Holding or not

[Ed Hickland]

Originally posted by sm_bbcoach
Got into a "conversation" with a coach this past weekend. He cornered me at another conference and began to aksd how and why. We called Holding on his line about 7 times in a game. The linemen would inital charge and hit open hands at the chest area. Then slide down to their knees, wrap or encircle them(clasping hands on back side: umpire noticed this second play of game told them to not do this) then brought the d-linemen down; ie tackled.
Please inform me if I am wrong and I will eat my crow. BUT is this HOLDING????????? I think so, coach says i am nuts. It is not. O line men CAN do this. I have looked in the rules/case books (NF rules) and can not find anything to support it.
Thanks!

This sounds like a play for a training film on holding!

I would tell the coach the initial charge is just fine. The problem occurs when the lineman grasps his opponent (9-2-1c) in an effort to restrain his movement. Blocking is just that, blocking, not stopping by holding. If I stand in your way and keep moving to remain in your way that is blocking. When I place my hand(s) on you to stop you, that is holding.

Sounds like this is a problem with coaching, that is, a coach who teaches such techniques as legal while in reality they are illegal.