If you’re not familiar with American football, you may not be aware of what a pbu in football means (or even what the sport itself is, for that matter). Don’t worry, though! This quick guide on pbu in football will help you get up to speed so you can watch the games with your friends and family members who are more devoted fans. And if that just isn’t your style, check out the related article on what pbu means in other sports! You’re bound to find something to like and learn about!
The Definition of PBU
A pass break-up (PBU) occurs when a defender deflects a pass without intercepting it. A PPU, on the other hand, occurs when the defender not only knocks down the pass but also recovers it. Pass breakups are more valuable than incomplete passes because they prevent an offensive player from catching the ball. They are recorded as either PBUs or PBUHs (half-breakups). Pass breakups, along with interceptions and deflections, are commonly used as statistics to measure defensive players’ effectiveness against receivers. A cornerback may lead their team in both tackles and pass breakups; this would show that the cornerback is equally effective at stopping running backs for short gains as he is at stopping wide receivers.
What Constitutes a PBU?
A PBU stands for pass breakup. That means that the player successfully defended a pass. A lot of people mistake this as a pass broken up, but it’s not. In order to be considered a PBU, it must have been defended and not just interrupted. For example, if someone successfully defends the ball by knocking it down with his hand, arm, or body, then he has recorded a PBU. If he intercepts the ball after the receiver catches it, then he has recorded an interception instead of a PBU. A PBU is not counted when the defender tackles or picks off the ball before it gets to the intended receiver. He can only earn a PBU when he successfully defends against the receiver catching or otherwise touching the ball with either their hands or their feet.
If there are multiple defenders on one side of the field, they can each get credit for breaking up a single pass by giving each other assists (credit). However, only one defender can get credit for breaking up a pass at any given time; once one defender records a PBU, no more PBUs will be awarded on that play until another defender breaks up another pass.
Positions That Get PBUs
The following positions in American football can receive a pass breakup, or PBUs (defensive) or QB pressures (offensive): cornerback, safety, outside linebacker and defensive end. PBUs are one of the few statistics that both defenses and offenses have control over. A quarterback can get a PBU by rushing the passer and getting to the quarterback before he throws a pass or gets sacked. Defensive players will then often be able to run up and intercept the ball.
The key for many defenders is preventing separation between themselves and their receiver. An excellent way to do this is by using good technique like footwork, body positioning, and hand usage when defending the wide receiver at the line of scrimmage. If a defender does allow separation between himself and his receiver, there may not be much he can do other than hope his teammates come up with an interception. However if a defender manages to disrupt his opponent’s route with good coverage skills then it may force an incompletion instead of allowing a completion on an easy catch. Defending the deep ball or high throw is also important because those types of passes require receivers to make difficult catches while moving away from their defender. When a defender forces his receiver into a tougher catch, it makes it more likely for him to drop the ball and increase the likelihood of an interception as well.
The Drawbacks of PBU
PBU’s can be disastrous if a defender misses their tackle and the receiver gets into the secondary, or worse, all the way to the end zone. In that case, the defense may have to commit an extra player on defense just to guard against this possibility. The other drawback of a PBU is that it doesn’t get a turnover for your team like an interception does. In essence, you’re just stopping momentum and forcing your opponent back towards their own goal line while not getting any points on the board yourself. The problem with PBU’s are most noticeable when the offense has no timeouts left and it’s 4th down near the red zone. If a punt isn’t called for (which would leave them pinned near their own endzone), then sometimes coaches will call for a PBU so that they don’t risk giving up another touchdown to the opposing team. Punting leaves a lot of room for chance because there’s only one yard between where the ball is punted from and where it lands. The decision on whether or not to go for it usually depends more heavily on how much time is left in the game rather than how far away from scoring another touchdown the offense happens to be.
Benefits of PBU
A PBU (punt, kickoff, or punt return) does not count as a completion if the ball goes into the end zone and touches any player (or the ground) before being touched by one of the kicking team. If the ball is kicked out of bounds in field of play and goes into the end zone, or passes through the goal posts after being kicked, it can be returned by either team. Punts are usually easier to return than kickoffs because they have a shorter distance to go and there is less time before they land.
Punts are also used to get rid of possession for teams that are too far behind to catch up. Teams that are leading late in the game often use punting strategies to run down the clock and win. Punters typically have an average hangtime of four seconds which gives their coverage unit time to get downfield and make tackles or force a fair catch on punts inside their own 20-yard line. The long snapper stands behind the punter and holds his hands apart with fingers extended downward. The holder places the ball on top of both hands and then moves away while maintaining contact with both hands. The holder then snaps his arm straight back to propel the ball forward. Punters may drop kick at times when they feel that this would give them greater distance, but most attempts are made using regular placekicking style with a half step towards the kicker when striking the ball from the ground.
Conclusion
This abbreviation stands for personal foul, and if you’re penalized with a personal foul, you’ll be disqualified from the game. The penalty for a personal foul can vary depending on the severity of the offense. Personal fouls are often grouped into three categories: unsportsmanlike conduct, unnecessary roughness, and contact above the shoulder.
