads the defensive front before the snap and calls out who each lineman blocks
- Blocks the defensive tackle or nose tackle across from him
- Helps the guards with double teams
- Picks up blitzing linebackers up the middle
On running plays
Blocks the player over him, or combines with a guard on a double team and then climbs to the next level to block a linebacker. On zone plays he works with the guard and moves with the flow of the line.
On passing plays
Sets in the pocket and keeps the middle clean. A good center sees a blitz coming and changes the blocking plan, because the quarterback is usually looking at the receivers, not at the pass rush.
What makes a good one
Accuracy on the snap every time, intelligence and communication, and the strength to hold up against big nose tackles. Because he must snap and block in one motion, it is a hard position to master.
How he lines up
The center lines up directly over the ball, with his hand on it and his head up to see the front. In the shotgun he lines up in the same place but must snap the ball several yards. He is the only lineman who needs a hand on the ball at the start of the play, so he has to be ready to block a rusher the moment the ball is gone.
Techniques and common mistakes
Key techniques are a quick, accurate snap, a wide base to hold against a nose tackle, and the combo block, where he and a guard double-team a defender and one of them climbs to a linebacker. Common mistakes are a bad snap that hits the quarterback’s hands, standing up too high and being driven back, and misreading the front so that the whole line blocks the wrong players.
Animated play
Blue circles are the team with the ball. X marks the other team. The yellow oval is the ball.
- The center is the only lineman who touches the ball. He puts it on the ground and checks the defense.
- He tells the other linemen who each of them has to block, because he can see the whole front.
- At the snap he sends the ball back to the quarterback, here in the shotgun a few yards behind him.
- Right after the snap he becomes a blocker again and pushes the defender in front of him.