What is "halfback"

halfback \halfback\ n. (Football) A person who plays the position of halfback[2] on a football team.

Syn: running back.

2. The position of either of two players on a football team who typically begins each play behind the line and on either side of the quarterback.

n. 1 (context American football English) An offensive back whose primary jobs are to carry the ball on running plays and to serve as a receiver or blocker on passing plays. 2 (context Canadian football English) A defensive back whose primary jobs are to cover the slotback on passing plays and prevent running plays from going to the outside.

1. n. (football) the running back who plays the offensive halfback position

2. the position of a back on a football team

A halfback (HB) is an offensive position in American football, whose duties involve lining up in the backfield and carrying the ball on most rushing plays, i. e. a running back. When the principal ball carrier lines up deep in the backfield, and especially when that player is placed behind another player (usually a blocking back), as in the I formation, that player is instead referred to as a tailback (see History below).

The halfback position is one of the more glamorous positions on the field, and is commonly viewed as a requirement for a team's success. Sometimes the halfback can catch the ball from the backfield on short passing plays as he is an eligible receiver. Occasionally, they line up as additional wide receivers. When not running or catching the ball, the primary responsibility of a halfback is to aid the offensive linemen in blocking, either to protect the quarterback or another player carrying the football.

The halfback in Canadian football, and most commonly the Canadian Football League, currently refers to the defensive back rather than the running back, as in American football. The defensive halfback lines up inside covering the slotback. They are usually slightly larger than the cornerback to assist the linebackers in stopping the run. They can also be seen backing off the line early, to counter the forward motion of a slotback, which is allowed before the snap in the CFL.

The cause of the difference in naming between the two positions between the American and Canadian game, which otherwise uses the same names for positions, stems from the early history of the game. In both games, the early formations featured identical offensive and defensive formations, with seven down linemen and four players (five in Canada) in the backfield. Thus, both offense and defense had quarterbacks, halfbacks and fullbacks. Over the course of the 20th century, the American and Canadian games both placed an increased emphasis on forward passing, resulting in both offensive and defensive formations spreading out and morphing into modern formations. Furthermore, the abolition of the one-platoon system in the 1940s led to a tendency for position names being used on only one side of the ball. The American game, which still held a significant running component, kept two running backs, which led to the retention of the "halfback" and "fullback" identifications on that side of the ball. In Canadian football, however, passing was a greater portion of the game (due in part to the larger field and fewer downs in that game) and only one running back was regularly used, leading to the offensive distinction between halfback and fullback eventually becoming obsolete. The offensive halfback was similar to a slotback and lined up off the tight end, running sweeps, pass patterns and performing blocking duties, but could also run out of the backfield in front of the fullback.

The rough equivalents of the halfback position in American football are the strong safety and nickel back.

Category:Canadian football terminology