Helping the runner

[paxsonref]

Take a look at these two videos...do you have anything here?

[JRutledge]

No and No.

Those are pushing the pile and I could make a case that the runner was not helped by anyone behind him.

Peace

[MD Longhorn]

No for both.

[InsideTheStripe]

No on both counts.

[paxsonref]

I generally agree with the responses so far, but when a coach sees this and asks you why its not a penalty, it gets tougher to respond, since the rule book wording and case play is pretty clear.... how much would the player have to do in order for you to make this call?

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by paxsonref

I generally agree with the responses so far, but when a coach sees this and asks you why its not a penalty, it gets tougher to respond, since the rule book wording and case play is pretty clear.... how much would the player have to do in order for you to make this call?

This is not the type of play the rule is trying to prevent. It has more to do with holding up a player about to go down or directly pulling a player forward.

[bcl1127]

Originally Posted by paxsonref

I generally agree with the responses so far, but when a coach sees this and asks you why its not a penalty, it gets tougher to respond, since the rule book wording and case play is pretty clear.... how much would the player have to do in order for you to make this call?

I think I have called this once, one time the player bear hugged the runner and pushed him forward, it was about as obvious as it could get from the Umpire spot...

In the plays shown above, I've got nothing.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by paxsonref

I generally agree with the responses so far, but when a coach sees this and asks you why its not a penalty, it gets tougher to respond, since the rule book wording and case play is pretty clear.... how much would the player have to do in order for you to make this call?

It is not hard at all. There are rules and interpretations of the rules. The NF could put out an interpretation that clearly makes this illegal and us video as they did when they added the Horse Collar rule. This is a rather routine play and happens in almost every game. If the NF or your state said this was a "helping the runner" foul, they would say it was. I really do not care what coaches think the rule means, because rules have interpretations too. If that was my concern then every time a coach tells me what they "think" a rule has been for years (Like when they can contact an eligible receiver) I would never stop worrying. And the NF uses Simplified and Illustrated Rulebooks and could have covered this for years to explain what officials were not doing well. They have yet to do such a thing and there is a reason. Helping the runner is picking up or lifting someone to gain yards. Pushing the pile has never been seen as that by the rules makers at any level.

Peace

[chapmaja]

[QUOTE=paxsonref;905492]Take a look at these two videos...do you have anything here?

I am not a football official (except flag football), but I also have nothing on this. I agree with those saying they are pushing the pile, which in my opinion, constitutes attempting to block players that are attempting to tackle the ball carrier.

I have seen aiding the runner called once in my lifetime. Homecoming at my HS and the opponent handed the ball off and as the play came down field, the RB cut back so a OL was right behind him. The OL just flat out 2 hand shoved him in the middle of the back for about 4 yards as a helpless (that was my HS's entire team for most of the last decade) defender tried making a tackle. The funny thing was nobody on the crew knew the signal, they just knew it happened.