Wedge blocking on plays from scrimmage.

[verticalStripes]

Fed Rules:

Is wedge blocking legal on plays from scrimmage legal? The wedge is formed around the center. The guards do not grab the center, but their should pad does touch the back of the center.

[JRutledge]

Nothing illegal about that. Even in college this is not illegal from a scrimmage play. I think you might be getting this confused with the college rule during a Free Kick (kick off).

Peace

[verticalStripes]

Thx. I'm a former High School official converted into a youth football coach. I want to teach my players correctly. I just want to stay clear of interlock blocking. So, as long as the players don't hold hands, lock arms, grab jerseys, etc, we should be clear...

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by verticalStripes

Thx. I'm a former High School official converted into a youth football coach. I want to teach my players correctly. I just want to stay clear of interlock blocking. So, as long as the players don't hold hands, lock arms, grab jerseys, etc, we should be clear...

Yes, interlock blocking is different than what is considered wedge blocking at the college level. But again the high school level has no such definition of wedge blocking or an illegal act based on that action. Now if you are doing youth coaching it is possible they have some other rules might be apply but that is not a NF standard for sure.

Peace

[SWFLguy]

When I officiated high school football (no it wasn't before the forward pass was invented) I saw teams that used tight blocking formations to grind out yardage. If they had big enough linemen and slower running backs it could work well. You did have to watch that the backs behind the runner weren't pushing him and the runner wasn't holding onto a blocker in front of him. It was also sometimes difficult to see who had the ball. You had to make sure you did not blow a whistle unless you saw the ball and the runner was down or stopped.

[HLin NC]

The spread would blow you mind now SWFL.

[crashemt]

I see this in youth ball all the time. It is hard to coach, because of the habits the kids develop using good, open-handed blocking technique.

Here's the rule: (NFHS 2.3.9) Interlocked blocking occurs when one player grasps or encircles a teammate just prior to or while blocking an opponent

1) The kids tend to grab the blocker they lock shoulders with. Shirt pulls = interlocked blocking. You will have to work hard with them on this.

2) Chop block: Kids tend to lunge. If a blocker is engaged high, or low given a legal FBZ low block at the snap, and a second blocker engages, you risk a greater penalty. High-high OK, low-low OK in the FBZ, High-low = bad ju-ju. (NFHS 2-3-8, 9-3-6; 15 yards from basic spot foul)

3) Aiding the runner: Wedge blocking teams tend to "stack the runner" The problem comes when the runner breaks the wedge with either his blocker or the fake on his back.

(NFHS 9-1) An offensive player shall not push, pull, or lift the runner to assist his forward progress

When I see wedge teams, these are the areas I focus upon. I also tend to see more holding on the edges, from the "lookout block" as tackles and ends get beat. On the defensive side of the line, we see blocks below the waist and clips mostly. Blocks below the waist are legal in the FBZ, until it dissolves. The wedge has the longest FBZ eligible time, typically, because it is usually a direct or close long snap, and the ball does not leave the zone.

New POE and rule change, clipping is illegal in all instances in 2016 (No reference yet, we still don't have the new books).

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by crashemt

I see this in youth ball all the time. It is hard to coach, because of the habits the kids develop using good, open-handed blocking technique.

Which is 1 more little reason I teach shoulder blocking -- though not to the exclusion of hands blocking.

Here's the rule: (NFHS 2.3.9) Interlocked blocking occurs when one player grasps or encircles a teammate just prior to or while blocking an opponent

1) The kids tend to grab the blocker they lock shoulders with. Shirt pulls = interlocked blocking. You will have to work hard with them on this.

I've seen various bits of advice to avoid that. Some coaches say to make a fist with the hand on the teammate's back, because you can't grab a shirt if your hand's already a fist. Other coaches advocate a chicken wing, the hand grabbing the player's own shirt. Because I coach a lower wedge than most -- shoulder into butt -- I coach to dangle that hand, and that it can be used to bear walk with because it'll be close to the ground and the player will tend to fall; that hand should be in a fist anyway, so as not to get the fingers stepped on.

2) Chop block: Kids tend to lunge. If a blocker is engaged high, or low given a legal FBZ low block at the snap, and a second blocker engages, you risk a greater penalty. High-high OK, low-low OK in the FBZ, High-low = bad ju-ju. (NFHS 2-3-8, 9-3-6; 15 yards from basic spot foul)

Which team's players are more likely to do that, A or B?

3) Aiding the runner: Wedge blocking teams tend to "stack the runner" The problem comes when the runner breaks the wedge with either his blocker or the fake on his back.

(NFHS 9-1) An offensive player shall not push, pull, or lift the runner to assist his forward progress

This is why the wedge is now potentially more effective by NCAA rules than Fed's.

[SWFLguy]

I know about the spread. Saw it as it was developing. Once got a wing assignment for a playoff game in the Carrier Dome when the assignor needed me on the sideline with a problematic coach. Just "loved" it when trips came out on my side. I still had enough speed to work that, later not and only did umpire work. After 40 seasons, the game was getting too fast for me and I retired in 2009.