The Holding Penalty - What Happened?

[Voice of Reason]

Over the past couple years, it seems to me that the most committed penalty that isn't called in almost every game is offensive holding. I have seen so many plays that I thought were obvious holds but no call is made that I am beginning to wonder if the rule changed, or perhaps how refs view holding calls has changed. In the majority of games I see, there are plays where a defensive player is past the offensive blocker, either rushing the passer or pursuing the running back, and the offensive blocker literally reaches out and grabs the defender and there are no calls. I have seen jerseys almost yanked over a defender's shoulder pads and no call. I have seen defensive players virtually tackled as they get by the blocker and no calls.

 

I have two questions for everyone:

 

1. Do you think blatant, obvious holding calls are not called in the games you watch?

 

2. For officials, is there some guidance for or against how offensive holding should be called?

[Ram]

VOR, I guess we are seeing different types of things in our respective areas. In our area, it seems that the Holding Penalties are overcalled and misunderstood. I have seen a lot of Holding calls against offensive linemen when they are "fist to the chest" well inside the shoulders. This is the perfect position and technique for a linemen when blocking. I expect holding if the DL breaks away and you see "jersey pull" or obvious impediment, but when face up blocking that is not holding.

 

Now, if you want to talk about defensive holding not being called, I can talk all day.

[TheDeuce]

I've always understood that if you grab and held the defender inside the shoulders, you were good. When you grab outside the shoulders, and/or pull on the jersey is when it's holding. I've had a couple of officials over the years tell me you could call holding on every single play if you wanted... Not sure what I think about that.

[Ram]

I've had a couple of officials over the years tell me you could call holding on every single play if you wanted... Not sure what I think about that.

I have heard that for a long time, and I don't think it to be true. Many people think "Holding" is "Holding", but in reality, as you said, if it's inside the shoulders and there's no jersey pull it is not holding. Many people don't understand line play very well, and those may say things like "holding on every play", but it's not true in the football definition of holding.

[Bluegrasscard]

Inside the Free Blocking Zone its hard to call any holding. At least when the FBZ is still intact. Lots goes on there and holding is just one of the things.

 

I will say that you get a lot of 'jersey pulls' on still photos that when you look at them on film are usually not hindering the defense.

 

The worst set of uncalled holds are:

 

1. DEs who are stringing out a play by going sideways but being held by the arm.

2. MLBs/ILBs who are held and try to go lateral or spin off the block and held. Usually noticable when their arm is outstretched because the offense had a hold of it.

3. Blatant holds 'away from the play' that are very blatant but the response is - 'away from the play' by the ref. The problem is that when holdee is quick and fast the definition of 'away from the play' is subjective and often can have impact on the play. And when a ref uses that as a comeback - he saw it, he just ate the flag.

 

You have give the strips a lot of leeway on things not called. there are only 5 sets of eyes. And about the only set that can see some of this is the deep guy in the defensive backfield. Umpire is too close to catch a lot of this. Others are not in position. But the deep guy is usually following an edge play and not looking behind the play. So its not hard to see why there are a number of no calls.

 

Did I just defend the stripes? I am slipping.

[rjs4470]

There are a couple of other key points to holding. Generally if it is way away from the play (within the free blocking zone), and the player being held couldn't have impacted the play, holding likely won't be called. Also, if the hold isn't truly impeding the defender (ie, he makes the tackle), a lot of times the penalty won't be called.

[Green guy]

I mostly watch Trinity games and any Cincinnati I can catch when Trinity is idle. The refs in our games do not seem the least shy about flagging players for holding. But I think the refs try to exercise their best judgement: if it is near the action, flag. If it is far from and does not bear on the action and a player isn't taking a cheap shot at another player, no flag. In Tennessee where Trinity has played a couple Nashville teams regularly, they'll flag a guy and his girlfriend for holding hands.

[Jumper_Dad]

Some areas that I've been to basically allow O-Line to Bear Hug Defenders and only call a hold if it is at the point of the play and the defender is taken to the ground.

 

Other areas like said before will throw a flag on a couple holding hands in the stands...at the end of the day I guess the best that can be asked for is that a game is called consistently. If it is or isn't a hold at midfield in the 1st qtr it should be the same call in the Redzone in the 4th qtr