Download Watching a Football game: When you understand the science you

Fun things to watch for
during a Football game…
Physics in Motion
Prof. David Toback
Department of Physics
and Astronomy
October 8, 2009
David Toback
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Watching a Football Game
When you understand the
science you can understand
what makes a team successful
I’ll show a couple of slides and video
with some fun things to look for when
you are watching your next game
October 8, 2009
David Toback
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Overview
• Offense: Trying to score a touchdown
• Defense: Trying to prevent a
touchdown
• Punting: Kicking the ball to the other
team because it’s their turn
Start with some of the principles, say a
few words and then watch some
examples
October 8, 2009
David Toback
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
The Physics
• Football, like most sports, is a game
of speed and power, only more
extreme
• The quarterback can throw a ball over
70 yards (~70 meters)
• The people protecting the quarterback
are enormous, ~300 lbs (~150 kg)
• The people trying to catch the ball
are incredibly fast, some have run
track in the Olympics!
• Punters can kick a ball high in the air
over 50 yards (~50
meters)
David Toback
October 8, 2009
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Why is this important?
• One of the things that makes football
players special is the balance between
their speed and their size
• This is especially important on offence
and defense
• Physics Equation:
– Energy = ½ MV2 where M is the Mass of
the player (how much he weighs, how big
he is) and V is his speed (how fast or
how quick he is)
October 8, 2009
David Toback
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
So what?
• If you are trying to run with the ball,
then the bigger you are the more
energy you have to not get tackled
(you can break out of their arms!)
• However:
– Most really heavy people can’t run very
fast
– Most people who can run really fast
aren’t very heavy
• What makes these men special is that they
are they are big AND fast
October 8, 2009
David Toback
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Offense
• Offense: A running back’s effectiveness is
dependent on his energy, which is a
combination of both his mass and his speed
(mostly his speed). For this reason he
sometimes will start far back behind the
line of scrimmage so he can get some real
speed (some real energy). This allows him
to bounce off tackles and make big gains.
• Video clip 1: Running back in the backfield,
gets lots of speed, breaks a few tackles,
and runs for a big gain
October 8, 2009
David Toback
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Defense
• Defense: A defense's effectiveness is
dependent on the same thing. Again, a
combination of mass and speed. Having big
guys who can run fast is the ultimate
advantage
• Video clip 2: The defense is trying to get
to the quarterback. By mistake one of
them is allowed to run really fast so he can
get to the quarterback
• Video clip 3 Video clip 4: "The Hit" which is
the ultimate combination of size and speed
October 8, 2009
David Toback
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Punting
A punter kicks the football to a person
downfield. While the ball is in the
area his team runs down the field to
try and tackle the guy who just
caught the ball
October 8, 2009
David Toback
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Perfect Balance!
Kick #2:
#3:
#1:
• Good:
Good enough:
Spends
Goes really
Goes
a long
far!
pretty
time in
far!
• the
Good
Bad:air
Doesn’t
enough:
so thespend
Spends
person
a along
trying
good
time
to
amount
catch
in the itair!
of
has
time
Person
to wait.
in catching
theThis
air so
gives
it
the
will have
peoplelots
trying
who
ofwant
time
to tackle
to
totackle
start
have
him
running
LOTS
enough
before
oftime
time
theto
to
people
get
getthere!
there!
• Bad:
tryingDoesn’t
to tackle
go very
him get
far!there.
He can build up speed! Makes
him harder to catch and tackle
October 8, 2009
David Toback
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
• Next time you’re at a Football
game, watch the power and
speed
• Enjoy your Aggies!
October 8, 2009
David Toback
Professor of Physics and Astronomy