Defender trying to take a charge starting to fall before contact

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by so cal lurker

Is there a matter of degree here?

The player that relaxes and falls back 6 inches before contact is not making anything more dangerous, nor flopping--he's preparing to absorb the anticipated hit.

The player that is halfway to the ground before contact comes is something else.

I wonder if some of the posts here are based on a different view of what the defender is doing.

Some don't want to distinguish between the two. It is easier to just call a block if a defender flinches than make a judgement. It is a lot like a player not being "set". All too many officials, at least in the past, tagged a player with a foul simply for not being "set". I think that has improved a lot in the last few years at all levels...largely due to better training (and video). This is another one of those things that takes time to change and get right.