Had a play tonight: (7th grade) receiver fires off the line and gets blocked by the defender 2-3 yards or so downfield. Pass is thrown to that area and I flag DPI. Coach is screaming that receiver initiated the block, which I didn't really agree with. It looked more like they were both blocking, but the receiver could have been defending himself.

Anyway, what I think the coach was really arguing without knowing it was the one yard rule that allows a defender to block within 1 yard of the LOS. 2 Questions:

1. Is the "1 yard" more like a "1 second" (related to offense set prior to the snap) in terms of distance -- in other words really one step? Should this be enforced liberally or conservatively (i.e. if this is, say, a yard and an inch downfield -- flag or no; which team is the one that has to gain an advantage)?

2. Our mechanics call for us as wings to "release" 5-7 yards downfield when we read pass. Even if I'm on my way to that area, I may have lost exact focus on where the LOS is. Related to Question 1, how do I judge this in a real live play?

There is no 1 yard rule, or any distance rule. When DPI comes into play is when a defender makes contact with an eligible receiver after he is no longer a potential blocker. Most of us use the guideline of when the receiver is on the same yard line as the defender (made his cut or break) then the defender must have his hands off.

Thus, your release downfield will not matter cuz you have no yardline to think about, just if contact occurs after the receiver is in his route.

Maybe this is the rule you're thinking of...
"During a scrimmage down, defensive players are prohibited from blocking an eligible Team A receiver below the waist beyond the neutral zone unless attempting to get at the ball or runner. A Team A receiver remains eligible until a legal forward pass is no longer possible by rule."

This would allow for a defensive block below the waist at the LOS.

There is a " 1 yard rule" and it pertains to when defenders make contact at the snap and within 1 yard of the NZ. If one of those quick passes is thrown at that spot, then you do not have DPI

This is NCAA, not fed, and the issue has nothing to do with blocking below the waist.

The rules TXMike and myself stated above are both NCAA.

What I'm trying to get at here is a discussion on how this rule is or should be interpreted.

It occured to me either late last night or this morning, that if the defender is not right at the line on snap (i.e. playing bump and run coverage), any contact that occurs is almost certain to have occured past the one yard mark. True or not?

Also, in thinking about this today and yesterday after the game, I'm of the feeling that the intent of the rule is to not penalize the bump and run cover guy who's on the line and doesn't necessarily know it is a pass -- i.e., he's playing for both pass or run and is not attempting to put the receiver at a disadvantage. Thus, the rule exception is not going to be utilized much at all. Agree or disagree?

I would agree with that.

I think I would treat this like the fake punt rule that allows for defensive contact when the punter throws a pass.

I would add only that this applies in screen pass situations as well - contact with a receiver on a screen pass that is not beyond 1 yard past the LOS is legal, even if delayed more than 1 second.

PI rules apply only when a forward pass has crossed the neutral zone. So a screen pass really isn't relevent here, as if the receiver is beyond the LOS, AND it is a screen pass (blockers downfield), you have ineligibles downfield.

Or, you have offensive pass interference if the end is blocking for a slot receiver who caught a pass beyond the LOS.

Perhaps I misunderstood your statement.