I think I blew a hurdling call last night. I did not realize the Federation rule was so specific on the exact type of jumping needed to fit the definition of a hurdle.
Rule(s):
Rule 2, Section 22: Hurdling
Hurdling is an attempt by a player to jump (hurdle) with one or both feet or knees foremost over an opponent who is contacting the ground with no part of his body except one or both feet.
Rule 9, Section 4: Illegal Personal Contact
Article 3d: "No player or non-player shall hurdle an opponent."
PENALTY: Other personal fouls (Arts. 3a through g) – (S38) – 15 yards;
SITUATION (I am LJ):
Score is about 49-0 in the 4th quarter (running time), A is leading. (I know the score shouldn't matter, but it's helpful to note.) 2nd and 10. A runs a toss to my side. B attempts a tackle in the backfield. Runner A jumps into the air to avoid the tackle. A avoids the tackle and runs about 20 yards for a first down. I call "hurdling," 15 yards personal foul.
B may or may not have been on the ground. My memory is a little foggy on the specifics only because I didn't realize that I needed to consider all of the specifics. I assumed it was just jumping over any opponent - period.
My memory tells me that A's right leg was straight down and left leg was bent at the knee with the knee also straight down, kind of like the defender's body in this photo:
http://cowboys.beloblog.com/archives/catch.jpg. Neither B's status nor A's feet/knees were part of my thought process so I don't remember. They weren't part of my thought process because as I said above I didn't realize both of those things were part of the definition of hurdling.
I believe I got the call wrong since my memory tells me that A did not have knee or feet as the foremost part of his body when jumping. For the sake of argument and discussion, let's say that my memory is correct.
A was my sideline. I told R the penalty and then immediately went to the coach, assuming his reaction was going to be "WTF!?" I explained, "It's a rule not many people know about. It's a penalty at this level for a runner to hurdle a tackler." He was fine with the explanation I gave and everyone quickly moved on. (By the way, I realize my explanation was correct within the bounds of the rule, but it's more of a question of whether the action on the play fit the definition of hurdling.)
On the next play A ran for about a 70-yard touchdown.
Since hurdling isn't called often I'm curious if anyone else has been in a similar situation.