Looking mainly to create avenues for an offense to run the football, the fullback’s job often doesn’t show up on the stat sheet at the conclusion of a football game. The fullback’s role on an offense is very similar to that of an offensive lineman, both important but under-recognized. Larry Csonka (1968-1979) - Yet another fullback who benefitted from a heavy usage of fullbacks in his era of football, Csonka is the all-time leading rusher in Miami Dolphins history totaling nearly 7,000 yards rushing for the franchise. He ran for 58 career touchdowns, and goes down as one of best fullbacks to ever play the game. Mike Alstott (1996-2007) - A 6-time Pro Bowl selection in his time with the Buccaneers, Alstott benefitted playing in this time period as fullbacks were utilized running the ball far more often. Fullbacks are considered much less athletic than your typical running back, but make up for it with a combination of elite blocking ability and hard-nosed toughness.įullbacks tend to be larger than running backs, and built for the demands of their position in blocking physical defensive lineman and linebackers on a down to down basis. Their alignment can vary in a few different backfield locations.īlocking Back What are the Skills and Body Type needed to play Fullback?īlocking is the name of the game for fullbacks at all levels in today’s game of football. What are some other names for the Fullback?īelow are a few terms announcers or fans may refer to fullbacks as. In early origins of the sport of football, rugby played a big influence in position naming, as backs are named in accordance to their depth and alignment on the field. It’s difficult to comprehend why the name “fullback” is used when the “halfback” is positioned even further away from the quarterback in base alignments. While you’ll likely never see them blow up the stat sheet, offensive coordinators who still believe in the value of a pro-style, traditional run game know full well the importance of the position within the offense. In short yardage situations, teams may look to call a “fullback dive” play, or even leak the fullback out in the flat for a short pass to keep the defense honest in the boot game. You’re bound to see them more in pro-style offenses at the NFL level, as the college game has adopted a heavy spread influence.īlocking makes up a surefire majority of a fullback's reps within a football game, but this doesn’t mean that they aren’t completely out of the picture to touch the football here and there throughout the game. Naturally, you’ll find them to be tough, hard-nosed, and guys who don’t shy away one bit from the physical nature of the game. This is where the fullback comes into play, who is often tasked with sealing blocks at the second level, allowing run plays to click off for success.įullbacks are often considered “tweeners”, not quite tall enough to play tight end, but a bit bulky, and possessing less athleticism than that of their running back counterparts. Success running the football is often predicated on being able to work up to the second level, taking care of linebacker level players working to close gaps. Their role is dependent on physicality, becoming a valued additional blocker in a variety of run schemes, as well as the pass game. What does a Fullback do?įullbacks are utilized in two-back sets, lining up in the backfield either next to, or behind the quarterback, yet not expecting to receive the football whatsoever most of the time. Below will uncover many of the reasons why old-school, pro-style offensive coordinators love having the fullback as a staple of their offensive scheme, and one of the most important offensive positions in football. Fullbacks are hard not to love, often being guys who lack natural gifts such as height and athleticism, but make up for it with a heavy dose of tenacity and a will to do whatever it takes for the offense to find success.
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