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_Darin, I have a couple of questions. First, I was an offensive lineman in high school in the old days (1960's). The only significant football term I remember from those days is the "headhunter offense" we linemen ran. And if you think that means what you think it means, you're right. (P.S. The "headhunter offense" did not work, as we set the state record for most consecutive losses and the coach got fired.)_
_I have followed football for decades but am still confused by some of the terms used today; for example: X, Y, Z receiver, WILL, MIKE, linebacker, etc. Could you explain some of them? The commentators on TV broadcasts act like everyone is a football terminology expert._
_Second, in a recent ATOG, you mentioned that the scout team mimics the opponent for the starters. Who oversees the scout team, and how do they program for the scout team, particularly when the opponent has a new coaching staff that may have a different philosophy than the old coaching staff?_
_P.P.S. As an Eagle Scout, I want to thank you and the other Eagle Scouts you mentioned in that ATOG for all you are doing for the Panthers organization._ **— Morris, Charlotte**
Morris, a lot of the people who communicate football for a living feel like if they say enough football words, you'll assume they're smart. Most of those are position designations. The Mike linebacker is the middle linebacker because Mike starts with M. Same with Will, the weakside linebacker, or the one who operates away from the tight end side of the offense. The X, Y, and Z are receivers. The X is the split end, the go-to target, while the Z is what your high school coach probably called the flanker, more often in motion. Your Y is the slot receiver in most situations. In football, as in life, it doesn't have to be that hard. And if someone says a lot of words that confuse you, it might be that their goal is not to make things clear to you, but to make themselves feel superior.
Generally, the assistant position coaches and quality control coaches prepare the scout-team segments of practice and get the backup players into the positions the opponents will play from. These are often developmental coaches, and [Dave Canales puts a high premium on giving them a chance to learn and grow](https://www.panthers.com/news/development-is-at-the-heart-of-dave-canales-personality-and-program).
As for all the Scouts around here, all we can do is what some of us promised if we were also members of the Order of the Arrow: ". . . and will seek to preserve a cheerful spirit even in the midst of irksome tasks and weighty responsibilities, and will endeavor, so far as in my power lies, to be unselfish in service and devotion to the welfare of others."
You don't have to have been a Scout to do all that, of course, but the words you say tend to become part of who you are.