I need help on face guarding

byrdman · #1 (**permalink**) Tue Sep 09, 2003, 10:10pm

In high school football in the state of Virginia is face guarding a penalty ? Does anyone have a link to this rule ?

davidfv1 · #2 (**permalink**) Tue Sep 09, 2003, 11:00pm

This exact play is in the 2003 NFHS Football Case Book.
Page 54, Rule 7, Play 7.5.10 Situation C:

"Ruling: Hindering an opponent's vision without making an attempt to catch, intercept or bat the ball, is pass interference even though no contact was made. This is the only situation in which there may be pass interference without contact."

I hope this helps..

David

Bob M. · #3 (**permalink**) Wed Sep 10, 2003, 08:01am

REPLY: "Faceguarding" is not a defined (Rule 2) term in the NFHS rule book. It's just a colloquial term that we use to mean restricting the opponent's vision. And, you won't find a specific prohibition against it in the rule book itself. It's only in the Case Book as David points out. But that's good enough to make it an illegal tactic under the domain of pass interference.

And by the way, 'faceguarding' is legal in NCAA rules. Pass interference in NCAA code requires contact.