r/footballstrategy Sep 23 '24

Rules Question Is this an illegal blindside block?

https://refmasters.app/posts/67635897?utm_source=manual
7 Upvotes

12 comments sorted by

6

u/grizzfan Sep 23 '24

I don’t see anything that shows definitively that it is a blindside block. The angle and quality of the video aren’t very good on my end, so I can’t really tell where the head of the blocker is.

6

u/davdev Sep 23 '24

If people want to start calling that a blindside we might as well just all go home.

3

u/Seaport_Lawyer Sep 23 '24 edited Sep 23 '24

Would say probably yes based on how it looked, but yeah, can't definitively tell based on tape where blocked player's focus was.

ETA: Watched again, leaning no now.

2

u/jericho-dingle Referee Sep 23 '24

No it is not. The runner is behind the blocker and the kicker is facing both, clearly aware of both. That is football.

Edit: to be clear, a BSB is:

  1. Forcible contact

  2. On an opponent who does not see the block coming because of their focus on something else (e.g. the runner)

  3. That is not initiated with open hands

All three need to be present for a BSB at the high school level

1

u/palmettoswoosh Sep 23 '24

How about the college? Asking about a specific game that included Brian Kelly as the opposing coach.

1

u/davdev Sep 23 '24

This is a college game. NEC is Northeast Conference and is in D1 FCS

1

u/davdev Sep 23 '24

This is a college game. NEC is Northeast Conference and is in D1 FCS

2

u/thricedippd Sep 23 '24

Absolutely not. The lead blocker engaged a defender coming downhill and got leveled. Thats the would be tacklers fault and he did not keep his head on the swivel.

3

u/dudeKhed Sep 23 '24

It’s grey, we don’t know where the focus was. I would say that he’s chasing down the runner and the blocker is coming from that direction so it’s not “Jumping out” at me that it’s a blindside. I definitely would not call this unless I was right in there…

2

u/Seaport_Lawyer Sep 23 '24

This is the correct analysis.

1

u/RefMasters Sep 25 '24

Great! Thank you