This year I have been hearing a lot of "how can the be a block in the back his head was in advance of K's player"
I read the rule and as far as I can tell if the intial contact is in the back no matter where the head is it is a block in the back. I have had officials tell this to me also. can some one help me I want to make sure I don't blow a call because of something I don't understand. Thnak you for everyones help

one of those axioms!!!
 

This is one of those old sayings that his head was in front so no way it could be a block in the back.

It is where the initial contact between blocker and defender occurs. It is possible to block someday in the back even though the head is in front.

This is where the old saying goes "make sure you see the entire play before you flag it"

In addition different angles will give others different viewpoints than yours.

Don't look for a foul, see the foul.

REPLY: As BoBo said, you must see the whole play. And a great barometer to use in determining whether or not you have an IBB is to watch which direction the guy being blocked is propelled in. If he falls on his face, you probably have an IBB. If he lands on his side or on his butt, you most likely have a side block and no foul. I personally <u>never</u> look at where the blocker's head is. One of the most frequent incorrect calls that I've observed is on returns when the runner goes wide toward the sideline pursued by would-be tacklers. As he turns the corner, a blocker peels back down the sideline and blows up the tackler who is blind-sided by the block. In my observations, most of the time this is a legal block. But it is frequently incorrectly flagged as an IBB probably because the tackler never saw it coming.

I always tell my crew to make sure a BIB is between the shoulder blades before throwing a flag. Many coaches, especially at the lower level, and many newer officials think that a block the recipient doesn't see HAS to be a IBB. Nope.

Personal Foul?
 

Big BobM,

If that blind sided block is 20 yards away, or behind the ball, no matter what side he is hit from, I'm throwing a flag. That is unnessary roughness/personal foul.

Block above the waist - 10 yards
Block below the waist - 15 yards

Yesterday I had a penalty flag on a play. I work the Umpire position on a varsity crew. This is my first varsity year. There was a run to the left outside. I turned in the direction of the play to watch for any infractions out in front of the runner. To my immediate left, a lineman came off the line and was running in the direction of the play. He was at least fifteen yards from the ball and only a few yards from the LOS. Out of nowhere, one of the linebackers came from behind the lineman and plowed right through him. He hit him square in the back and knocked him forward to the ground. I threw the flag and when the play was over reported the infraction to my referee. When I told him that I had a block in the back against the defense, he looked at me quizzically and said "against the defense?" I repeated the infraction and we enforced the penalty. At halftime we discussed the flag. The referee said that I should have called a personal foul for unnecessary roughness. What's the difference on this play?

I agree with the referee. If it's that far away from the play, it's a PF.

From a practical standpoint (FWIW), it's very difficult to sell an IBB on a defensive player.

--Rich

Rich, if it is close to the play, can the defender block in the back in an effort to get to the runner? I recall this tidbit coming out of the mouth of one of my crew members.

If he's making an effort to get to the runner than I have nothing.

Ditto.

DITTO

Re: Personal Foul?
 

REPLY: Chief...In my post, I was talking about a block near the play. I agree with you that if there's a foul of this nature in a place that no longer can have any meaningful impact on the play, I will also call it a PF. BUT...if I do it's got to be a 15-yard personal foul regardless of whether it's above or below the waist. If it's unnecessarily rough, it's a 15-yard personal foul. It can't--by rule--be a 10-yard penalty in this case.