The OP said the player was pulling THE PILE. I assumed this meant "not the runner". The rule you describe makes it illegal to pull the teammate IN POSSESSION OF A LIVE BALL... but not just some random player in the pile.

Westwood Rams vs Firebirds Seniors - Chris Push the Pile - YouTube

Red #39

Uh, Red #39 peels back to block BJ.

Guess again.

red #39 is pulling the pile!
It is not illegal because he is on defense, but he is pulling the pile! :D

There should be a flag on this play though and most of you would not throw it. More than one A player is pushing the pile and helping the runner.

That is the spirit of the rule.

The rule is the rule as written in the rule book, you have no idea what the "spirit" of the rule is. No one was directly helping the runner, thus no flag, I would hope no official would throw a flag on this play as there is no reason for one.

If you're on offense, who are you allowed to pull? Some player away from the play, OK. We had a goofy play in touch football where receivers interlaced elbows and did a 360 before separating...that would be legal. But who in cx with a pile could you legally pull on? You can't use your hands & arms to interlock in interference for the runner, and you can't pull a defender away from the runner -- or towards the runner, for that matter. Who does that leave?

They've had a long time to say so in the rules, analogously to forced touching situations in relationship to the ball, but they haven't, so I assume they want to keep it legal. A defender turns his back to you in making the tackle just as you get there, or you work your way around in contact from his side to his back, then you can block him in the back, and that winds up xmitting force to the runner in this example, nothing you can do about it in the rules. I would say that if you approached from behind and the tackler already clearly had his back to you as you approached so that your initial contact was with his back, you should be flagged for that.

#2 and 32 are directly contacting the runner in the video I posted.
Like I said most officials won't call it. I watched the OHSAA state finals 2 years ago and saw it 5 times in one game where the FB came up and pushed the QB toward the goal line. No call, the next year I believe it was a POE. :rolleyes:

You need you eyes checked, #2 is pushing a RED player who is between him and the runner, and #32 is not pushing at all, more like standing there watching with his hands out. shame on anyone who thinks this is helping the runner.

The big surge came from those not in direct contact but 32 and 2 both had a hand on the runner, pushing. that is all the rule says, not how hard.

And the Pac-10 officials didn't have the stones to call the Bush Push:

USC Steals One At South Bend! (2005) - YouTube

Indeed, I've yet to see it called at the college level. If they won't call it when it is that clear and blatant, why would they call it on a pile?

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

Maybe even a pull.

It is no such thing. People push "the pile" all the time. Surely you don't mean that if you can't get to the runner, you must back off and wait your turn...

The rule says you can't push THE RUNNER. (Like Reggie Bush was pushed in the ND-USC game a few years back). Pushing the pile is NOTHING. You can't get on the ballcarrier and just push him.

I see what you see, but you might want to reread the exact words of the rule. This (your video) is not illegal either.

9 other players. 41% of the people on the field.