Rule 2-32-16f says a defenseless player is one who is on the ground, including a runner who has obviously given himself up and is sliding feet-first.
Officials may struggle with how to handle contact with a runner who’s in the act of sliding, especially on fourth down, where the enforcement distinction between a live-ball and dead-ball foul can determine possession.
By rule, a runner is down when any body part other than a hand or foot touches the ground. In most cases, that’s the buttocks. Forward progress is marked by the location of the ball when that body part first contacts the ground.
Simply beginning a slide does not make the ball dead. The runner has given himself up, but the rules book still requires the body part to be down before the ball becomes dead. When he starts his slide, though he has given up, he should be treated the same as a runner going out of bounds with the rear foot inbounds and the lead foot in the air over the sideline.
A hit on a runner going out of bounds should be called unnecessary roughness and not a late hit out of bounds because it is technically correct and obvious. We are talking about fractions of a second here. The difference between the two fouls is inconsequential on any down other than fourth. Neither carries an automatic first down, but the unnecessary roughness could be offset by an offensive foul.
A hit on a sliding runner also involves fractions of a second between a live ball foul and a dead ball foul. However, with the sliding runner, lean toward the late hit because that is what it will be viewed as.
Rule 2-32-16f includes the caveat, “…a runner who has obviously given himself up…” Discerning if a runner is going to slide is more difficult than judging if a runner is out of bounds. In both situations, the official must consider whether the defender had time to avoid the hit. Was the slide clear and unmistakable? When did the tackler “pass the point of no return”? If the defender was already committed to the tackle and legal contact was unavoidable, no foul should be called.
Some argue that forward progress—and therefore the play—should end as soon as the runner begins his slide. NFHS rules do not support that. The ball remains live until the runner is down. To declare the play dead when the slide begins is to create a rule that doesn’t exist. Under NFHS rules, players initiating a slide do not get special protection and may still be forcibly contacted. Rule 9-32-16 says a player who initiates contact against a defenseless player is responsible for making legal contact.
Quiz
Read the quiz stem and then choose the best answer.
3/6 from the A-35. A33 lines up behind quarterback A16. At the snap, A33 runs parallel to the line of scrimmage toward the right. A16 pitches the ball to A33. While the ball is still in the air, B45 contacts A33 at chest level with open hands.
- No foul
- Defensive Pass Interference
- Holding
- Illegal Personal Contact
Review Rules 7-5-7, 9-2-3c, and 10-4-5c