Quote:
Originally Posted by bigjohn
Rule 2
Section 3
Art. 5
a and b
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2-3 is Fed's section on "blocking". Art. 5 says, "A defensive player may also:" Its intention is to show
additional types of contact a player of the defense may use
besides blocking, which is why the word "also" is used. It doesn't mean all instances of contact by defenders other than what's listed there are illegal.
NFHS used to have the best written football rule book, but they (& not they alone) started going wrong some years back when they started to put material into their "Definitions" that belonged in the substantive rules. That can lead to misreadings such as the one you're giving. In this case, 2-3-5 has the unfortunate effect of implying that such forms of contact by the defense against opponents (i.e. warding off blocks) are defined as "blocking", which I'm sure they did not intend to imply. The
actual definition of "blocking" is given in 2-3-1. Articles 2 thru 6 of that section belong in rule 9. Actual definitions resume with articles 7 thru 9.