Hitting in the facemask

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I am not so sure I agree with that statement. The ball carrier is allowed to use their arms to protect themselves unlike anyone else. Never read anything that suggest they cannot "throw their arm" at a defender when the defender is running at them.

Peace

I'll post the relevant NCAA citations but they are no different from Fed.

9-1-2

ARTICLE 2. a. No person subject to the rules shall strike an opponent with the knee; strike an opponent’s helmet (including the face mask) ,
neck, face or any other part of the body with an extended forearm, elbow, locked hands, palm, fist, or the heel, back or side of the open hand;
or gouge an opponent (A.R.9-1-2-I).


AR 9-1-2-II

A1, a ball carrier, strikes tackler B6 with his extended forearm just before being tackled.

RULING: Personal foul. Penalty—15 yards.

Enforce from the previous spot if foul occurs behind the neutral zone. Disqualification if flagrant. Safety if the foul occurs behind Team A’s goal line.



The case play says the forearm and not an open hand but it is the same principle under the rule. Not even the ball carrier can strike or deliver a blow to a defender. Now I will couch that by saying I think it has to be obvious the ball carrier is delivering a blow and not warding off a defender. I'd want to see something like the ball carrier winding up and striking the defender.

If the ball carrier just sticks his arm out and the defender violently runs into it with his helmet, that is not enough for a foul in my opinion.