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Aguard (G), also called anoffensive guard and subcategorized as aleft guard (LG) orright guard (RG), is anAmerican football position that lines up between thecenter andtackles on theoffensive line. Guards are used primarily forblocking.[1] The guard's job is to protect thequarterback from the incominglinemen during pass plays, as well as creating openings (holes) for therunning backs to head through. Guards are automatically consideredineligible receivers, so they cannot touchforward passes unless it is first touched by a defender or eligible receiver.
Historically, in theone-platoon system of football, "guard" referred to atwo-way player that played both offense and defense. In thetwo-platoon system, players began playing only offense or defense, hence offensive guard andnose guard.
Aside from speed blocking, an offensive guard may also "pull", which is when the guard backs out of their initial position and runs behind the other offensive linemen to sprint out in front of arunning back to engage a defensive player beyond the initial width of the offensive line. This technique is used in most playbooks for outside runs, where the play-side guard pulls as a lead blocker, and on counter plays, where the far side guard pulls to block a play side lineman.Vanderbilt'sDan McGugin is credited with first pulling guards.
Whiletackles can also pull, this strategy is generally less common as they are too far away to pull to the opposite side of the formation for counter plays and have the responsibility of blocking the outside defender (generally thedefensive end) for outside runs. Since the guard is free of responsibility for play side outside runs and far side counter plays, pulling is generally a unique responsibility for guards.[2]
ThePackers sweep was a signature play of theGreen Bay Packers in the1960s, and they won fiveNFL titles and the first twoSuper Bowls under head coachVince Lombardi utilizing the play. The pulling guards for the Green Bay Packers wereFuzzy Thurston at left guard andPro Football Hall of Fame inducteeJerry Kramer at right guard.
