TE cut blocks

[HLin NC]

First we've got to break out of the "coachese"-

There is no "tackle box" in the Fed for the blocks nor the QB. We do have the "free blocking zone".

Cut block is another coaches term. Blocking below the waist (BBW) is how we would refer to it. Some defensive coaches think that all "cut blocks" are illegal. That isn't the case.

2-17- ART. 1 . . . The free-blocking zone is a rectangular area extending laterally 4 yards either side of the spot of the snap and 3 yards behind each line of scrimmage. A player is in the free-blocking zone when any part of his body is in the zone at the snap.

ART. 2 . . . Blocking below the waist is permitted in the free-blocking zone when the following conditions are met:

a. All players involved in the blocking are on the line of scrimmage and in the zone at the snap.

b. The contact is in the zone.

ART. 5 . . . The free-blocking zone disintegrates and the exception for a player 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.

[tomes1978]

Also the block below the waist has to be before the ball leaves the free blocking zone. So it has to happen quickly after the snap.

[JRutledge]

Also no block below the waist can be coupled with a high block (or a player being engaged with another opponent) if that low block is a delayed block. Which by definition is a chop block.

I agree there are all kinds of coach speak that coaches need to stop using when it has nothing to do with the rules. And when a TE is in the FBZ he is allowed to do anything that the others in that zone can do. But there are many teams that put their TE out of the zone, but nothing in the rule disallowing the TE from being in the zone.

Peace

[tomes1978]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Also no block below the waist can be coupled with a high block (or a player being engaged with another opponent) if that low block is a delayed block. Which by definition is a chop block.

I agree there are all kinds of coach speak that coaches need to stop using when it has nothing to do with the rules. And when a TE is in the FBZ he is allowed to do anything that the others in that zone can do. But there are many teams that put their TE out of the zone, but nothing in the rule disallowing the TE from being in the zone.

Peace

I'm a new official and was able to accompany a veteran crew to a scrimmage last weekend. One of the teams were so spread out that thier tackles were out of the FBZ. They never went low, but the ref let the coach know that they were too wide to go low. He argued and argued that it was a "tackle box". The ref finally just said I'm trying to help you out coach, if I were to see him go low in a game I would call it. I've been a youth coach for about 10 years and I thought I knew the rules, until I picked up the rule book this year to study for the test. I did get a 98% though, but no way if I did not study. I wonder what some of these coaches would get without picking up the rule book?

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by tomes1978

Also the block below the waist has to be before the ball leaves the free blocking zone. So it has to happen quickly after the snap.

I wouldn't make that statement, because compared to the length of time of many downs, the ball can frequently spend all or most of it in the FBZ. Better not to imply there's anything like a time limit on it.

[With_Two_Flakes]

2-17-2-a. All players involved in the blocking are on the line of scrimmage and in the zone at the snap.

As a bit of a novice at Fed Rules (we use NCAA Rules here in the UK), should I understand 2-17-2-a to mean that both the blocker and the blockee must have been on the LOS? So an O lineman could not legally BBW a linebacker who was within the FBZ but a couple of yards off the LOS?

Is the wording of 2-17-2 different to 2-17-3 and 2-17-4 so as to allow the D linemen to BBW the O linemen in the FBZ, but the D cannot clip or BIB?

[Welpe]

Two flakes, that is correct. Both offensive and defensive linemen may block below the waist if they meet the rest of the free blocking zone criteria. A defensive player is considered a linemen for these purposes if he is within a yard of his line of scrimmage at the snap.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

I wouldn't make that statement, because compared to the length of time of many downs, the ball can frequently spend all or most of it in the FBZ. Better not to imply there's anything like a time limit on it.

+1.

If it's a shotgun snap, the block must be immediate (no delay) in order to meet the spirit of the FBZ / rule. At least that's how it's interpreted most places.

[BroKen62]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

+1.

If it's a shotgun snap, the block must be immediate (no delay) in order to meet the spirit of the FBZ / rule. At least that's how it's interpreted most places.

In my state (MS) this is the proper interpretation. If a lineman steps back then cuts, it's illegal. If he's gonna cut, he must fire off low at the snap if the snap is a shotgun-type.

Also, b/c the fbz is defined as 6x8, we don't refer to it as a tackle box. The general rule is that if the splits are tight or regular, the TE is in the box at the snap. If the splits are extraordinarily wide, it's possible for the TE to be outside the box.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by BroKen62

If the splits are extraordinarily wide, it's possible for the TE to be outside the box.

If the end is out of the FBZ, he's not really tight, is he.

[BroKen62]

Originally Posted by mbyron

If the end is out of the FBZ, he's not really tight, is he.

Very true!

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

I wouldn't make that statement, because compared to the length of time of many downs, the ball can frequently spend all or most of it in the FBZ. Better not to imply there's anything like a time limit on it.

3 yards is not that far - especially when you consider that the QB is likely about 4-5 feet behing the LOS. 1 step back or 2 diagonally back, and the ball is out of the zone. I'd say "quickly" is almost always right.