Quote:
Originally Posted by DJ_NV
By rule you have OPI. NFHS 7-5-11c states that contact by B away from the direction of the pass is legal, but the same leeway does not apply to A by rule. Philosophically you might lay off this call but the blocking better really, really be away from the play and not very far downfield.
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Even in that case, the illegal blocking may well have affected the play. Players in the defensive secondary should know the rules and use them to diagnose the play. Once they see the players of A blocking downfield, they know a pass downfield would be penalized, so they can come up to play the run or screen pass. So I see no excuse to ignore the fouls.
Blocks against players of the secondary are commonly coached as a "stalk block", meaning the blocker shadows the target and may delay actual contact for some time.
AFAIK, just getting in the way and threatening to make contact isn't interference -- that even if the opponent alters his path in response, he doesn't draw the foul unless & until he makes actual contact.
Robert