Hurdling
 

I've searched for hurdling on this site and looked the rules book, haven't found a clear answer, and would like to pose this question. Is there ever a time when a player can legally jump, leap, hop, or bound over an opposing player without it being considered hurdling?

Definitions 2-22 "Hurdling is an attempt by a player to jump with one or both feet or knees foremost over an opponent who is contacting the ground with no part of his body except one or both feet." That pretty much says it all. Hurdling is a very rare call because most of the time it is perfectly legal to jump over a player due to how they are situated or what the jumping player is leading with.

Canadian Ruling
 

CANADIAN RULING:

Legal, as there is no rule that penalizes this action.

NFHS Rule 9 Sec. 4 Art. 3.d Hurdle an opponent. PF & 15 yards from the spot.

I think the key word in the definition is "foremost." It's an old time tactic of punishing the tackler by leading with your feet (spikes), sort of in memory of Ty Cobb. I saw it called one time in an NFL game and that is exactly what happened. The runner struck the tackler with both feet in the chest and head. I think a clearer definition would help.

Niner

I agree with your point about leading with the shoe and cleat and would guess that is the reason they made hurdling a penalty. I was really hoping for a bigger response to my original question, but I don't think jumping over a player is always considered hurdling. Ed pointed out by the definition it says that the person being hurdled must have a foot or both feet on the ground which, in most cases would make it a tall task for the hurdler.

Point is moot when you get to NCAA
 

You can hurdle a player with both feet on the ground... I think this really only pertains to NFHS.

Last I looked at this, which was a while ago, NCAA completely outlawed hurdling, which was then defined as an attempt to jump over an erect opponent, Fed allowed it if no contact was made, and NFL allowed it against an opponent in the neutral zone. The problem is that if contact is made, it will be the crotch of the hurdler against the head of the hurdled player, and as they come down, that player's neck will experience a lot of dorsiflexion and possibly compression.

Mike Battle of the Jets returning a punt hurdled a Giants player in a move that made his fame in an exhibition game, and his crotch did bowl over the hurdled player by the head. I think that was 1970. The rule against hurdling was considered a dead letter, apparently.

As to the other kind of move mentioned in this thread, I recall one CFL QB going horizontal in the air by taking off at the 5 yard line and karate-kicking high against an opponent on the goal line. No flag.

Robert