How to Create Your Own College Football Jersey

Creating your own college football jersey allows you to customize the jersey to fit your size and personal taste. It is also a fun way to show team spirit and to support your local university's football team during game nights. Making a homemade jersey is a moderately simple process that requires only a bit of imagination, research and a few basic tools and supplies. You can find these supplies at your local craft shop or sporting goods supply shop.



Instructions

Things You'll Need:
* Blank jersey
* Colored fabric (in your team's color)
* White fabric
* Colored felt (in your team's colors)
* Iron-on backing
* X-acto knife
* Tape measure

1. Print out a sample picture of the college jersey you wish to replicate. This will help guide you through the design process.

2.Create number and letter stencils using a thick paper stock. Make sure the numbers and letters are proportionate to the jersey size before making the final cuts. You can do this by placing them on top of the blank jersey to ensure correct sizing.

3.Cut the numbers out in four sets using both the team-colored and the white-colored fabric pieces. Two sets should be approximately 6 inches in height for both sleeves. Another set should be 10 inches in height for the front of the shirt, while the back of the jersey should display numbers that are 16 inches in height. The team-colored fabric will act as a border for the white colored fabric, so make sure it is about 2 cm larger than the white numbers.

4. Position the white numbers evenly above the team-colored numbers and sew them together using a needle and white colored thread. Attach the iron-on adhesive backing to each number and make sure the glue-like side is exposed so that it will attach to the college jersey when heated. Trim around the edges with an X-acto knife to remove any excess parts.

5.Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the letters and then iron the numbers and letters onto the college jersey.
6.Add stripes to the college jersey if the design calls for them. You can do this by either cutting strips of fabric or using colored ribbon. Sew them along the edges of the sleeves. If you are cutting the stripes from fabric, measure the circumference of the sleeves to get the correct measurement.

7.Attach the college team logo to the sleeve of the jersey by either using a store-bought patch or creating your own out of felt. You can purchase the patch at the university student store or at a local sports shop. Choose a patch with the iron-on adhesive on the back so you can simply place it in the desired location and use an iron as a heat source to stick it to the jersey.

How to Use Defensive Yards to Predict Scores in the NFL

The National Football League (NFL) formed on June 24, 1922, with 18 teams. Since then, the sport has seen the advent of the Super Bowl, an expansion to 32 franchises and a rise in popularity that has not been rivaled by any major sport in the United States, thanks to fans that can't get enough of the hard-htiting, fast-paced action. You can estimate how many points both teams will score in a game by using the defensive yards per 100.



Instructions

Things You'll Need:

* Pencil
* Paper
* Calculator

1. Find the total defensive yards allowed by a team up to that point in the season. For example, if you are looking at the week-3 matchup between the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers, you need the total defensive yards both teams have allowed. Write these numbers down.
2. Divide both of these numbers by the games played; for example, if the Broncos have allowed 560 yards in two games, and the Chargers have allowed 610 yards in two games, divide both numbers by 2 to find how many yards each team is allowing per game. Write these numbers down. In this example, the Broncos are allowing an average of 280 defensive yards per game, and the Chargers are allowing an average of 305 defensive yards per game. Write this down.

3. Find the points allowed by both teams up to that point in the season. Divide this number by the number of games with a calculator. For example, if the Broncos have allowed 30 points in two games and the Chargers have allowed 40 points in two games, then the Broncos are allowing an average of 15 points a game and the Chargers are allowing an average of 20 points per game. Write this information down.

4. Find the total offensive yards each team has netted up to that point in the NFL season. Divide this number by the number of games. For example, if the Broncos have amassed 480 yards of total offense and the Chargers have accumulated 510 yards in two games, then they are averaging 240 yards and 255 yards a game in total offense, respectively. Write these numbers down.

5. Multiply the Chargers' offensive yards per game by their points allowed per game. This is 240 x 20 = 4,800. Divide this by the Chargers' defensive yards per game: 4,800/280 = 15.74. This is your prediction of the points the Broncos will score against the Chargers.

6. Multiply the Broncos' offensive yards per game by their points allowed per game. This is 255 x 15 = 3,825. Divide this by the Broncos' defensive yards per game: 4,800/305 = 12.54. This is your prediction of the points the Chargers will score against the Broncos.

7.Round both numbers to the nearest integer to get the predicted score using defensive yards for the game. In this case, the Broncos' total would round up to 16 and the Chargers' total would round up to 13, so the predicted score is Broncos 16, Chargers 13.

Football Inside Linebacker Drills

One of the most physically demanding positions on the football field is at middle, or inside, linebacker. Inside linebackers are relied upon to be adept at defending both the run and the pass. Middle linebackers must be quick enough to cover large areas of the field, be strong enough to shed blockers and be agile enough to track down and tackle ball carriers.


Coaching Emphasis
1. Coaches should make sure their linebackers are in a proper stance at all times. A linebacker should always begin each drill or play with his feet shoulder-width apart with a slight bend in his knees. The shoulder pads should be ahead of the linebacker's feet, while his hands are in front of his body chest high with his elbows close to his torso. The coach should emphasize to the linebacker to keep his head up at all times to see everything unfold in front of him, as well as to prevent a neck injury.
Reading and Reacting
2. Linebackers must have great instincts, and his ability to read and react to the offense is paramount. There are drills to practice reading and reacting. Coaches can have four players serve as the offense, three of which will be on the offensive line and the other will line up at fullback. Align two defenders on the outside shoulders of the outer offensive linemen, and a linebacker four yards off the line in front of the center. On the snap, the linemen carry out their blocks and the linebacker is required to read the play and fill the hole. The drill should start at half speed and increase as the players improve.
Shedding Blocks
3. After a linebacker has read the play, he must be able to get through a lineman or blocking back to get to the ball carrier. Coaches can have three linebackers line up one yard off a three-man sled. Upon the coach's command, the players attack the sled and disengage at a 45-degree angle. The players will accelerate to a ball carrier, who is lined up eight yards behind the sled. Each player should focus on good footwork, using their hands to throw the sled and accelerate as quickly as possible to the ball carrier. A one-man sled also can be used.
Tackling
4. Once a linebacker has taken the proper steps in getting to the ball carrier, he must then be able to tackle him effectively. One of the most basic drills includes two players lined up eight yards apart. The linebacker will chop his feet in place on the coach's command, and will attack the ball carrier on the second command. The ball carrier will run toward the linebacker and cut at a 45-degree angle after taking a couple steps. The linebacker must take a good angle to cut him off, and drive through the ball carrier and knock him back two yards.
Pass Coverage
5. More often than not, linebackers will drop into zone coverage after correctly diagnosing the play. Depending on what base defense is employed determines how many linebackers line up across from the coach, who serves as the quarterback for the drill. On the coach's command, the linebackers drop into their zones. The coach will raise the football to pass when the players reach their zone, and finish the drill by throwing a pass. The linebackers must react and make a play on the ball.