Block in the back ?

[Ed Hickland]

Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser
No foul. Block was not between the shoulder blades.

I think the umpire could've avoided being screened off this play by starting closer to the linebackers. He didn't move very aggessively -- once reading pass he needed to get up to the line.

Agreed. Instead of stepping back when the linebacker moved his way he should have been following the blocking to the LOS.

The referee should've been right behind the rolling quarterback. It looked as though he started right behind the tailback and simply backed up -- if he WAS on the QB's arm side at the snap I don't know how he ended up where he did.

R got caught turning his back to the play. QB dropped way back at one point 20 yards. Typically, R should be about 12-14 yards. If he was initially, his movement was wrong somewhere because he should have moved back and away from the QB earlier and further than he did.

The back judge didn't keep the receiver/defender behind him. Once he read the pass as being in the end zone, he should've moved to the end line.

BJ just kind of stood near the end zone and never kept the eligible receivers in front of him. Notice the receiver on the sideline has also passed the BJ.

The BIB, if there was one, could be handled by the R or the U. The U would have a better view of whether the contact was legal, but he was not up in the play as he needed to be.

U initial move left him totally out of the play leaving R with responsibility for the QB and all the action around him; plus, R had to turn his back.

Oh, and is the linesman chained to the chains? He should've been downfield with the receiver/defender on his side. Had the play gone that way the BJ would've had to come over and cover it.

HL does not know whether to cover run or pass, so he does neither very well. There are only two receivers downfield. HL could have covered back toward the play giving some help to the R and U then moved toward to goal when the pass went if it was to his side, giving sideline coverage to assist the BJ. He should not be standing there looking like a spectator.

Great play for teaching purposes, in many ways.

Rich