[UmpJM]

Thanks to all who replied.

In case anyone's wondering, I'm with the orange team.

I did not notice this happening during the game. When I watched the tape, the 3rd play in the sequence was the one that caught my attention. So, I went back through the tape looking for it. The offensive team ran 19 offensive plays from scrimmage in the first half of this game. They used this blocking scheme on 8 of those plays. The blocking scheme was always used away from playside, and, in my opinion, the left Off. End committed an illegal chop block on six of those eight plays.

I'm of a like mind with those who considered the first and third plays posted as chop blocks and the 2nd play as legal (because the double team block was more or less simultaneous on the 2nd play).

To those who commented on the absence of officials in the footage, they are there; they're just outside the frame of the video. These games are officiated by three-man crews who are IHSA-certified. They position themselves in the traditional Linesman, Line Judge, and Referee positions. Nothing was called on any of the plays. My concern is not so much with the officiating. I believe that this is going to be very difficult for the officials to catch because it's happening away from the action of the play, it's on the interior line, and there is no official in the Umpire position, which would be the best vantage from which to see it. I certainly didn't see it happening during the game & if the camera hadn't had such a good angle & unobstructed view of the 3rd play posted, I might not have noticed it even watching the video in slow motion.

(To those who commented on the abundance of cheerleaders, I'll just say it certainly isn't my idea.)

My reasons for posting are twofold:

1. To get some objective confirmation (or not) that this was in fact illegal chop-blocking.

2. To get some opinions/advice on if and how to follow-up.

I believe that if the young man continues blocking this way, it is quite likely that he is going to seriously injure the leg of the player he is blocking.

After carefully reviewing the video, I have formed the following opinions:

1. As Jim S. & BayouUmp astutely observe, the double team is a designed blocking scheme that the player has been taught.

2. The player did not strike me as a "dirty" player. I very carefully watched him on plays where this scheme was not used, & he struck me as just a good player who tried to fulfill his assignment.

3. When the play was run the opposite way, the Right Off. End would double team the Left DT - but he always hit him at/above the waist. Perfectly legal & not that dangerous to the man being blocked. This leads me to the (provisional) opinion that the young man's coaches are not trying to teach him to cripple his opponents through illegal and dangerous techniques. I could, of course, be wrong on this point.

Anyway, this strikes me as serious enough that something needs to be done to stop it.

I would appreciate any advice on how to best follow-up. Contact the team? The league? The Officials' Association? Just drop it?

Thanks for any thoughts you might have on whether this makes sense, & if so how best to proceed.

Thanks.

JM