Make fullbacks great again Bring running back to football

Emma Rossi Sports Editor

Football was designed to be a run game.

From its origins in postCivil War America to its modernity showcased in the National Football League (NFL), the sport itself calls for successful offenses to be grounded in a solid running game. As the game as evolved and the position of quarterback has become the cornerstone of an offense, passing has taken precedent in schemes across the league.

There’s no denying that passing works. Passing is an essential aspect of the game and I am by no means calling for a run exclusive football.

However, I do believe good football is run-first, pass later. Seeing modern offense prioritize passing is depressing. The opportunities lost for hard-fought yard gains and the painstakingly gradual demise of positions like the fullback are scars on the game of football.

The fullback lines up behind the quarterback and ahead of the quarterback. Their two main jobs on the field are lead blocking for their running back and power running for yard gains in tough places.

With the skill level of quarterbacks becoming increasingly significant, teams can rely on a dependable passing game rather than a run game.

This is a mistake. While passing opens up opportunities for greater yard gain, dis- counting the value of a solid run game endangers the sustainability of an offense.

A proper run game opens up ample opportunities for passing but passing does not open up running opportunities. Run games are essential for closing games and the fullback is the key feature for a proper running game.

The fullback should continue to be used and valued in professional football is because of the tradition and value the position adds to the game of football. The presence of a fullback is felt on the field due to their gritty, hard-nosed attitude towards the game of football.

Fullbacks earn their way into the endzone and aid their running backs in the effort. Fullbacks also have to play smart football.

Kansas City Chiefs veteran fullback Michael Burton explains in an interview with SB Nation that he adjusted his approach to the position based on the playing style of the running backs with whom he took the field.

Former fullback and NFL Hall of Famer Larry Csonka says of this strategy, “My role is to make the power running game work. A lot of plays I run are momentum plays. They are not designed for long gains. If you make 4 or 5 yards, everyone is happy. It’s not a spectacular strategy, but I’ve lived and breathed it, and I know it works.”

The fullback is far from dead. Many teams still utilize the position in regular rotation, but as the type of football associated with the fullback fades into unpopularity, the position becomes less and less valued.

When an artist takes a block of marble and uses a chisel to carve it into a statue, the result is a beautiful work of art. The statue is of such value, it is displayed in a museum, where millions of people come to see it.

What if the artist insisted the chisel that he used to break away the excess marble to create the figure was dis- played alongside his piece? The curator would laugh. Why would you want to display the ugly chisel?

The truth is the statue would still be hidden in the block of marble if it wasn’t for the ugly chisel doing the hard, unseen work in the studio. Thus is the fullback to the game of football.

The fullback doesn’t make jaw-dropping plays easily appreciated by the casual viewer, and rarely makes highlight reels, but in reality, the amazing plays are made thanks to the fullback. Without football’s chisel, the masterpiece of the offense cannot be created.