Total offense
Encyclopedia
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. Total offense differs from yards from scrimmage
, which gives credit for passing yardage to the person receiving the football rather than the person throwing the football.
In the game of football, progress is measured by advancing the football
towards the opposing team's goal line. The team on offense can make progress during the play by advancing the ball from the line of scrimmage
.
When the offensive team advances the ball by rushing
the football, the player who carries the ball is given credit for the net gain, measured in rushing yards. When the offensive team advances the ball by pass reception
, the player who throws the ball earns passing yards and the player who receives the ball earns receiving yards. The total of rushing yards and passing yards (but not receiving yards) is known as total offense. Although the ball may also be advanced by penalty, these yards do not contribute to total offense. Progress lost via quarterback sack
s are classified differently, depending upon the league and/or level of football.
When defenses are measured on total offense allowed, it is called total defense.
Some definitions of individual total offense give credit to both the passer and receiver for passing yards. Thus, if a quarterback
catches a pass in a trick play, or a non-quarterback throws a pass, some statistical issues arise.
Steve McNair
holds the NCAA career and single-season total offense/game records. Case Keenum
, B.J. Symons
, and David Klingler
hold the total offense career, single-season and single game records.
(NCAA) defines the term as "Total offense is the total of net gain rushing and net gain forward passing. Receiving and runback yards are not included in total offense." (at pg. 206).
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...
statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a team or player. Total offense differs from yards from scrimmage
Yards from scrimmage
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...
, which gives credit for passing yardage to the person receiving the football rather than the person throwing the football.
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. The team on offense can make progress during the play by advancing the ball from 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 rushing
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...
the football, the player who carries the ball is given credit for the net gain, 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 throws the ball earns passing yards and the player who receives the ball earns receiving yards. The total of rushing yards and passing yards (but not receiving yards) is known as total offense. Although the ball may also be advanced by penalty, these yards do not contribute to total offense. 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 differently, depending upon the league and/or level of football.
When defenses are measured on total offense allowed, it is called total defense.
Some definitions of individual total offense give credit to both the passer and receiver for passing yards. Thus, if a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
catches a pass in a trick play, or a non-quarterback throws a pass, some statistical issues arise.
Steve McNair
Steve McNair
Stephen LaTreal McNair was an American football quarterback who spent the majority of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans....
holds the NCAA career and single-season total offense/game records. Case Keenum
Case Keenum
Casey Austin "Case" Keenum is a redshirt senior quarterback for the Houston Cougars football team. Keenum has already set several school records at the University of Houston and has positioned himself to become the NCAA's all-time leader in total passing yards in 2011...
, B.J. Symons
B.J. Symons
Brian James "B. J." Symons was an American football quarterback, last playing for the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League. He was originally drafted by the Houston Texans in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
, and David Klingler
David Klingler
David Ryan Klingler , is a former American football player. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals after a record setting quarterback career at the University of Houston...
hold the total offense career, single-season and single game records.
NCAA Definition
The National Collegiate Athletic AssociationNational Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) defines the term as "Total offense is the total of net gain rushing and net gain forward passing. Receiving and runback yards are not included in total offense." (at pg. 206).