If I'm not mistaken holding infractions in the offensive backfield are marked off from the line of scrimmage. How come in high school it's a spot foul?
I have a question
- Thread starter NND Sports Fan
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Because when the NFL (many years ago) and NCAA (15-20 years ago) changed the enforcement spot, the NFHS dd not. The rules in h.s. football are meant to be as straightforward as possible, with few exceptions .
All fouls by the offense are enforced from one of three spots.
1. Running plays -- end of the run. AKA the basic spot of a running play
2. Loose ball plays -- line of scrimmage. AKA the basic spot of a loose ball play.
3. Fouls that are behind the EOR on running plays or behind the LOS on loose ball plays, marked off from the spot of the infraction.
It's a little arcane and I agree that it revision is overdue, but until coaches raise a fuss with their state associations, no proposal to change it has been introduced.
As it is there are other strange enforcements. Consider this: It's 3rd and 10, The line of scrimmage is the 50. A defensive end rushes the QB and grabs him by the facemask at the 40, 10 yards in the backfield. If the QB goes down, the penalty is marked off from the end of the run because it's a running play, so the result is 3rd and 5 (replay the down).from the 45.
IF, however, the QB manages to get a pass off then it's a loose ball play and the 15 yards are marked off from the line of scrimmage and it's 1st and 10 from the 35.
Seems strange, doesn't it?
All fouls by the offense are enforced from one of three spots.
1. Running plays -- end of the run. AKA the basic spot of a running play
2. Loose ball plays -- line of scrimmage. AKA the basic spot of a loose ball play.
3. Fouls that are behind the EOR on running plays or behind the LOS on loose ball plays, marked off from the spot of the infraction.
It's a little arcane and I agree that it revision is overdue, but until coaches raise a fuss with their state associations, no proposal to change it has been introduced.
As it is there are other strange enforcements. Consider this: It's 3rd and 10, The line of scrimmage is the 50. A defensive end rushes the QB and grabs him by the facemask at the 40, 10 yards in the backfield. If the QB goes down, the penalty is marked off from the end of the run because it's a running play, so the result is 3rd and 5 (replay the down).from the 45.
IF, however, the QB manages to get a pass off then it's a loose ball play and the 15 yards are marked off from the line of scrimmage and it's 1st and 10 from the 35.
Seems strange, doesn't it?
Only the roughing fouls result in automatic 1st down. Roughing the passer, holder, snapper and kicker.
The holding penalty doesn't bother me, as there are situations where the offense would be able to benefit from holding if the rule were changed.
Bumping this to report how much confusion this causes with fans. At game Friday night, visiting team had consecutive holding infractions in the backfield. Fans: "How Can A Holding Penalty Be More Than 10 Yards?" But, the best one from a fan occurred when home team had ball on visiting team's 1-yard line with QB under center. Fan yells out: "Watch The Slant". QB promptly plows forward into the end zone.
I'm probably in the minority on this, but I wish more schools put microphones on referees so a penalty announcement could be made and little details, like "10 yards from the spot of the foul" could be stated and reduce confusion. I have some friends who dread that, but I think it would be helpful.
You are not in the minority, technology is good enough now that high schools should be able to do this.
I'm looking at buying a wireless lapel mic and receiver. A friend has one that he uses. He takes the receiver to the press box prior to the game and asks them to connect it to their PA system. He's never been turned down and it works great.
