New helmet rule

[jTheUmp]

Keep in mind that a player can be fouled, and have his helmet come off, and still have to come out of the game for one play.

For example:
A55 clips B70. B70 falls to the ground, which causes B70's helmet to come off.

Even though B70 was fouled, the foul was not what caused B70's helmet to come off, so B70 still needs to sit out a play.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

Keep in mind that a player can be fouled, and have his helmet come off, and still have to come out of the game for one play.

For example:
A55 clips B70. B70 falls to the ground, which causes B70's helmet to come off.

Even though B70 was fouled, the foul was not what caused B70's helmet to come off, so B70 still needs to sit out a play.

That's not what the rule says.

If the foul is directly contributle to the helmet coming off, he does not have to sit a play. Nowhere does it say there must be a facemask or illegal helmet contact foul in order for the player to stay. End of story.

If he's clipped, falls awkwardly and his helmet comes off, I am not making home sit a play. He was fouled which caused his helmet to come off.

[ddn]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

That's not what the rule says.

If he's clipped, falls awkwardly and his helmet comes off, I am not making home sit a play. He was fouled which caused his helemt to come off. End of story.

I don't agree with this. If the intention of the rule is to "punish" the player for an improperly fitted helmet, I would like to think that a properly fitted helmet would be able to stay on whenever a players helmet hits the ground.

I'm making him sit.


However, think about the situation in which a player is violently blocked-in-the-back, and the player's head whiplash causes the helmet to come off. If somehow he is not injured, do you make him sit? I think in this case a properly fitted helmet should stay on.

Here's the rule: "The helmet comes completely off during the down without being directly attributable to a foul by an opponent."

I take "directly attributable" to mean that the players helmet was involved, either by being hit, grasped, pulled, punched, kicked, batted, ...... BTW, had the same player's helmet come off twice in my first game. Coach was clueless on the new rule. I was not surprised even though we mentioned it pre-game.

[CT1]

In our state:

If the player is fouled, and the foul is called, he doesn't have to sit out a play.

Period.

[bigjohn]

Happened friday night. Our kid (a lineman)gets his helmet pulled off by an opponent. "Didn't see the facemask coach but your kid sits!"

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by bigjohn

Happened friday night. Our kid (a lineman)gets his helmet pulled off by an opponent. "Didn't see the facemask coach but your kid sits!"

Correct procedure.

[Tom.OH]

Originally Posted by bigjohn

Happened friday night. Our kid (a lineman)gets his helmet pulled off by an opponent. "Didn't see the facemask coach but your kid sits!"

John, does the same asst. Coach that yells "holding" on every play the other team runs, now yell "facemask" on every play you run on offence?

[bigjohn]

Yeah, I always have him stand near the linesman who keeps saying, "3 in the box coach!"

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

If he's clipped, falls awkwardly and his helmet comes off, I am not making home sit a play. He was fouled which caused his helemt to come off. End of story.

I have to disagree with this as well. The rule to my knowledge has always been about a foul that involves the head or the helmet, not a none helmet related foul. At least that is the case in both college and high school where both have a similar rule in place. The only difference in the college rule is that a player could potentially be penalized for participating without a helmet. Not no where has it said that a hold, clip or a block below the waist would result in not applying this helmet rule.

Peace

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

End of story.

Not so fast. He's sitting.

[bisonlj]

I think some are trying to make this rule much more complicated than it is. The intent of this rule was to get players to properly fit their helmets because for some reason they haven't been doing this lately. If you can slip your helmet on easily with one hand, it is not properly fitted. Look at most of the players who are losing their helmets and this is what is happening.

Your helmet should not come off period during a play. This rule did give an exception to situations where someone grabs the helmet and rips it off or in situations where a helmet is contacted directly by another helmet. Any other situation is the result of someone not wearing their helmet properly.

Tighten the helmet and strap it on properly or you may end up sitting out a play.

[BktBallRef]

You guys have been around long enough to know that it's difficult to write new rules without some ambiguity. Sit him if you like but our state conducted the study last year that led to this rule and our state rep was deeply involved in getting the rule added. It is not the intent of the rule to sit players who lose their helmet because they were fouled.

Do what you're told to do in your area.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

You guys have been around long enough to know that it's difficult to write new rules without some ambiguity. Sit him if you like but our state conducted the study last year that led to this rule and our state rep was deeply involved in getting the rule added. It is not the intent of the rule to sit players who lose their helmet because they were fouled.

Do what you're told to do in your area.

That may all be true, but the language we were giving is the foul had to be the result of the helmet coming off. If that was not how they worded the rule than shame on them. I would not consider a holding foul where no helmet contact is involved or a take down as a result of a hold applies. I will ask around but that is what we were told I am almost positive and what we were told for college for sure.

Peace

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

You guys have been around long enough to know that it's difficult to write new rules without some ambiguity. Sit him if you like but our state conducted the study last year that led to this rule and our state rep was deeply involved in getting the rule added. It is not the intent of the rule to sit players who lose their helmet because they were fouled.

Do what you're told to do in your area.

I appreciate what you're saying, but the rule says that the helmet coming off must be "directly attributable" to a foul. It's the same rule as NCAA football and (1) my HS state office and (2) my NCAA group has said it must be a foul that directly removes the helmet -- pretty much either a face mask foul or illegal helmet contact only. An example given was roughing the passer -- if it's just a late hit where the timing was the reason for the foul (and wasn't a blow to the head), why would we let the player stay when if the hit was a second earlier, we'd make him leave?

As you said, do what you're told to do, but I think your state is in the minority.