One of the rule change proposals by the NFHS would eliminate the free blocking zone. Their reason is that eliminating cut blocking would help reduce the number of knee/leg injuries. This is a major change and the coaches, and even the IHSAA are fighting it. Bad idea IMO. Are there really that many injuries because of cut blocking? Does this hurt the little guy that has no hands/speed (or young guy) and is put on the line? Hopefully this doesn't pass.
Free Blocking Zone gone?
- Thread starter Parker D
- Start date
All for this rule. Seen too many illegal blocks missed because of this. Among them LBs blitzing and getting their knees taken out. If you have a younger or slower guy than the d lineman in front of you, I guess defense wins until he learns to block better
This post was edited on 1/15 2:45 PM by rkhemp
This post was edited on 1/15 2:45 PM by rkhemp
I don't agree that you should change a rule because the officials miss the call. Coaches from 8-Man through 4A are nearly unanimously against this. That's enough for me. The cut block is actually expanded to the entire field at the next level. Why take it away at this one?
I know of several HS coaches that want this rule changed. I don't mind it in college or the NFL. When you are under scholarship or getting paid to play you know the risks involved and have to decide whether you are willing to take the risk for higher rewards. Its not necessary though that HS players should have to risk injury early in their youth because of this.
It is not just weaker players/teams doing this. The top two teams in our district were cutting the backside almost exclusively. It gives them an advantage and I don't blame them for doing it if it is within the rules. Technically, when teams are in a gun/pistol formation once the ball is snapped it is out of the three yard box and no cutting should take place but it does and it is never called.
It is not just weaker players/teams doing this. The top two teams in our district were cutting the backside almost exclusively. It gives them an advantage and I don't blame them for doing it if it is within the rules. Technically, when teams are in a gun/pistol formation once the ball is snapped it is out of the three yard box and no cutting should take place but it does and it is never called.
I think that this would be a great rule change. Seen too many cut blocks to blitzing LB's and missed chop blocks in the middle. If "many" officials are having problems recognizing what constitutes a legal block then we need to look at a change to protect the kids. This will also force kids to learn how to block and help them in the long run IMO.
I would be more in favor of making illegal cut/chop blocks a point of emphasis for officials and stiffening the penalty (15-yd personal foul, similar to helmet-to-helmet) before eliminating cut blocks all together. I have been around football for a long time and I can't remember a serious injury as a result of a cut block. I'm not saying it never happens, I just don't think it very common. And even so, we can't go about changing rules to prevent every injury in the game. Might as well get rid of tackling below the waist because that can shred a knee too....
Just make it an emphasis for officials for the next couple years and make the penalty harsher and see if some of these illegal blocks are cleaned up.
Just make it an emphasis for officials for the next couple years and make the penalty harsher and see if some of these illegal blocks are cleaned up.
I spoke to an official about this yesterday. He said it is very tough to see. You have to see the whole block to throw the flag. Was the defender on the line or wasn't he?
He also said the regional head of officials was not for the change and they were voting to not change the rule.
I don't think the rule change would affect the essential techniques about playing the game. It would still be about staying low, position, footwork etc. The enjoyments of the game from the stands would not change at all. So anything that can improve the safety of the game without drastically changing the game, I am all for.
Off the top of my head, I have been around 3 players who have been lost for the season or significant time due to knee injuries from legal and illegal cut blocks. All 3 were All District/ All State type players. The state does not have any evidence it is a problem because they have never asked for information. There is no data being collected on these injuries. It would be very easy to send reports to the state over these injuries.
I am for the rule change, but I will not lose any sleep if it doesn't change.
He also said the regional head of officials was not for the change and they were voting to not change the rule.
I don't think the rule change would affect the essential techniques about playing the game. It would still be about staying low, position, footwork etc. The enjoyments of the game from the stands would not change at all. So anything that can improve the safety of the game without drastically changing the game, I am all for.
Off the top of my head, I have been around 3 players who have been lost for the season or significant time due to knee injuries from legal and illegal cut blocks. All 3 were All District/ All State type players. The state does not have any evidence it is a problem because they have never asked for information. There is no data being collected on these injuries. It would be very easy to send reports to the state over these injuries.
I am for the rule change, but I will not lose any sleep if it doesn't change.
It is absolutely not illegal to cut block out of the pistol/gun formations. If you fire out and immediately initiate contact, it is 100% legal to block below the waist (in front).
Unless you're snapping it only 3 yards, or your linemen are lightning fast, a cut block on a 4 yard pistol snap will be illegal...
Contact has to be made before the ball leaves the free blocking zone. I've been around football a long time and have not seen many, if any, linemen that can beat the snap to get across the LOS in time.
This is directly from the IHSAA, so there is one exception to the free blocking zone from the shotgun formation...
"Due to the prevalence of the shotgun formation, more and more quarterbacks are positioned outside
the free-blocking zone. In this formation the ball can leave the free-blocking zone very quickly. In
order for any player to legally block below the waist when the offense is in this formation, the block
must be initiated immediately following the snap and without hesitation. If the offensive player sets
or pauses for any period of time, the opportunity to legally block below the waist has been
eliminated."
The key is the player must go directly from their stance to initiating the cut block. It is suppose to be illegal from the shotgun formation for any offensive lineman to raise up at the snap and then initiate the cut block.
This post was edited on 1/19 7:04 AM by nwmsbearcat
"Due to the prevalence of the shotgun formation, more and more quarterbacks are positioned outside
the free-blocking zone. In this formation the ball can leave the free-blocking zone very quickly. In
order for any player to legally block below the waist when the offense is in this formation, the block
must be initiated immediately following the snap and without hesitation. If the offensive player sets
or pauses for any period of time, the opportunity to legally block below the waist has been
eliminated."
The key is the player must go directly from their stance to initiating the cut block. It is suppose to be illegal from the shotgun formation for any offensive lineman to raise up at the snap and then initiate the cut block.
This post was edited on 1/19 7:04 AM by nwmsbearcat
Our school is constantly undersized (sometimes by a lot) and still does a very great job in more traditional blocking schemes.This rule change would have zero effect on them because they don't need to use cut blocking.
It may, however, make it easier for our defenses to breach opposing backfields.
It may, however, make it easier for our defenses to breach opposing backfields.
I think the one thing everyone is forgetting...this rule will apply to the defense also. So, they will no longer be able to bear crawl or 'submarine' at the goal line. I would bet jelly donut EVERY coach teaches that.
First of all, I highly doubt this rule passes at this time. At some point, maybe. However, most teams that run inside and/or outside zone out of shotgun or pistol will cut on the back side. It is not hard to do and entirely legal. Pass setting first followed by a cut block is very much illegal. In fact, it's usually deemed illegal from under center as well.
Terrible rule. I don't think I've seen a bad (ie leave the game ) injury from a cut block in 17 years as a line coach.
This rule will kill little guys. What is my 140 lb guard or dt going to do against a kid like Juan Harris? Rarely do I have 3 kids over 200 lbs on the o line or dline.
This rule will kill little guys. What is my 140 lb guard or dt going to do against a kid like Juan Harris? Rarely do I have 3 kids over 200 lbs on the o line or dline.
If you take away the cut block by the oline for the reasons they are saying then you must take it away from the Dline also because I know allot of teams that have their d lineman cut the knees on the snap so the lbers can flow and make the tackle. You cant take away one without the other. Let the officials make the call no need to change the rule.
The free blocking zone currently covers both offensive and defensive players. Currently a defensive lineman can take an OL out below the waist, but they are not suppose to be able to take a lead blocker out below the waist. If the rule would to change, it would change for both offensive and defensive players.
Printit, the defensive lineman can not cut a FB because the FB is not lined up on the LOS at the snap. In pistol/ shotgun the DL would have to cut at the snap and under center the ball has to be in the zone. So under center a defensive lineman can cut a pulling guard coming at him if ball is still in zone, but against pistol they should not be able to because it was not at the snap. That call is missed all the time and is one of those things some coaches will teach them to do until the official calls it
From behind the puller, it usually is more of a tackle and can be flagged for defensive holding.
Defensive holding is another call often missed. Defenders can use their hands all they want to shed a block. The shock and shuck technique is the most common. The defender pretty much punches the shoulder pads with both hands like a bull rush, as the blocker tries to regain position, the defender grabs his jersey/shoulder pads and shucks him to one side. This is legal. What is not legal is when the defender holds the blocker from blocking someone else. For example, grabbing a pulling guard from behind.
This post was edited on 1/28 6:40 AM by rkhemp
Defensive holding is another call often missed. Defenders can use their hands all they want to shed a block. The shock and shuck technique is the most common. The defender pretty much punches the shoulder pads with both hands like a bull rush, as the blocker tries to regain position, the defender grabs his jersey/shoulder pads and shucks him to one side. This is legal. What is not legal is when the defender holds the blocker from blocking someone else. For example, grabbing a pulling guard from behind.
This post was edited on 1/28 6:40 AM by rkhemp
Seems like a lot left to the discretion of the officials and the calls can change week to week depending what officials are looking for. I still think it would be safer for the athletes and easier for the officials to look at revising and limiting what is a legal cut block. Teach kids better footwork, hand position, and pad level.
I don't have any idea about how many high schools are doing it now. But the cut block at the line of scrimage is becoming the thing to do in college ball. Missouri Southern in the MIAA uses it on every play. At the snap the tackles guards and centers shoot out at the knees and ankles of the player across from them. They love to run the option game. And feel that it causes enough delay in reaction of the defender to give them an advantage on the option. Might be why we are seeing a discussion about changing that rule.
The way i interpret the rule, a DE can chop a pulling OL / FB as long as they are in between the tackles?
bgm...that is partially true...yes, a pulling OL could cut a DE as long as the ball is still in the free blocking zone and if both of those players started on the LOS and inside the free blocking zone. If the ball has been pitched deep, then the ball probably has left the zone and then any cut block would be illegal.
A FB should never be able to cut anyone because they never start ON the line of scrimmage. In order to be a player eligible to cut or be cut, either offensively or defensively, the player MUST be lined up ON the line of scrimmage at the snap.
For example according to the rule, if a LB were to begin a blitz at the snap from off the LOS (3-4 yds off LOS), an OL should not be able to cut them because the LB was not ON the LOS at the time of the snap. (If the LB was standing up ON the LOS within the zone at the snap, then they would be eligible to be cut by on OL and the LB could cut an OL.)
Thus the same is true for FB's in most cases. Because the FB doesn't start ON the LOS, then they shouldn't EVER be able to cut anyone because the FB was not on the LOS at the snap.
Hope this helps and I believe this is what most official overlook, or forget. Because BOTH players MUST be ON the LOS at the time of the snap in order to be eligible to be cut, that basically means only OL can cut offensively (sometimes the TE). So if an official sees an eligible # offensively cut a defensive player, that should really be pretty easy to identify.
A FB should never be able to cut anyone because they never start ON the line of scrimmage. In order to be a player eligible to cut or be cut, either offensively or defensively, the player MUST be lined up ON the line of scrimmage at the snap.
For example according to the rule, if a LB were to begin a blitz at the snap from off the LOS (3-4 yds off LOS), an OL should not be able to cut them because the LB was not ON the LOS at the time of the snap. (If the LB was standing up ON the LOS within the zone at the snap, then they would be eligible to be cut by on OL and the LB could cut an OL.)
Thus the same is true for FB's in most cases. Because the FB doesn't start ON the LOS, then they shouldn't EVER be able to cut anyone because the FB was not on the LOS at the snap.
Hope this helps and I believe this is what most official overlook, or forget. Because BOTH players MUST be ON the LOS at the time of the snap in order to be eligible to be cut, that basically means only OL can cut offensively (sometimes the TE). So if an official sees an eligible # offensively cut a defensive player, that should really be pretty easy to identify.
