FBRULES

Texas plays with mostly NCAA rules with a few exceptions. This year they are playing with 2005 NCAA rules with a few exceptions because of the general disdain for the 2006 timing rule changes in the NCAA.

I should probably add the one of the reasons this foul is rare is because most defensive backs do "know" and play accordingly.

The interpretation has generally been once he (an eligible receiver) makes a move, a cut if you will, to run a passing type pattern then he's no longer blocking for the guy with the ball.. We're not talking about players on offense coming out to block the defense. We're talking about players on defense initiating contact with an eligible receiver who is no longer a potential blocker. The responsibility for this foul is on the defense. A blocker is someone who is contacting the opponent to keep them from getting after the runner, the guy with the ball. The foul prohibits the defense from making contact against an eligible receiver who is no longer a potential blocker. Thus, if an eligible receiver comes off the line and turns or simply starts going out for a pass, and its pretty clear that's it's a passing play, then the defense must avoid contact. The line is rarely gray on this one. To answer the question posed, I would think the DB would know the difference based on the criteria I just gave. It is up for him to know and most of them are pretty smart. The "how was I supposed to know" defense just doesn't work. That's like saying how was I supposed to know the guy I just knocked into the stands 30 yards away from the play was obviously no longer in the play? Or, if a DB is concentrating on the guy he's covering how is he supposed to know the pass was in the air so he could not interfere? He's supposed to know because he's a smart player who is paying attention to his surroundings and what's going on and knows what is allowed to do or not allowed to do by rule.

I'm not sure there is an official theory or reason. I think, more than anything else, it's just a long standing rule. It's just like there was never overtime in football for the most part on all levels until the last 25 years and college and NFL even later than that. Your question is probably better suited for someone at the National Federation than those of us who simply enforce it.

The facts are a bit distorted... No where in modern high school footbal history (at least in 17 years!) has R been allowed to return a kick out of its own endzone. For that matter, no one has ever been allowed to do anything when a kick went into the endzone--it is and has always been a touchback. The rule changed talked about was, in most opinions, a very minor one. The rule used to say that the ball was officially dead once that kicked touched anything beyond the goal line even though, for practical reasons, the ball was basically dead once it crossed the plane. It just wasn't officially dead. The above posts imply that just 4 years the R could return kicks out of the endzone and that rule was changed because of some strange situation with personal fouls. That's just not factual. All the rule change did was state the kick was dead just as soon as it broke the plane of the goal line instead of when the ball actually touched something beyond the goal line. It makes sense to kill the play when the ball breaks the plane of the goal since it is going to be a touchback anyway. That's all the rule change did. It stops the play when it should be stopped and, thus, helps to avoid injury. FBRULES

"Many fans, as well as coaches, are not aware of that rule." And, many officials.

1983 Undeafeted Highlands at Conner, sub-district/district playoff game. Conner won 13-7.

CB, You are correct, but it's not a chop block. It's a block below the waist. A chop block happens in the FBZ when a player is blocking an opponent and another player contacts the opponent at the knee or below. The play you described is a different rule. Maybe you should brush up yourself before throwing stones.

It's the been the rule for a least several years, if not longer. If the player wore it last year, it was illegal then too, no matter who wrote the note. FBRULES

Makes sense. The 8th region is an 8 team tournament including (Eminence, Carroll County, Owen County, Trimble County, Williamstown, Walton-Verona, Gallatin County, and Spencer County). Also, Carroll County as host this year is pretty centrally located for those eight teams. Plus, four of those schools, the last four listed above, are non-football schools and so this is their main sport. There are no private schools in the 8th region All A or the entire region for that matter (I believe). FBRULES

The All A is a big deal attendance wise in the 8th Region. All three nights this week, with the finals tomorrow night (Owen County v. Gallatin County) have seen very good gates with lots of folks out. All but one game has been very competative. Seems that the regions have the have more geography and less population (not the 9th) have better attendance. Just a theory. FBRULES