Upback

In American football, the upback (also known as the punt protector or personal protector) is a blocking back who lines up anywhere from 1–7 yards behind the line of scrimmage in punting situations.

Their primary role is to act as the last line of defense for the punter.

Upbacks may occasionally receive the snap instead of the punter on fake punts.

An upback is typically played by a back-up for another position, mostly a fullback, running back, tight end or a linebacker.

A former rugby union player, Ebner used his versatility in order to execute fake punts and protect the punter.

This is a basic punt formation with the upback highlighted in red. The gunners will be on the line of scrimmage with the rest of the offensive line and long snapper .