Free Blocking Zone Federation Rules

[mbyron]

You're not talking about a chop block, which is always high/low and always illegal. You're talking about cutting, or a legal block below the waist.

NFHS 2-17:

ART. 1 . . . The free-blocking zone is a rectangular area extending laterally 4
yards either side of the spot of the snap and 3 yards behind each line of
scrimmage. A player is in the free-blocking zone when any part of his body is in
the zone at the snap.
ART. 2 . . . Blocking below the waist is permitted in the free-blocking zone
when the following conditions are met:
a. All players involved in the blocking are on the line of scrimmage and in the
zone at the snap.
b. The contact is in the zone.



The covering official must judge whether all the conditions on a legal block below the waist have been met. If your TE is in the zone and cuts on his initial charge at the snap, that will probably be a legal block below the waist. Notice that the defender need not be "opposite" the O-lineman.