To help some of you that are new to the game I will be including a section each week on Football 101. This is a basic introduction to football taken from various sources on the internet.  I hope you find this information helpful.

Scoring
The object of the game is to score the most points. There are four ways to score points in football.

Touchdown = 6 Points
A touchdown is the biggest single score in a football game. It is worth six points, and it allows the scoring team an opportunity to attempt to get an extra point. To score a touchdown, the ball must be carried across the goal line into the end zone, caught in the end zone, or a fumble recovered in the end zone, or an untouched kickoff recovered in the end zone by the kicking team.

Extra Points = 1, 2, OR 3 Points
Immediately following a touchdown, the ball is placed at the opponent's three-yard line, where the offense has three options. Usually the offense will attempt to run the ball into the end zone for an extra point, also called the point after touchdown, conversion, or PAT. If the ball carrier crosses the goal line the offense is awarded 1 point. The offense can also score 2 points by throwing the ball into the end zone in the same manner as you would score a touchdown. The third, and most difficult option at this level, is to kick an extra point. If the offense successfully kicks the ball through the goal posts, it earns 3 points.

Field Goal = 3 Points
If the offense cannot score a touchdown, it may try to kick a field goal. Field goals are worth three points and often are the deciding plays in the last seconds of close games. They can be attempted from anywhere on the field on any down, but generally are kicked from inside the defense's 45-yard line on fourth down. For a field goal to be "good", the placekicker (or field goal kicker) must kick the ball through the goal-post uprights and over the crossbar. The defense tries to block the kick and stop the ball from reaching the goal post. Field goals in youth football are extremely rare due to the skill and complexity required to execute the play.

Safety = 2 Points
The safety is worth two points. A safety occurs when the offensive ball carrier is tackled behind his own goal line.

To be continued next week...