Hi, I had a question that I hope you can help me with. The presiding rulebook for this question would be the NFL rulebook. Hopefully, someone has access to that!

Here's the deal. Again, under NFL rules, Team A's coaches have told the o-line that it is legal to perform a cut block, say on short pass plays. Let me define how the coaches use the term 'cut block.'

They define a cut block as the linemen firing off the line low when the ball is snapped, diving towards the legs (thigh or knee level, typically)...in order to get the defense to drop their hands, and probably back up a little. Several weeks into the season, a crew of referees called this technique illegal, although they were apparently vague about what was illegal about it. Team A's coaches told players at that time to hit at the waist first, then slide down the legs if needed. This was later called a penalty also.

The other time team A's players are told to use this particular blocking technique would be on pulling lineman plays...for instance, when a tackle pulls to block a defensive end who has crashed across the LOS. The block would then occur in the backfield. This has not been flagged, to my knowledge.

So, what I'm asking, I guess, is clarification on what exactly would make an illegal block below the waist? Is team A wrong in this technique, or has complaining by various team B's caused some perhaps hazy calls?

I should also clarify; this is not an NFL team, just a league playing NFL rules. I thought I've seen this sort of technique used in NFL games, maybe I was just imagining things?

Incidentally, as a longtime fan of football, I'd like to take a moment to thank all of you who do officiate. I know that fans, coaches, players, etc. do not make your job an easy one, but you still go out game after game and make your best effort to be fair (in nearly all cases, I'm sure)...and you probably don't get anywhere near the thanks that you deserve for what you do to keep players as safe as possible. (No, that wasn't a brown nosing to get you to make me sound right, either!!!)

Thanks in advance for your replies.

What you are asking about is blocks below the waist. I have an NFL rulebook and officiate in a semi-pro league using NFL rules. It kind of funny (and a little scary) watching a high school/college official try to learn a new set of rules. I'm still unclear on a lot of things.

From my limited understanding of the rulebook, the NFL allows blocks below the waist anywhere on the field during a scimmage down. EXCEPTION: The only time they are NOT allowed is after an interception, after the ball has been kicked (as in a punt or field goal), or during a free kick down.

As long as the block isn't a clip (block below the waist from behind), I believe it is legal. You may want to wait for a second opinion on this.

Sounds like you have high school referees who are unfamiliar with the NFL rulebook.

Canadian Philosophy
 

This sounds alot like the Canadian rule.

Seriously.

You know more than me about NFL but I do believe that is correct. Atleast from what I've seen on TV, (wow it feels funny saying that).

I know that sometimes, the terminology is what trips us up.

I was reading the NFL rulesbook today looking up a rule from a game Sunday and I ran across the legal clipping restrictions (Broncos anyone?) and they are not allowed to clip a D lineman more than two positions away from them - example: tackle can't clip the NT. They can't go below the knee, either.

I don't know if that helps. NFL rules are pretty complicated.

Thank you to everyone who answered. I definitely appreciate all of your input. The technique in question is not clipping, unless I've misread the nfl's own site. They define clipping as:
"Clipping: Throwing the body across the back of an opponent’s leg or hitting him from the back below the waist while moving up from behind unless the opponent is a runner or the action is in close line play" and what I'm talking about is straight up, head to head blocking. Even on the pulling plays, the pulling blocker would cut block the DE (or whatever player from team B) from a face to face start, not at the back of the legs.

Again, thanks a million. I didn't think team A was doing anything wrong, but I didn't wish to open mouth and insert foot in defense of them until I had some more certainty! (I always hated spitting shoelaces...)