NFL vs. College vs. High School

The National Football League (NFL) was founded in 1920 with a total of ten teams spanning through four states. Now with a mass of 32 teams, the organization has grown immensely throughout the years. With a growth in teams, a growth in popularity and fan base is bound to happen.

Streamed live throughout the country, professional football has the highest average number of spectators per game out of every sport in the world.

“Their energy level is way more than anything else and the experience of the game makes it more interesting to watch than college or high school ball,” said junior Reilly Wisdom who’s favorite team is the Dallas Cowboys.

Collegiate Football, originally known as rugby and then adopted into American colleges as American Football, has changed and grown in many ways since their first official game in 1874. The game was played between Harvard University and Tufts University but it was far more like soccer than what we know now as football.

“ I like college football because I can see Peyton play. It’s fun seeing him moved on to the next level and enjoying it. He’s meeting new teammates and creating bonds with new people which is cool,” said senior Cassidy Squires, fan of the Henderson State Reddies where her brother plays.

While high school football is less advertised and publicized, they still have a fairly large fan base. In the south, football is more prominent than in the northern states. High school football is more reliant in families.

“There is more of an emotional connection to teams and school spirit than there might be for a team that you might only see on television.” said sophomore Courtney Pluggenkuhle

Differences

“In Bounds?” –Determining whether a player is in bounds or not is judged differently in NFL than in college football. In college and high school, when a receiver catches a pass it is only required that one of the players feet remain in bounds to count the play as legal. However, in the NFL it is required that both feet stay in bounds when the ball is caught. This causes players to struggle to have more completed passes,and also leads to more injuries.

“Down By Contact” –As players rush down the field trying to score for their team, the other team is trying their best to not let that happen. In college or high school football, when a player is hit by a defensive player and still remains possession of the ball, if any parts of the body besides his hands or feet touch the ground, the play is stopped. This rule is different in professional ball, because the player is active until he is forced down or tackled by the defensive member.

“Overtime” –In the NFL, the NCAA has ruled that in every match that carries into an overtime, the game will resume in sudden death, and during play off games this will happen until one team scores and win the game. At the high school and college level, however, both teams are insured one possession of the ball. This makes it easier on the teams to know they have a chance, but also difficult to know that they have one chance, and one chance only.

“Field” –Although the fan base of NFL, college and high school football might think that the field the players play on is the same, but it is not. On a college or high school field, the two goal posts that are found at either end of the field behind the end zone are 23ft 4in wide. On the professional playing field, it is harder for kickers because their goal post is shortened to a size of 18 ½ ft wide.

“Payment”- For the love of football, or for the love of money? Forbes Magazine reported that the average NFL salary for the 2014 season is set at $1.9 million. Aaron Rodgers, quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, gets a salary of $22 million. He was the highest paid professional football player in 2013. This is far different from college ball. Boys are scouted and offered scholarships to go to college and play football, but they do not receive a yearly some of money to play. High school football falls very short of both of these ideas. Boys play for their love and drive for the game and their school. This is how school pride and spirit becomes very evident. The players get paid in praise.