Defense block below waist

[Refsmitty]

ART. 5 . . . The free-blocking zone disintegrates and the exception for a player
Rule 2-18 2009 NFHS Football Rules Page 30
to block below the waist and/or the exception for an offensive lineman to clip
and/or block in the back is not to continue after the ball has left the zone.

What exactly is meant by the ball leaving the zone. Once snapped in a shotgun formation - has it left the zone? Once snapped and the QB turns to hand it back to a runner - has it left the zone?

[Welpe]

Once the ball is no longer in the free blocking zone, the zone disintergrates for the down. Even if the ball leaves for a second. Yes you are correct that on a snap that goes outside the zone, the zone is gone.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Refsmitty

What exactly is meant by the ball leaving the zone. Once snapped in a shotgun formation - has it left the zone? Once snapped and the QB turns to hand it back to a runner - has it left the zone?

It means the actual position of the ball w.r.t. the FBZ. However, some state assocs. have adopted interpret'ns deeming an immediate block whose motion begins at the snap to beat the snap's leaving the FBZ, and IIRC at least one state deems the snap's leaving the FBZ to beat all contact.

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

It means the actual position of the ball w.r.t. the FBZ. However, some state assocs. have adopted interpret'ns deeming an immediate block whose motion begins at the snap to beat the snap's leaving the FBZ, and IIRC at least one state deems the snap's leaving the FBZ to beat all contact.

The case book also supports this interpretation so it's not just a state thing. I always tell linemen if they are in shotgun formation, there had better not be any delay in a cut block if they want to do it legally. It's usually not a problem.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

The case book also supports this interpretation

"This interpretation"? I gave two, the opposite of each other.