Are you saying you know what the rule says and this is legal or are you saying you can't imagine why NFHS would have such a rule?

 

I'm saying that I can't think of any rules that would rule this specific play illegal. I may be wrong as I've never seen something like that take place.

Hurdling was added in 2012 to the NFHS handbook and made illegal.

Sounds like they're gonna have to add somersaults to the 2017 edition

Hurdling a tackler in High School is illegal and is, I believe, a 15 yard penalty.

 

I thought his legs got hit. I'll watch it again....

I thought his legs got hit. I'll watch it again....

 

Well he definitely tried to hurdle the defensive back and the DB may have ticked his leg/legs but instinct takes over at times. Legal or not, nice run and we're all watching and talking about it.

I checked with some officials on this one. Consensus, though not unanimous, is that this is a legal play because he jumped head first/shoulders first vs a traditional hurdle where the knees are out front. The wording in the rule using the phrase "knees foremost" which is obviously open to interpretation.

 

 

A traditional jump over a defender like the video below shows would have been illegal.

 

[video=youtube;-ev-19tHNVQ]