Cut Block

Question
Is there any chance that Cut blocks like the ones allowed in College Football will ever be allowed at the High School Level? It would certainly afford teams a better opportunity to get everyone they need blocked blocked. Also is there ever a chance that Defensive Lineman holding Offensive Lineman could be called on a more frequent basis?

Answer
Ethan
Thank you for your question about blocking below the waist. To simply answer your question, no I do not believe the National Federation of high schools football rules will permit low blocking as presently in college.

My opinion is that the NCAA rules will eventually come in line with the Federation rules about low blocks and prohibit most low blocks or blocks below the waist. The Federation rules about blocking below the waist are good solid rules based in player safety philosophies.

The term "cut block" is a vernacular phrase and not an official term; the technical name for this block is Block below the waist.  This is a great question that we in the officiating and coaching circles have been discussing in depth for the past few years.  I have made several presentation and lead some discussion groups on this subject during the summer and early part of this season.  I really liked the NCAA rules because players were permitted to block below the waist except in a few situations.  

However, my opinion is that unless the Rules committee changes direction in its thinking blocking below the waist under college football will become very limited.  Based on the explanation of rule committee members and the Rules Editor I have changed by thinking and agree the low blocks today by college players given their size, strength, speed, [force and mass] may subject the player being blocked to injury.

In 2011 the NCAA revamped the blocking below the waist rules. This rewriting of the rule changes the premise or approach to the rule. It is now "illegal" to block below the waist except in a few situation.  This is a different approach where last season it was "legal" with lost of exceptions, now this season it is "illegal" with a few exceptions.  This is a much better and safer approach in my opinion.  When you start having too many exceptions to a rule you erode the rule and make it difficult to officiate and difficult to coach.

I believe that the NCAA rule will become closer to the High School rule where blocking below the waist will be limited to the initial charge on the line of scrimmage.  I have changed my thinking on this and believe this would be a good thing.  Keeping all low blocks at the waist level or upper thigh level is safer and likely to prevent or lessen the risk of lower extremity and back injuries.  

The Federation rules have prohibited low blocks in most all situations out of player safety concerns,  When I coached high school football, I did not like the rule.  As I have officiated both levels and studied and taught the rules of both NCAA and high school football for the past 25 years, I now believe the high school low blocking rules are the best, safest, easiest to coach and easiest to officiate.  They are simple and easy to play by thus I do not see the high school rules changing.  As expressed above, I think the college rules will continue to evolve to reflect the high school rules.

DEFENSIVE HOLDING

This too is a hot topic.  I can tell you we as officials don't do a good enough job of calling defensive holding.  At the upper levels of college football we are really looking for it and getting better.  But at the high school levels it just isn't being called.  I think over time as there become training films showing what is and what is not a defensive hold of a lineman it will be called more. If defensive coaches coaches stopped teaching the defensive hold we would not see it as much and it would disappear from the game for the most part.  The other problem is that players fans and less experienced coaches think the defense can do anything they want with their hands and this adds to the problem of defensive holding.  I hope it will be called more and think it will at the NFL and NCAA levels.  The big Defensive holds on Kick plays and defensive holds that result in take downs will be called, but the subtle holds of a pulling lineman or a lineman trying to get to the next level to block just won't be called as frequently - but they should be called.