NCAA Football Blocking Rules
 

Ohio State vs Arkansas Game in Sugar Bowl. A Buckeye lineman was hit by a Razorback offensive lineman at the knees as DT was returning to the ground after trying to knock down a pass (which happened to be a TD). Was it legal to do this (assuming they were in the "legal blocking zone" ? The ball may have left the zone (1); and (2) blocking below the waist by the OL is allowable (I think) ONLY when the DL has one or both feet in contact with the ground. In this case he was in the air as contact was first made.

In and of it self, the block was legal. What makes it illegal in the eyes of several of us is that it appeared to be a cheap shot. Could have been penalized as unneccesary roughness but not as an illegal block below the waist

As described, this is legal. There are only a few times blocking below the waist is prohibited.

These are:

During downs where there is a legal kick

During all scrimmage downs, backs outside the tackle box and offensive linemen more than 7 yards from the ball at the snap cannot block back towards the original position of the ball unless more than 10 yards down field from the line of scrimmage.

As a part of high low combo block (chop block)


Other than these situations, it is legal. Note the blocking zone is irrelevant.

Do you think the rules against BBW were even meant to cover cases where the player being contacted is in the middle of a jump?

NCAA does not apply to an airbornw player

It is the same in NFHS.