Illegal Blocks "in the back"

[bossman72]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

When I'm trailing a play, I see such a block and know, KNOW that some coach is going to start screaming for an IBB. I'm rarely "disappointed."

I didn't think it was just me, but it's always entertaining to hear from others.

...and i like how coaches and players call all IBB's "clips", even though they are 2 different fouls. i'm guilty of it too (pretty much because it's easier to yell "clip" than "illegal block in the back"). haha

[rockyroad]

So following the logic here...if the "blockee" does not fall to or get driven to the side, but instead the block spins them around (example, defender hit on right and is spun to left by the contact) then it is an IBB? I ask because that happened in our game Friday on a punt return - we (of course)thought it was clearly an IBB, but the LJ said the contact was on the side...however, our defender was spun completely around because the contact came on the back of the shoulder...so I'm trying to make sure I understand the IBB thing a little better for the future...

[Rich]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

So following the logic here...if the "blockee" does not fall to or get driven to the side, but instead the block spins them around (example, defender hit on right and is spun to left by the contact) then it is an IBB? I ask because that happened in our game Friday on a punt return - we (of course)thought it was clearly an IBB, but the LJ said the contact was on the side...however, our defender was spun completely around because the contact came on the back of the shoulder...so I'm trying to make sure I understand the IBB thing a little better for the future...

Back of the shoulder is NOT a block in the back. A rule of thumb is that the person receiving the block in the back must fall forward, otherwise, it's not a penalty. A "blockee" getting driven to the side is probably blocked in the side.

A block in the back must be inside the shoulders, below the helmet, and above the waist.

See 2-5-2 in the NFHS rules.

It's likely that a lot of legal blocks will blindside the player receiving the block. Those are the ones we always hear about from the coaches. Unless it's between the shoulder blades, though, it's legal.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

Back of the shoulder is NOT a block in the back. A rule of thumb is that the person receiving the block in the back must fall forward, otherwise, it's not a penalty. A "blockee" getting driven to the side is probably blocked in the side.

A block in the back must be inside the shoulders, below the helmet, and above the waist.

See 2-5-2 in the NFHS rules.

It's likely that a lot of legal blocks will blindside the player receiving the block. Those are the ones we always hear about from the coaches. Unless it's between the shoulder blades, though, it's legal.

Thanks Rich...makes sense. Is it safe to say that IBB's are pretty inconsistently called that way??

[Jim D]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

Back of the shoulder is NOT a block in the back. A rule of thumb is that the person receiving the block in the back must fall forward, otherwise, it's not a penalty. A "blockee" getting driven to the side is probably blocked in the side.

A block in the back must be inside the shoulders, below the helmet, and above the waist.

See 2-5-2 in the NFHS rules.

It's likely that a lot of legal blocks will blindside the player receiving the block. Those are the ones we always hear about from the coaches. Unless it's between the shoulder blades, though, it's legal.

I won't even go that far. If you hit a player on the shoulder he can, because of the angle of the block or due to his momentum, turn so the rest of the block is in the back. This would be a legal block.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Jim D

I won't even go that far. If you hit a player on the shoulder he can, because of the angle of the block or due to his momentum, turn so the rest of the block is in the back. This would be a legal block.

Good point. Same thing happens more frequently with blocks that appear to be IBBW. Contact starts high, then slides down. Legal.

As far as the other question goes, I'd say that quite a few of the IBBs I see flagged here are NOT IBB.

[mcrowder]

The ones that kill me are on longer breakaways where a defender turns away from an approaching block and faceplants. It's not a BIB if he turns his back into the block.

I think I've explained to enough of the local coaches the logic of watching how their kid goes down and that if he flies to the side, even if he didn't see it coming, it's NOT in the back.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: I'd venture to guess that the reason that your BJ and a lot of officials call an IBB when the contact is clearly from the side is because they don't see the whole play. In order to call this correctly, you need to see the approach of the blocker, the block itself, and the reaction of the player blocked. Another reason for making errors on this play is positioning--either being too close to the action or at a bad angle to see the whole play properly.