Yards from scrimmage
Encyclopedia
Yards from scrimmage is an American football
and Canadian football
statistical measure. In the game of football, progress is measured by advancing the football
towards the opposing team's goal line. Progress can be made during play by the offensive
team by advancing the ball from the its point of progress at the start of play known as the line of scrimmage
. When the offensive team advances the ball by rush
ing the football, the player who carries the ball is given credit for the difference in progress measured in rushing yards. When the offensive team advances the ball by pass reception
, the player who catches the reception is given credit for the difference in progress measured in reception yards. Although the ball may also be advanced by penalty these yards are not considered yards from scrimmage. Progress lost via quarterback sack
s are classified variously by league of play with rules having changed over time within some leagues. The total of rushing yards and receiving yards is known as yards from scrimmage. This definition of yardage differs from total offense
which gives credit for passing yardage to the person throwing the football rather than receiving the football.
This is an important statistic for running back
s that contribute significantly to the passing attack. Many teams have special lineups for passing plays in which running backs who are better receivers are substituted into the game. Some running backs are notable for the fact that they are both a primary rushing and primary passing weapon. Notable running backs known for yards from scrimmage include Roger Craig, the first National Football League
(NFL) player to have 1000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season, Walter Payton
, the NFL career record holder among running backs (until broken by Emmitt Smith
), and Chris Johnson
, the NFL single-season record holder. Thurman Thomas once led the NFL in yards from scrimmage four consecutive years.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
statistical measure. In the game of football, progress is measured by advancing the football
Football (ball)
A football is an inflated ball used to play one of the various sports known as football.The first balls were made of natural materials, such as an inflated pig bladder, sometimes inside a leather cover...
towards the opposing team's goal line. Progress can be made during play by the offensive
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
team by advancing the ball from the its point of progress at the start of play known as the line of scrimmage
Line of scrimmage
In American and Canadian football a line of scrimmage is an imaginary transverse line beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun...
. When the offensive team advances the ball by rush
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
ing the football, the player who carries the ball is given credit for the difference in progress measured in rushing yards. When the offensive team advances the ball by pass reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
, the player who catches the reception is given credit for the difference in progress measured in reception yards. Although the ball may also be advanced by penalty these yards are not considered yards from scrimmage. Progress lost via quarterback sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s are classified variously by league of play with rules having changed over time within some leagues. The total of rushing yards and receiving yards is known as yards from scrimmage. This definition of yardage differs from total offense
Total offense
Total offense is an American football and Canadian football statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a team or player...
which gives credit for passing yardage to the person throwing the football rather than receiving the football.
This is an important statistic for running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
s that contribute significantly to the passing attack. Many teams have special lineups for passing plays in which running backs who are better receivers are substituted into the game. Some running backs are notable for the fact that they are both a primary rushing and primary passing weapon. Notable running backs known for yards from scrimmage include Roger Craig, the first National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) player to have 1000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season, Walter Payton
Walter Payton
Walter Jerry Payton was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League for thirteen seasons. Walter Payton was known around the NFL as "Sweetness". He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in the history of American football...
, the NFL career record holder among running backs (until broken by Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
), and Chris Johnson
Chris Johnson (running back)
Christopher Duan Johnson is an American football running back for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League...
, the NFL single-season record holder. Thurman Thomas once led the NFL in yards from scrimmage four consecutive years.