Handling a Blitzing LB

[ljudge]

I have a question I need to ask our rules guy but I'm curious as to what you guys think. I was watching a game in the stands with a varsity head coach last Friday night and we got into a discussion about chop blocks, FBZ, etc. He was told that a blitzing linebacker can be cut below the knees if that LB was technically on the LOS when the ball was snapped, even if he was moving forward at the snap and not stationary.

We were told a player must be stationary, period. The rule book used to say stationary and I believe when they changed the rule to require all players be on the LOS, they may have changed the edit and removed the word stationary. I believe it had been there because before the rule change a player in motion would potentially still be in the FBZ at the snap and they definitely didn't want that player (in motion) blocking below the waist or being blocked below the waist.

Do I understand this correctly? I'm thinking the coach may be correct in this case and need to ask my rules interpreter. I looked in the rule book and it appears to me the coach may be correct due to a technicality (an edit at that). I don't really think the fed wants a blitzing LB to be cut at the knees by an o-lineman.

Your thoughts?

[BktBallRef]

There's nothing that requires the player to be stationary. If he's on the LOS, in the FBZ at the snap, he can be cut while the FBZ exists.

[waltjp]

The block below the waist must also be on the initial charge. A running back could not cut a blitzing linebacker, nor could an A lineman step back and then cut him.

[BulldogMcC]

Originally posted by waltjp
The block below the waist must also be on the initial charge....nor could an A lineman step back and then cut him.

Where is this in the rules? The requirement for Blocking below the waist is that:

• The blocking and blocked player must be in the zone and on the line at the snap
• The block must be in the zone

As long as the Zone still exists and the blocker and blockee were on the line and in the zone, the blocker could stand up and then cut the blockee in the zone.

[waltjp]

My bad. I'm thinking of a chop block.

[golfdesigner]

I am a newbie to FB. This post got me to thinking and looking at the specific rules. Now just so I understand this correctly.

2-17-2
Blocking below the waist is permitted in the free-blocking zone [FBZ] when the following conditions are met:
a. All players involved in the blocking are on the line of scrimmage [LOS] and in the zone [FBZ] at the snap
b. The contact is in the zone.

2-17-3
Clipping is permitted in the free-blocking [FBZ] when the following conditions are met:
a. By offensive linemen who are on the line of scrimmage [LOS] and in the zone [FBZ] at the snap.
b. Against defensive players who are on the line of scrimmage [LOS] and in the zone [FBZ] at the snap.
c. The contact is in the zone. [FBZ]

2-17-4
Blocking in the back is permitted in the free-blocking zone [FBZ] when the following conditions are met:
a. By ffensive linemen who are on the line of scrimmage [LOS] and in the zone [FBZ] at the snap.
b. Against defensive players who are in the zone [FBZ] at the snap.
c. The contact is made in the zone [FBZ]

So a lineman may cut the blitzing linebacker, if the linebacker was on the LOS, but a running back set behind the line can not "cut"/block below the waist the linebacker.

The rule specifically says for a legal Block Below the Waist [BBW] all players "on the line of scrimmage" [LOS] . So the RB is not one of those on the LOS.

In fact there is slightly different criteria for a legal clip and a legal block in the back.

For a legal clip, legal only if by an offensive lineman on LOS and in FBZ against defensive players who are on LOS and in FBZ at snap; and, contact in FBZ; but,

For a legal block in the back [BIB], legal only if by an offensive lineman on LOS and in FBZ against defensive players who are in FBZ at snap; and, contact in FBZ, so for legal BIB the defense does not have to be on LOS at snap.

So my take on this is:

The Blitzing Linebacker CAN NOT be legally cut unless the Blocker and the Blockee were both on the LOS. So how can a "Running Back" legally cut the Blitzing linebacker?

In fact the legal clip and the legal BIB it is restricted to only offensive linemen, correct?

[BulldogMcC]

This is easier than you think, the free blocking zone exceptions are Blocking Below the Waist, Blocking in the Back and Clipping.

Only an Offensive lineman in the Zone at the snap can do these blocks as long as the block occurs in the zone and while the ball is still in the zone.
All the below the waist blocks, front or back must be against a defensive lineman who was also in the zone at the snap.
The BIB can be against any defensive player in the zone at the snap.

I just remember that if the initial contact is below the waist, it has to be lineman on lineman, with everything starting and still in the zone.

Backs and {ends that start outside the zone} cannot ever do anything but in the frame blocking.

[cowbyfan1]

The general rule of thumb is that the BBW must be on an intial charge comes from the fact that the ball will be gone from the zone by time the lineman stands up, steps back and then fires forward. While it does not say it in the rule book as pointed out, the timing for it to happen pretty much dictates it.

[WyMike]

Just to clarify... A chop block is flagged even with a FBZ still intact. B2 can be cut, blocked in the back and clipped by A5 as long as the FBZ exists. But if contact is made high by A6 on B2 and after a delay A5 hits B2 low, we have a chop block and a flag even if the FBZ is still in existence, correct?

WM

[BulldogMcC]

Originally posted by WyMike
Just to clarify... A chop block is flagged even with a FBZ still intact. B2 can be cut, blocked in the back and clipped by A5 as long as the FBZ exists. But if contact is made high by A6 on B2 and after a delay A5 hits B2 low, we have a chop block and a flag even if the FBZ is still in existence, correct?

WM

Correct, a chop block is always illegal, the FBZ exceptions apply to BIB, BBW and Clipping, not to a chop block. I see this mostly on pass plays when B is only rushing 3 players. With 5 blockers, two of the linemen won't have anyone to block, so after they roll back on their heels and look around, they dive at an opponent's knees after he is already engaged with one of the other O-Lineman already blocking.