free blocking zone

[NorCalRef12]

Originally Posted by FTVMartin

Both a and b players need to have started on the line in order to take advantage of the free blocking zone. i.e. You may not block a linebacker below the waist even though he started in the zone because he was not on the LOS at the snap.

You can clip and BBW a linebacker as long as the A player is in the zone is on his LOS and in the zone at the snap AND the linebacker is within 1 yard of the LOS at the snap. If a B player is within 1 yard of the LOS, they are considered to be on the line.

2-17-2; 2-17-3; 2-25-3

On another note, if A is in a shotgun formation, any of the blocks that are allowed in the free blocking zone must occur on the initial burst. Even though the ball has probably left the zone by the time the block occurs, NFHS has interpreted that the ball is considered to be in the zone if the block occurs on the initial charge.

CB 2-17-2 Sit. E