Rule Reference Question - OPI on try

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Cobra

That is a good reason to keep it as it is. The basic spot is the end of the run so it would be 2nd and 19 or 1st and 29. Your way it would be 2nd and 19 or 1st and 20. Essentially it is a one yard penalty. If the blocker thinks he is going to give up a sack he might as well just hold the guy.



But the other codes give more of an advantage to the offense while NF rules remain more balanced. Read the part below from the Football Handbook, other rule codes allow the QB to throw the ball away and it woks ok for them, but it is just another way of favoring the offense. I prefer the NF way.

When the defensive team forces a passer into a position from which he cannot safely deliver the ball to an eligible teammate and he is unable to escape the defensive confinement, the defensive team has accomplished its objective. If the passer is permitted to intentionally incomplete a forward pass without penalty, except for the immediate “spiking,” and thus avoid loss of yardage, the official by his poor judgment or lack of it, has taken away an advantage which was fairly earned.

It may just be a philosophical difference. I would prefer tilting the scales in favor of the offense a bit more at the HS level.

I would also eliminate the dead ball enforcement on simple encroachment. No reason that the defense shouldn't have a chance to get back and no reason the offense shouldn't get a free play in that situation (assuming the encroachment is on the defense, which is the case a majority of the time).