"Proper" according to whom? (Our state gives the R the option to be on either side in 4 or 5-man.)

The number of times I have to rule on a QB's arm going forward (or not) in a season is very small. The number of times I can't judge that from the opposite side is miniscule, if ever. The key is to be deep enough initially, then move to get a good angle. This also allows the R to maintain his view of the off-side tackle.

In the play shown in the OP, the QB actually rolls past where I would initially be as the R, which would put me on his passing arm side when the ball is released. I'd be in good position to cover a sweep to the wide side, and be close enough to help on a run into the short sideline.

What is your state? Honestly, in all my time doing this, today is the first I've heard of this not being universal.

That said, if being on the throwing side was not preferable and normal (here at least), and we were told to switch sides based on which hash the ball is on, I'd put the R on the SHORT side, not the wide side. For about 6 reasons.

After the word, jersey, you are 100% wrong. The defender was not restricted, and was going down anyway.

At this point in the game, you have to MAKE IT BIG, or ignore it. Call that on my crew and you won't be working in the playoffs with us.

I saw this too and its a very important observation: don't bail a team out when they have a chance to make a play and don't. This may not be absolute (15 yard "dangerous" foul, for example, happens), but if you think of it as a philosophy, you'll make better calls.

A similar scenario in basketball: player driving to the hole and is a bit ahead of himself. Loses his balance and throws up a prayer, then goes down. Sure, there was contact (can't really drive without contact) but he's out of control, and not due to the contact. Don't bail him out by calling a foul -- a shooting foul of all things.

A hold is one where EVERYONE agrees it's a hold. It's those that cause your jaw to drop on what a player does. Did I say it has to be HUGE? If 100 people view a play and 99 think it's a hold. Guess what, it's not. I want my holding calls to have all 100 agree it's a hold. That's how big in needs to be. If you follow that philosophy you will achieve a great deal of consistency in your calls.

According to the NFHS and according to the Referee Mechanics guide I happen to have here.

First time I've heard of this option. I've never heard of it at other levels, either.

I've got a hold. In the games that I work, this would be among the easiest calls of the night.

However, our mechanics would make it difficult to catch this. It would easiestly be called by the U or wing, though I bet the wing was had no view on this play. An experience R could catch this too.

This was definately a hold. Would like to think I would catch it. My real question is with the play going to the U's right, why is he still in the middle of the field. There is no way he could see anything from that far away.

He sprints out left and has the ball gripped in his right hand to throw. It is definitely a RH quarterback.

I have always been told ANY
contact outside the FRAMEWORK of the Blocker's body is illegal.


b. Open hand technique. The hand(s) shall be:
1. In advance of the elbow.
2. Inside the frame of the blocker’s body; the frame of the blocker’s body
is the front of the body at or below the shoulders


SECTION 2 ILLEGAL USE OF HANDS AND HOLDING
ART. 1 . . . An offensive player (except the runner) shall not:
a. Use a blocking technique which is not permissible by rule. (See 2-3-2, 3)

PENALTY: Illegal use of hands or arms (Arts. 1a, 2, 3a, b, d) – (S42); interlocked
blocking (Art. 1b) – (S44); holding (Arts. 1c; 3c) – (S42) – 10 yards.

True. Using that technique makes a player liable for a flag. But it must also be near the point of attack and meet the other criteria for a blocking foul to be called.

And you know that, and wouldn't want your team flagged for a little jersey pull by a WR on the opposite side of the field from the play.

I know in our game friday night a hold just like that called a td back and we lost 29-28 but hey that is life in the big leagues. Left Guard.

Wish we had you guys at U friday night.



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I guess I got my Holding call!!! :eek:

That's a long shot, and it's not easy to see in the video what your lineman did. But of course on a pass play, interior linemen holding/restricting the defense IS at the point of attack, so assuming there was a hold it would be a good flag.

What's the issue?

I have to agree with RadioBlue on this one. It looks to me like #70 pulled the jersey at the shoulder and twisted the defender away from the QB preventing him from making a play. Had I seen it I would have flagged it.

That being said, Bison is correct about who is going to see this one. This is a pretty long play with 22 players spread across the field. The LM, LJ and BJ are all focused on the players downfield and the R has to decide if the QB was down or not. I would be hardpressed to blame anyone if this call were missed.