Find the illegal block! (video play)

I see 4 potential blocks in the back, although 2 of them look to be either good blocks or there isn't enough on the screen to determine if they are blocks in the back. 1st one is the one everyone is talking about, the one on the 30 in front of the HL. But from the original post, the play was replayed at the 30, so that can't be the one they worked from.

Second one I see is the one Ed found, at the 40 on the HL side. That has to be the one because of the location of the ensuing spot. However, I'll agree with Welpe that the camera doesn't show it very well to determine if it was a block in the back. One of those HTBT moments.

Third one looks like a block on the back, but because of the camera angle, it looks like a good block on the side, is around the 48 on the LJ side. It's the same defender that supposedly gets nailed in the back on the 45 (looks more like the 43) that refbuz was talking about. I would say either of those couldn't be it because of the ensuing spot after the penalty enforcement, and since TerpZebra said the referee said that the linesman threw the flag.

This play had penalty written all over it from the moment the reverse started, and really turned south on the offense penalty-wise the moment the flanker decided to reverse course and go the other way. As a former coach, I wouldn't have been shocked if just about EVERY official on the field had his flag down for something on that play.

[JRutledge]

The block in the back I saw was at the top of the screen with the slot receiver before the ball reversed to the bottom of the screen. I am not sure what others saw, but that was clear as day to me. Of course the officials on the field had a better look, but from our angle I see that as a BIB all the way.

Peace

[Mike L]

I see a whole lot of "almosts" there but nothing I'd throw a flag on. Our BIB's are to be clear contact directly in the back, which I don't see anywhere on this video.
TXMike brings up a good point about a block away from the POA, it's at one hash while the ball is at the other, but I'd think with this play I'd be wondering if that's callable, and if I "wonder" or "think" it's a foul, then the flag stays home.

[Ray_from_Mi]

The slot receiver looks like the guilty party. As he makes contact with the other player note where his helmet is (on the backside of the player) I believe this could be not only BIB, but also a crackback block. Correct me if that's not the case. The other possible BIB is as the offensive player is running down the sideline a few blockers come in and w/o the best field position and one appears to push the defense to the sideline.

[MJT]

Originally Posted by Ray_from_Mi

The slot receiver looks like the guilty party. As he makes contact with the other player note where his helmet is (on the backside of the player) I believe this could be not only BIB, but also a crackback block. Correct me if that's not the case. The other possible BIB is as the offensive player is running down the sideline a few blockers come in and w/o the best field position and one appears to push the defense to the sideline.

Ray, it makes no difference where the blockers helmet is. This is a common misconception that should not be a determining factor. Now, if the head is in front, I'd say it is probably impossible for a block to be a BIB, but it is not one just cuz the head is behind the side.

2-5-2 Blocking in the back is a block against an opponent when the initial contact is in the opponent’s back, inside the shoulders and below the helmet and above the waist, and not against a player who is a runner or pretending to be a runner.

The block at the .06 mark IMO is legal cuz it is from the side and is not inside the shoulders. Another good thing to help determine if a potential block is a BIB is how the player falls. If the contact is in the "back" the player will often fall on his stomach. Now, not always but it can be a helpful factor in making the call. In the block at .06, the player falls on his left side, which could help indicate the block was on the right side, not in the back.

[Reffing Rev.]

I observe and evaluate a lot of games. If the crew called the slot back's block in the back at the 32 I wouldn't say anything, and if I was the R on this game and saw that from his angle I would flag it, the blocker made initial contact on the back below the neck above the waist and between the shoulders. If I observed a crew with the call at the 40 I would have the HL re-read the definition of the BIB. As I saw that contact was legal. It looked ugly because two players went down, but dominos do fall that way.

[Reffing Rev.]

Originally Posted by Ray_from_Mi

I believe this could be not only BIB, but also a crackback block. Correct me if that's not the case.

Can someone please define what people mean by crackback block. I can't find an illegal crack back block anywhere in my rule books. I hear it a lot, but cant find it anywhere.

Several years ago my first season doing varsity I was working at BJ and A ran a sweep to my right and I was keying off that side receiver who on the snap made a b line towards the B linebackers. I had my eye on him as he hit with his shoulder on the numbers on the front of the jersey (at full speed with great force) the team B linebacker who was running full speed with his head turned watching the ball carrier. Needless to say the linebacker had the wind knocked out of him and trainers and the hc came out to help him off the field and the hc looked straight at me and yelled the entire way out to the field that I missed the most obvious crack back block he had ever seen. At halftime we talked about the play and our wh asked what I saw and I told him just what I said, and he said good call. We left our lockerroom and the hc of that team was in the hallway outside the gym and as we passed him by he continued at me, You (words I should not repeat) I have never seen an official miss such an obvious crack back block." And our wh who was about 75 years old said, "Hey Bob he didn't miss anything, but you missed the definition of an illegal block." Needless to say Bob watched the second half from the team school bus in the parking lot.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by Reffing Rev.

Can someone please define what people mean by crackback block. I can't find an illegal crack back block anywhere in my rule books. I hear it a lot, but cant find it anywhere.

I think CBBs are near the same in any code: it's when a WR comes back towards the ball and blocks a B player below the waist.

In Canada, the CBB area is 5 yards ahead of the LS, back to A's dead ball line. In addition, if before the snap, the WR was always less than 3 yards from the tackle, then no CBB.

[MJT]

Originally Posted by Reffing Rev.

Can someone please define what people mean by crackback block. I can't find an illegal crack back block anywhere in my rule books. I hear it a lot, but cant find it anywhere.

You cannot find it in the rule book, cuz it is a word used to describe a "real rule book" term, the BBW. It is kind of like how they use the term lateral for a backwards pass.

When someone refers to a crack back block, they are referring to a block by a receiver back towards the location of the ball which is usually against a defensive end or outside linebacker. It is a block that needs to be seen as it may often be illegal if they go low and then you have the BBW, which they are calling an illegal crack back block.

[grantsrc]

I think the first block by the slot receiver is an IBW. Watch the way the defender falls. If it was truly a side block, he wouldn't land on his face/stomach like that. I watched it twice slow and thought it was clean but in full speed it is clearer. Hard to believe because of his angle that he got the back.

My question is though, I never saw the H throw a flag on that block and using enforcement, that wouldn't be foul he called. It would appear that it is the late block that causes one or two to fall towards the top of the screen. The block/contact had nothing to do with the play and isn't overly flagrant. I think a talk-to would be in order for that. And FWIW, the contact here looks to be from the side.