What is a fumble? A fumble is when a player looses the ball while in play. A fumble is basically when someone drops the football during play. More times than not, each team's respective running back will...
A fumble is basically when someone drops the football during play. More times than not, each team's respective running back will lead the team in fumbles because he is doing most of the carrying of the football.
Fumbles are also considered turnovers, which can be grouped with interceptions and turnover on downs.
Nowadays, it seems like almost every defensive player is attempting to strip the ball from a ball carrier to cause a fumble. Sometimes, I've even seen guys miss a tackle because they were trying to strip the ball from the runner.
But when executed perfectly, a defensive fumble can swing the momentum of a game. That's why, if you ever notice on television or at a football game, whenever someone is running in the open field with the football, it seems like all the players that are trying to tackle him are also trying to strip the ball away.
To help prevent that loss of fumbles, coaches preach switching the football away from the defense. Meaning, if someone is running down the left sideline, they should run with the ball in their left arm. That way, it's harder for a defensive guy to get to the football.
Also, if a player's knee, elbow or butt touches the ground before the ball comes out then it is not a fumble. The ball has to be out prior to the runner touching the ground or it is not a fumble. That's where the phrase, "ground can't cause the fumble" comes in at.
