What Terminology Exists in Both Basketball and Football?

With football season in the rearview mirror, March Madness and NBA playoff season is on the horizon.

There is a lot of terminology that is common in both sports. Let’s take a look at how much crossover there actually is.

Same words, same meanings

Blitz

• Football: The defense sends at least five defenders to pressure the quarterback on passing plays.
• Basketball: The defense puts two defenders on the ball handler after an on-ball screen is set. 

The common denominator of this terminology is that both involve an extra defender sent to put pressure on the ball. 

Screen

• Football: A pass (typically behind the line of scrimmage) to a skill player on the perimeter that involves the offensive line getting out in space to block for the recipient. 
• Basketball: Using one’s body, an offensive player will block for his teammate while standing in a set stance.

The common denominator of this terminology – block for a teammate.

Strong Side

• Football: The side where the tight ends line up.
• Basketball: The side where the ball is driven. For example, if the ball is on the left side and on the left hand of the ball handler, that is the strong side.

The ball can also be on the left side, and the ball handler drives in the middle with his right hand. The left side becomes the weak side corner.

Same words, different meanings

Drive

• Football: The offense’s attempt to score.
• Basketball: The ball handler’s attempt to dribble to the rim to score around the rim.

Block

• Football: When an offensive player prevents a defensive player from tackling his teammate. In basketball, this action is called a screen.
• Basketball: When a defensive player gets their hands on a shot attempt, preventing it from going into the hoop.

Penetration

• Football: A defender (typically a defensive lineman) sheds a block, and gets into the backfield to prevent the ball carrier from picking up yardage.
• Basketball: When a player dribbles into the lane and looks to break down the defense (specifically dribble penetration). 

“Inverted”

• Football: Inverted Cover 2 – the outside cornerbacks cover the field’s deep half and the safeties slide down to cover the flats.
• Basketball: Inverted Pick and Roll – the guard will set the screen for the big handling the ball in a non-traditional pick and roll.

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Gaps

• Football: “A” gaps are between the center and guard. “B” gaps are between the guard and tackle. “C” gaps are between the tackle and tight end. Gaps are also for run schemes of how an offense wants to create open gaps for the running back.
• Basketball: An off-ball defender slides into a driving lane to congest the space for a driver to dribble penetrate. 

Cut

• Football: A sudden change in direction by the running back as his vision sees open grass elsewhere.
• Basketball: Ghost cut – an off-ball move by the offensive player that goes to the rim when the defender has their eyes in a place other than their assignment.

Different words, same meanings

Clock

• Football: Play clock – how long the offense has to snap the ball.
• Basketball: Shot clock – how long the offense has to get a shot up.

Defensive Coverage

• Football: Chaser – a coverage where the defense has one cornerback play man coverage, typically on the best wide receiver. Everyone else in coverage is playing zone; essentially, the best wide receiver will run into a double team on any route.
• Basketball: Box and one – one defender guards the best scorer while everyone else is in zone covering boxes and elbows. The lone defender will typically guard aggressively by face-guarding, ball-denying, and top-locking his assignment.

Defensive Strategies

• Football: Spill technique: A defender (typically the edge defender) forces the ball carrier toward an unblocked teammate and allows him to make a play.
• Basketball: Funnel – the on-ball defender opens up his defensive stance and forces the ball handler to drive in a certain direction, often forcing a weak-hand drive or leading the driver to a shot blocker.

Foul Play

• Football: Unnecessary roughness – prohibits excessive force or avoidable contact. 
  • Using a helmet to make violent contact
  • Hitting a player who is out of bounds
  • Making an illegal tackle
• Basketball: Flagrant foul penalty two – an extreme form of unsportsmanlike conduct that can involve unnecessary and excessive contact with an opponent.

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Football and basketball share numerous terminology, both directly and indirectly. It makes plenty of sense why so many people enjoy both sports equally.