Basic Spot for a Loose Ball Play.

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by whitehat

For many years this is one of those I wish the NF would change to match the college rule. Seems very unfair the way it is currently written, but we don't write them we just enforce them.

Allow me to suggest a reason why NFHS may has continued their perspective. Of course this in ony my personal speculation. Keep in mind, that a basic purpose of establishing penalties is to discourage certain behaviors.

A-1 drops back to pass, and is rushed. To avoid the defensive charge, A-1 retreats well beyond 10 yards behind the previous spot, and is in danger of being tackled for a significant loss. A-2 realizing the perdicament, and the danger of a significant loss of yardage decides to protect A-1 by whatever means necessary, which includes clearly holding B-1, now more than 20 yards behind the previous spot.

A-2, being a student of the game, considers; under the NCAA rules code, I might as well hold on to B-1 because if that's undetected I may save us from a significant loss of yardage, if A-1 gets a pass off and even if I'm caught holding, the damage will be limited to 10 yards behind the previous spot (which will actually regain back more than half of the actual yardage we'd otherwise lose).

If we're playing under NFHS rules, I better kick in up a full gear and make a proper block, or getting caught holding will take us all the way back 10 yards from the actual scene of my crime.

Or maybe it's just that more NFHS Rule Makers were defensive linemen in their younger days.