Peel Back Blocks

[Canned Heat]

Originally Posted by bigjohn

9-4-3g

ART. 3 . . . No player or nonplayer shall:
g. Make any other contact with an opponent which is deemed unnecessary
and which incites roughness.

Agreed that 9-4-3 could be used in a similar instance...(see Warren Sapp hit on Chad Clifton from a few years back, granted in the NFL)....This is a tough one to sell given the proximity of both players to the ball carrier. I have called this on a few occasions over the years on a play OBVIOUSLY away from the ball....I think almost all instances on a punt or kick return where a kid gave up chase 40 or more yards behind the ball carrier and a player on the receiving team cleaned him out with an unnecessary and violent shot.

If the block and blocking technique is completely legal and within the confines of the rule books, there is nothing here other than a hard football hit.

Not throwing stones, but I also question a thing or two in your statement.

1) Who is to say the kid gets screened for a split second instead of blocked out of the play and doesn't hustle to catch the ball carrier on a cut back or when held up by other defenders or his own blockers? Looking at the play when it is happening rather than after it is over are 2 very different things.

2) Assuming any hard hit automatically is concussion inducing is a bit far fetched, granted the kid that was the unfortunate recipient to the violent block was likely sore for a day or more. I don't think ANYONE here is in favor of concussions, but hard hits are part of the game and always will be.

I will add that the number of kids I've seen over the years with questionable helmet fitting is staggering.....to me that is key #1 to eliminating concussions in the lower levels.