Comprehending the “why” behind a rule is often helpful when studying the Rules Book. It’s hard to memorize every word in the Book, so understanding why the rule exists may help us recall rule nuances on the field.
Horse-collar tackle: The prohibition against pulling a runner down sideward or backward from the inside back or side collar or the name plate area of the shoulder pads or jersey is a safety rule. The horse-collar tackle is dangerous due to the runner’s awkward position, which may result in knee injuries, tibia and fibula fractures, or ankle ligament injuries.
A few years ago, the rules committee added a statement to Rule 9-4-3k: “The horse-collar foul is enforced as a live-ball foul.” When a ball carrier steps out of bounds or crosses the goal line, the ball is dead, and the player is no longer a runner by rule. Only a runner can be horse-collar tackled. The added sentence means a defender can still be flagged for a horse-collar tackle even though the offensive player is no longer a runner.
By the way, “enforced as a live-ball foul” can be slightly misleading. It does not mean that if a runner steps out of bounds and is pulled to the ground backward by the inside collar of the jersey, the penalty will always be enforced from the end of the run with the down replayed. See the quiz below for an example.
Momentum exception: On August 24, I posted a Ready for Play describing the “why” behind the momentum exception rule (8-5-2a). The momentum exception is an exception to the rule stating that when a runner carries the ball from the field across his own goal line, and it becomes dead there in his team’s possession, the result of the play is a safety. I encourage you to look up this post in the RFP archives to look for the “why” behind this exception.
Fouls by K during a legal free or scrimmage kick: Before Rule 10-4-2 EXCEPTION was added a few years ago, Team R had to enforce a foul by Team K during a loose ball play from the previous spot. This meant more kicks and a corresponding increased injury risk. The rule exception reduces the number of kicks and hopefully decreases the number of injuries. (One of the significant reasons the NFL is implementing a new kickoff rule in 2024 is to reduce injuries.)
Pants which cover the knees: Rule 1-5-1e is the source of much discussion and disagreement. The Rules Book lists pants which completely cover the knees as mandatory equipment. If you view any high school varsity game, you’ll typically see more than one player who does not meet this rule requirement. “Player equipment and enforcement” is a 2024 Rules Book point of emphasis (as it was a few years ago).
There are a lot of “whys” behind the rule’s purpose and how we should enforce it.
Some say wearing pads over the knees does not reduce injury risk. Some note that uniform manufacturers do not always construct pants long enough to cover the knees. Some say when the coach confirms his players are properly equipped, it’s his responsibility to ensure they wear pants with knee pads that completely cover the knee, and the officials should leave it alone. Others say because this is a point of emphasis, officials must be strict and send off players who do not comply with the rule. Some say if we don’t enforce the pants rule, what other rules will we ignore?
Every state or association should provide detailed guidelines regarding how officials should address this issue. If you don’t know, ask. Regardless of your personal opinion, ensure you follow the established guidelines because it’s unfair for coaches to encounter a different interpretation from a different crew every Friday night.
Numbering exception: As a teaser, tomorrow’s Ready for Play will discuss the “why” behind Rule 7-2-5b EXCEPTION.
Quiz
Read the quiz stem and then choose the best answer.
4/5 from the B-49. A12 runs toward the sideline and steps out of bounds at the B-45 (short of the line-to-gain). B39 grabs the back of A12’s shoulder pads and pulls him backward to the ground.
- No foul because the play ended when A12 stepped out of bounds
- 1/10 for Team A at the B-30
- 1/10 for Team B at the B-30
Review Rules 5-1-2b, 5-1-3c, 9-4-3k