[Adam]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Unless the player injured was trying to use the head as a weapon by presenting it top first, that's not true. The risk of serious neck injury is far greater from flexion than from dorsiflexion. Dorsiflexion is what results from the head's being bent back, i.e. a front hit, while flexion results from the head's being bent forward, i.e. a hit on the back of the head.

I think you're seriously overanalyzing a rule written by coaches who simply don't want runners hurdling defenders.