What Are Yards From Scrimmage In Football

In the game of football, there are a huge number of statistics kept on each player and team. One of these statistics is yards from scrimmage, the trouble is many fans don’t know what this stat means.

Yards from scrimmage in football is a statistic that measures the total number of receiving yards and rushing yards a player has generated. This statistic can also be used to measure a team’s total receiving and rushing yards in a game.

In most, cases yards from scrimmage is a statistic used to measure the output of running backs. The reasoning for this is due to the fact running backs are the position most known for both receiving and rushing the ball.

For example, say a running back has one carry for five yards but has also scored a fifty-yard receiving touchdown. When looking at his rushing yards you may say he only has five yards throughout the game.

But if you look at his yards from scrimmage you will see he also has fifty receiving yards on top of the rushing yards bringing his total yards from scrimmage up to fifty-five.

As passing has become more prominent in the NFL running backs have started to catch more passes. This puts even more emphasis on yards from scrimmage as running backs are starting to do a lot more than just run the football.

This is especially true for the scatback style of runningback. As the NFL began to pass the ball more, there was an increase of half backs that specialize in catching passes.

These backs can even finish a season with more receiving yards than rushing yards. Players like these are evaluated much more accurately with yards from scrimmage than by measuring them via rushing yards.

Types Of Yardage For Running Backs

Now that you have a better understanding of what yards from scrimmage are used for it’s time to break down all the different types of yardage a running back may earn.

Rushing Yards

Rushing yards are the bread and butter of runningback statistics as this measures how many yards the back carried the ball for.

This stat measures the distance past the line of scrimmage that the ball carrier travelled. A rush is any play in which the running back is handed or laterally passed the ball.

Receiving Yards

Receiving yards are another way that running backs can earn their keep in the NFL. This stat measures the yards gained when a running back catches a pass.

Receiving yards are only counted on forward passes and include the total distance the ball was passed as well as the yards gained after catching it.

Yards From Scrimmage

Yards from scrimmage as you know by now is the statistic that includes both receiving yards and rushing yards by a running back.

Tally up the total yards a player has gained from receiving and rushing and you have a player’s total yards from scrimmage.

All-Purpose Yards

All-purpose yards is another interesting stat that many football fans do not know about. This statistic measures all yards that a position player may gain throughout a game. This includes rushing, receiving, and return yards.

This stat is mainly relevant to players that return kicks and punts on special teams.

I hope you enjoyed learning about yards from scrimmage, read on with guides to all-purpose yards in American football or yards gained after receiving a pass.

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