I believe blocking in the back is the foul most often incorrectly flagged. Officials see a block with open hands originating from the side“ish,” and throw a flag.
Rule 2-5-2 says, “Blocking in the back is a block against an opponent when the initial contact is in the opponent’s back, inside the shoulders and below the helmet and above the waist, and not against a player who is a runner or pretending to be a runner
Note the “inside the shoulders” caveat. Another way to say that is “between the shoulder blades.” In other words, the blocker must cover the number (see one exception below regarding hand placement).
We look for “chasers” to rule on illegal blocks in the back; players who are directly behind their opponent. If an opponent approaches from the side, he will not block in the back.
Watch how the blocked player lands on the ground (face-plant vs on his side or back). Most high school football players are not ninjas, so they won’t be able to turn their bodies in mid-air.
Unlike the illegal blindside block, the blocked player doesn’t have to hit the ground for a foul to occur. A “chaser” can push a would-be tackler from behind past the runner without shoving him to the ground.
The NCAA published Officiating Standards that can aid high school football officials in ruling on blocking in the back:
- If one hand is on the number and the other hand is on the side and the initial force is on the number, it is a block in the back
- The force of the block could be slight and still a foul if the contact propels the player past the runner or prevents the player from making the play
- Blocks that start at the side and subsequently end up in the back are not fouls as long as contact is maintained throughout the block
- Blocks in the back that occur at or about the same time a runner is being tackled should not be called, unless they are in the nature of a personal foul or there is forceable contact that involves player safety
Some blocking in the back is legal “by rule.” Rule 2-17-3 says, “Blocking in the back is permitted in the free-blocking zone when the following conditions are met:
- By offensive linemen who are on the line of scrimmage and in the zone at the snap
- Against defensive players who are in the zone at the snap
- The contact is in the zone”
Rule 2-17-4 says, “The free-blocking zone disintegrates and the exception for an offensive lineman to block in the back is not to continue after the ball has left the zone.”
Quiz
Read the quiz stem and then choose the best answer.
Following a second down run, the umpire places the ball on the ground and steps back to his position. Snapper A77 places his left hand on the ball. He then places his right hand on the ball and removes his left hand.
- Snap infraction
- No foul only because the referee has not blown the ready-for-play
- No foul by rule
Review Rules 3-6-1b(2) and 7-1-3a