what is an audible in football

In football, an audible is a verbal instruction given by the quarterback to change the predetermined play or completely scrap it for something else. It is typically called at the line of scrimmage after the offense breaks the huddle and before the snap of the ball. The quarterback may change the play based on what they see on the field, such as the defensive formation or unexpected movements. Audibles can be called by using hand signals as well. In higher levels of the game, such as college football and the NFL, quarterbacks often have the freedom to audible to whatever play they want. Audibles are most effective when defenses line up to blitz the quarterback, the defense does something unexpected at the line of scrimmage, or when the quarterback realizes that he should run a safer play than planned. The term "audible" comes from the original meaning of "to be heard or capable of being heard," as the quarterback must shout the new play and instructions to all his teammates.