In the fall, athletes across the United States pull on their helmets. They adjust their shoulder pads and gather at the line of scrimmage. Then, they run a football down the field in what has become the most popular sport in the country. And what's the key to any team's success? The quarterback needs to call plays without letting the opposing team overhear them. But what if the only way the quarterback could communicate was through sign language? And what if those signs were used out in the open where everyone could see them?

Question

In the fall, athletes across the United States pull on their helmets. They adjust their shoulder pads and gather at the line of scrimmage. Then, they run a football down the field in what has become the most popular sport in the country. And what's the key to any team's success? The quarterback needs to call plays without letting the opposing team overhear them. But what if the only way the quarterback could communicate was through sign language? And what if those signs were used out in the open where everyone could see them?

That's the situation the Gallaudet Bison football team faced during the 1894 season. The players attended Gallaudet University. It was the nation's first university for Deaf and hard of hearing students. From 1892 to 1895, the team was led by quarterback Paul Hubbard, who used sign language to call plays. But there was a problem. The plays were easily intercepted when the Bison faced off against teams from other colleges for Deaf students.

To safeguard his playbook, Hubbard asked his teammates to move a few yards away from the ball and turn their backs to the line of scrimmage. The players then stepped forward and created a compact circle around their quarterback. This was meant to block their opponents' view. Thus, the football huddle was born, kicking off a new tradition. Using the huddle to hand off plays was a huge success. The Bison scored a series of wins during Hubbard's time as quarterback, including a well-celebrated victory against the U.S. Naval Academy.

Hubbard later began coaching football at the Kansas School for the Deaf. There, he passed the huddle idea on to his players, who used it during games. The huddle spread and became popular nationwide.

The Bison dropped the huddle from their lineup in 2005. But the strategy remains a part of the game. It's a reminder that sometimes the best plays are born from necessity.

QUESTION 1

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Think about the article. Why did Hubbard ask his teammates to turn their backs to the line of scrimmage?
He didn't want the other team to hear him when he called the next play.
He didn't want the other team to see his signs when he called the next play.
He wanted to celebrate an important victory with his teammates.
He wanted to block the other team from scoring a touchdown.

Answer 1

Hubbard asked his teammates to turn their backs to the line of scrimmage because he didn't want the other team to see his signs when he called the next play.