Quote from: Coach12 on November 07, 2018, 12:41:56 pm

Thanks Zebra. Appreciate the help and inside info. My question was in regards to the second part of your post, number 1. WR is running his route, 7 yards down the field (before the ball is thrown), he is basically tackled... No call was made. Happened twice. Was told it was legal. Seems like it might have been able to be called both ways. More of a judgement call...

For the record I disagree... if a defender hits a receiver that is 5 yards or more beyond the line of scrimmage even if the ball is still in the QB’s hand that is a penalty and should be called..


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Coach 12, I would agree a tackle should be a foul, although I guess you have to see it.  When I said “tackle” my intent was a classic tackle involving wrapping the opponent up.  Since there is no rule specifically against “tackling” The foul would have to be a hold meaning the tackle starts by grasping and or holding the opponent before taking them to the ground.  Or it would have be a personal foul such as contact to the head or below the waist.  I had a game last week where the receiver was hit and went to the ground, but there was no grasp or hold associated with it, there was no contact to the head or neck, just solid shoulder to shoulder contact that sent the receiver down - so no foul. 

Lackey,  you’re welcome to disagree but there is absolutely no rule book support for that philosophical.  Your thoughts are in line with the NFL illegal contact rule.  However, That rule is not present in the NFHS rule book (or NCAA for that matter). The INFC uses the NFHS rules.  If an official calls that foul in an INFC game, they are not applying the rules, but instead making up their own.

Lacky,

It depends on when the defensive player hits the receiver but both of those could be defenseless players, Illegal blind side block could be called on either of them. Or a personal foul for illegal contact to a defenseless player. 

Section 33, Article 16 in the NFHS rulebook states: A defenseless player is a player who, because of his physical position and focus on concentration, is especially vulnerable to injury.  A player who initiates contact against a defenseless player is responsible for making legal contact.  When in question, a player is defenseless. 
Examples of a defenseless player include, but are not limited to:
a.) a passer
b.) A receiver attempting to catch a pass who has not had time to clearly become a runner
c.) the intended receiver of a pass in the action during or immediately following an interception or potential interception
h.) a player who receives a blindside block with forceful contact not initiated with open hands

B, C & H all could back a call on illegal contact towards a receiver. 

As far as if it is called every time, I am sure we can get better at calling those hits and also coaching our kids on how to do it correctly. 
Unfortunately, INFC does not have instant replay to go back and take a penalty away like they do on TV so I think officials are more hesitant to call it. 
College and pro officials have it made when it comes to this, if it looks bad just throw you flag and then we will decide if it was really a penalty in slow motion during 15 replays. 

Safety of the kids should be the number one goal of both officials and coaches. 


Your statement below:
To elaborate more on this.. last night I had a safety intercept a pass and return it for a TD but that was called back for a blindside block that was not led with the hands during the return.. why in the world can you not lead with your shoulder on that play when you can in a receiver that is also getting hit blindly as he is looking into the backfield..

Yes, this I agree with.. so the statement above that the referee would just be making rules up if he called that a penalty is potentially inaccurate...

Also, if I didn’t mention I have not had any issues with this ever but saw the response above and felt we needed more clarification.


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No Zebra99 is correct above, there is no 5 yard illegal contact rule in INFC, NFHS or College rules, only the NFL has that rule and they suck at calling it.  I see contact past 5 yards all the time in the NFL that is not called and then out of the blue on 3rd and 20, they call it and give some team a first down. 

It is the type of contact that I was talking about above.  a defensive player can chuck (with hands) a receiver as long as the ball is not in the air in NFHS. 
They cannot hold though or take them out with their shoulder and or helmet.