The penalty here is for an illegal Blind-side Block. This block would've been legal had the player extended his hands in front of him and made first contact with the hands (the definition of a block). When a player hits another player like this from the side, while leading with anything other than the hands...it's a foul. The player doing the hitting is simply head hunting here...play football and block legally, no problem.

 

He would also have two broken arms.

He would also have two broken arms.

 

I can't disagree here. The intent of the rule is to prevent huge hits that send kids to the hospital. Unfortunately it's difficult to have black and white in this case...

I can't disagree here. The intent of the rule is to prevent huge hits that send kids to the hospital. Unfortunately it's difficult to have black and white in this case...

 

NFHS has 3 suits against them for this rule change that I am aware of.

Can't see that going anywhere. Their main goal is player safety. They should just switch all states to NCAA rules and teach kids to be safe from the beginning.

Like I said in my first post. You're basically choosing to hurt one kid to protect another.

I don't want to hijack the thread or anything, but I'm going to vent about this one more time. One of the most dangerous plays in HS fb right now is PATs. Week after week, I see kids line up at the back of the endzone, get a full head of speed across the width of the endzone, and launch themselves like torpedoes into offensive linemen that have to stand there and take it. I know, they have helmets and pads, but it's senseless. These kids are not trying to block the kick or make a play on the ball, they are just taking advantage of an opportunity to blast someone unnecessarily. If it's truly all about safety, make a simple rule on field goals and PAT's that you have to be within a certain number of yards at the snap in order to rush the LOS.

Can't see that going anywhere. Their main goal is player safety. They should just switch all states to NCAA rules and teach kids to be safe from the beginning.

 

The excessive aggression part of the rule needs to go though. Do you agree? That's a huge gray area where size pays a huge difference

Btw, it was said in another as well "defenseless defender"......rule book is defenseless player. Can be called either on offensive team or defensive team.

The excessive aggression part of the rule needs to go though. Do you agree? That's a huge gray area where size pays a huge difference

 

I don't agree. It's not necessarily listed as "excessive agression"...

 

Here's the rule: "No player or non-player shall execute a blindside block outside of the free-blocking zone with forceful contact unless initiated with open hands."

 

The forceful contact piece is actually meant to draw the rule back a bit and still allow SOME hits that are just good old-fashioned football plays...this rule is aimed at the players that are simply looking to take someone's head off and it's intent is to get cheapshots out of the game altogether. Similar to the targeting rule that has been implemented over the last few years.

I don't want to hijack the thread or anything, but I'm going to vent about this one more time. One of the most dangerous plays in HS fb right now is PATs. Week after week, I see kids line up at the back of the endzone, get a full head of speed across the width of the endzone, and launch themselves like torpedoes into offensive linemen that have to stand there and take it. I know, they have helmets and pads, but it's senseless. These kids are not trying to block the kick or make a play on the ball, they are just taking advantage of an opportunity to blast someone unnecessarily. If it's truly all about safety, make a simple rule on field goals and PAT's that you have to be within a certain number of yards at the snap in order to rush the LOS.

 

You're absolutely right. I've seen this before, too. There is a rule that makes unnecessary roughness illegal on any play. If it's blatant, there should be a flag.

You're absolutely right. I've seen this before, too. There is a rule that makes unnecessary roughness illegal on any play. If it's blatant, there should be a flag.

 

Agreed and why the flag was thrown on this particular play.

I had a player that was blocking downfield and turned and blasted a player that was twice his size and the reff told me that if it was the other way around he would have thrown the flag. He didn't understand why i got mad, I told him that if it's a flag, throw the flag. he said coach im not throwing it, I said you better because if it happens to my player you better throw the flag. He still didn't throw the flag, lol.