[JRutledge]

I guess I take issue with the usage of the term "strike." If you are extending your arm at a defender that is coming, on some level you are "striking" the defender. And if I am lowering my shoulder into an upright defender, is that not technically a "strike."

If I am able to ward the runner off by rule, then am I not "striking" them potentially? I guess I would take "striking" as throwing a punch or something that is not common to the game for a runner to do something that does not resemble a stiff arm, then I would agree. And considering at the NCAA level I have never seen anything look like or seen a penalty for some kind of stiff arm, or seen on film from the NCAA what situation had fit this seemly very narrow definition. I also does not appear to me that that is what the OP was about, rather than it appeared he feels it is illegal to touch a helmet by a ball handler. And I doubt there is such a reference to NF rules which this is much more likely to have applied than what the NCAA rules do.

Peace