Translation issues

[Sonofanump]

Originally Posted by dvasques

No Team A player may block an opponent until Team A is eligible to touch a free-kicked ball.

Does that really means that on an onside kick try, Team A players have to wait for the ball to cross the line so they can block Team B and attempt a recovery of the kick?

Yes it does. If you are working 7 man, you should each have a man or two that you are focusing on to make sure they don't get blocked early.

[Forksref]

Originally Posted by Sonofanump

Yes it does.

Rule reference?

[Sonofanump]

Originally Posted by Forksref

Rule reference?

6-1-2-h & all of 6-1-3a thru c.

What am I missing here?

[With_Two_Flakes]

Does that really means that on an onside kick try, Team A players have to wait for the ball to cross the line so they can block Team B and attempt a recovery of the kick?

Yes it really does mean that!!

Of course if Team B touch it before 10yds then Team A can recover and also can now legally block

It was a Rule change made in the early 1990's(??) due to one College teams onside kick play. I believe it was Hawaii(??) who had an onside kick play where the kicker would kick the ball and as it bobbled forward the other 10 Team A guys would surround it blocking Team B out of the way until it had gone 10yds when the kicker would fall on it. Usually only a handful of Team B players up front so it was 10 against 2 or 3 and the play was nearly always succesful. This Rule change made that tactic illegal. I'm sure I recall a BigTen official coming over to the UK to our Annual British Clinic back then and explaining the reasoning behind this Rule change.

I actually had this foul happen to my crew yesterday over here in the UK in a British College game and today I read a forum post about it, how wierd is that?
Definitely a Twilight Zone moment ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzlG28B-R8Y )


Judging by the Rules references that Forksref is giving, he is looking at the Fed rulebook, so I guess he missed that dvasques is talking about NCAA Rules.