Hurdling

[JRod37]

I think I blew a hurdling call last night. I did not realize the Federation rule was so specific on the exact type of jumping needed to fit the definition of a hurdle.

Rule(s):
Rule 2, Section 22: Hurdling
Hurdling is an attempt by a player to jump (hurdle) with one or both feet or knees foremost over an opponent who is contacting the ground with no part of his body except one or both feet.

Rule 9, Section 4: Illegal Personal Contact
Article 3d: "No player or non-player shall hurdle an opponent."
PENALTY: Other personal fouls (Arts. 3a through g) – (S38) – 15 yards;

SITUATION (I am LJ):
Score is about 49-0 in the 4th quarter (running time), A is leading. (I know the score shouldn't matter, but it's helpful to note.) 2nd and 10. A runs a toss to my side. B attempts a tackle in the backfield. Runner A jumps into the air to avoid the tackle. A avoids the tackle and runs about 20 yards for a first down. I call "hurdling," 15 yards personal foul.

B may or may not have been on the ground. My memory is a little foggy on the specifics only because I didn't realize that I needed to consider all of the specifics. I assumed it was just jumping over any opponent - period.

My memory tells me that A's right leg was straight down and left leg was bent at the knee with the knee also straight down, kind of like the defender's body in this photo: http://cowboys.beloblog.com/archives/catch.jpg. Neither B's status nor A's feet/knees were part of my thought process so I don't remember. They weren't part of my thought process because as I said above I didn't realize both of those things were part of the definition of hurdling.

I believe I got the call wrong since my memory tells me that A did not have knee or feet as the foremost part of his body when jumping. For the sake of argument and discussion, let's say that my memory is correct.

A was my sideline. I told R the penalty and then immediately went to the coach, assuming his reaction was going to be "WTF!?" I explained, "It's a rule not many people know about. It's a penalty at this level for a runner to hurdle a tackler." He was fine with the explanation I gave and everyone quickly moved on. (By the way, I realize my explanation was correct within the bounds of the rule, but it's more of a question of whether the action on the play fit the definition of hurdling.)

On the next play A ran for about a 70-yard touchdown.

Since hurdling isn't called often I'm curious if anyone else has been in a similar situation.

[cmathews]

Jrod...whether right or wrong, I am sure you know that you have committed the most basic foul of all by an official. Know what it is you are calling, especially when it is an abscure rule with a large penalty....that said a couple things to consider. Hurdling is a safety concern. Not for the hurdler but rather for the hurdlee...The knees cause a lot of damage when they crash into a helmet, therefore to try and prevent injury to (usually defenders) hurdling is not allowed. The definitions are there to make sure that the knees are leading as that is what causes the injuries...now don't get tooooo caught up in the actual pose or position of the players. If it looked like it could have caused an injury, you are probably correct in protecting the defender....as to whether or not it was correct only you will know for sure, but I have been officiating for 14 yrs, and have never called it or seen it called, and only heard of it once..

[JRod37]

Thanks for the thoughts, CM. Appreciated. You're totally right, I should have known the rule if calling it. Unfortunately I thought I did know the rule. Now I KNOW that I know the rule.

I emailed with my U this morning who was in position to see the play through his key. He remembers the positioning of B, and B was not on the ground. His comment to me was, "I don't recall anything about the runner's feet or knees though, but I have a hard time thinking he could have pulled off the move he made if his feet/knees weren't in front of the rest of his body."

I'm going to find the tape.

[MD Longhorn]

Were you on ESPN yesterday?

This exact call was screwed up on one of the top plays which came from a high school game where a runner jumped over a player. A) said player was partially on the ground, and B) The part of the runner's body that went over the defender was, shall we say, more centrally located than his feet or knees.

[jTheUmp]

I'm the umpire on jRod37's crew.

No, we were not on ESPN yesterday... I'm pretty sure ESPN wouldn't broadcast a 56-0 game.

As I remember seeing the play, the B player was upright, with only his feet touching the ground, in a good "breakdown" position ready to make the tackle.

I had two reactions: "Wow, I can't believe he managed to jump over the defender like that", followed almost immediately by "isn't that considered hurdling?"

If/when we do get a hold of the game tape, this is one of the plays I definitely want to review.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

I'm the umpire on jRod37's crew.

No, we were not on ESPN yesterday... I'm pretty sure ESPN wouldn't broadcast a 56-0 game.

Not the whole game - just the hurdling highlight on Top Plays.

[Welpe]

Aaa cmathews said, don't get too wrapped up in the pose if the runner. The rule is written so that a head first dive or similar over an opponent is legal. What you need to be concerned with is the feet or knees. If those are leading the way then you probably have a foul. Think of the way a track hurdler goes over hurdles, same thing really.

But, be knowing. You probably won't see it again for a long time but you will be ready.

[Eastshire]

If a player who is running jumps over anything and lands on his feet and continues to run, short of doing a somersault in the air, I'm having a hard time seeing how he could lead with anything other than a foot or a knee.

Any way of leading with the upper body would put you seriously off-balance, making it difficult to keep your feet let alone continue running. Obviously it's difficult to know without seeing the play, but given he ran an additional 20 yards, I think it's very likely he had to have hurdled the player.

[Canned Heat]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

Were you on ESPN yesterday?

This exact call was screwed up on one of the top plays which came from a high school game where a runner jumped over a player. A) said player was partially on the ground, and B) The part of the runner's body that went over the defender was, shall we say, more centrally located than his feet or knees.

I saw those as well...didn't see any hankies, either.

[Canned Heat]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

If a player who is running jumps over anything and lands on his feet and continues to run, short of doing a somersault in the air, I'm having a hard time seeing how he could lead with anything other than a foot or a knee.

Any way of leading with the upper body would put you seriously off-balance, making it difficult to keep your feet let alone continue running. Obviously it's difficult to know without seeing the play, but given he ran an additional 20 yards, I think it's very likely he had to have hurdled the player.

He literally "hurdled" the player and did have a lead leg in doing so. The B player, who looked to be a DB was in position and was hung out to dry but standing totally upright and the runner jumped and completely cleared the DB. I have yet to ever see a play where a ball carrier cleared any kind of height like that. It was like Walter Payton doing his famous leap over the D-line...except landing on his feet.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Canned Heat

I saw those as well...didn't see any hankies, either.

There was... not only was there a flag, but the announcer reading the top plays informed the viewer that "unfortunately, where this game was played, hurdling is illegal".

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Canned Heat

He literally "hurdled" the player and did have a lead leg in doing so. The B player, who looked to be a DB was in position and was hung out to dry but standing totally upright and the runner jumped and completely cleared the DB. I have yet to ever see a play where a ball carrier cleared any kind of height like that. It was like Walter Payton doing his famous leap over the D-line...except landing on his feet.

The reason he cleared him is the same as the reason I think this was not a foul. He did not lead with the knees or feet. His legs were spread. If they hadn't been, he would definitely have kneed this guy in the helmet - he didn't jump literally 6 feet up. He spread his legs and went over the defender as if dunking a ball, and then kept running.

[JRod37]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

The reason he cleared him is the same as the reason I think this was not a foul. He did not lead with the knees or feet. His legs were spread. If they hadn't been, he would definitely have kneed this guy in the helmet - he didn't jump literally 6 feet up. He spread his legs and went over the defender as if dunking a ball, and then kept running.

I suppose it depends on your definition of "foremost". Does foremost assume "downfield"? Is foremost simply in any direction from the player parallel to the ground? Is foremost assume in the direction that the player is running/moving? If so, is it possible to hurdle if you just jump straight up and come straight back down? If foremost does mean downfield, then is it possible to hurdle if you're running towards your own goal line? Remember, it doesn't HAVE to be the runner. It's any player or non-player.

I'm not saying it was or wasn't. These are just some things that came to me as I was thinking about the situation where a player does a spread eagle like in the play you're talking about.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by JRod37

SITUATION (I am LJ):
Score is about 49-0 in the 4th quarter (running time), A is leading. (I know the score shouldn't matter, but it's helpful to note.) 2nd and 10. A runs a toss to my side. B attempts a tackle in the backfield. Runner A jumps into the air to avoid the tackle. A avoids the tackle and runs about 20 yards for a first down.

CANADIAN RULING:

Legal. Hurdling is not a foul.

[bisonlj]

Almost threw my first hurdling flag tonight on a try when the R player hurdled the line and almost blocked the kick. The guys he hurdled though were lying on the ground so it was legal.