Lefty...(rules question)

[BlindRef]

Anyone is welcome to join in on this.

Last night in a JV game I did. We had a kickoff. A player from K gets blocked violently but legally to where his helmet came off. He immediately gets up and goes running into the play to try to make the tackle. I overreacted and killed they play seeing death and destruction for this poor kid's head. My crew chief was nonplussed as this is an inadvertent whistle (my first in 9 years). However, I feel very uncomfortable with the idea of letting a player blow his head to pieces in that situation.

The rule, to clarify, is if the ball carrier's helmet comes off then we kill the play.

What do you think?

[TheJON]

Iowa had a similar play against Michigan back in 2006. Drew Tate escaped pressure, but got hit so hard his helmet came off. Yet he was not down and attempted to throw downfield but the refs called the play dead because his helmet came off.

[BlindRef]

Jon,

The difference is that Tate was the ball carrier. That is a very clear rule. You don't want the ball carrier to die so you have to kill the play.

[indyfrisco]

Blind,

I think the rule in place is good. If you blow a whistle every time a player loses their lid, then what is stopping any player, especially on defense, of taking off their helmet to stop a play? Ball carrier sure as shit will never do that.

[TheJON]

I think the rule in place is good. If you blow a whistle every time a player loses their lid, then what is stopping any player, especially on defense, of taking off their helmet to stop a play?

That's a 15 yard penalty at least in the NFL. You can't take your helmet off on the field. Chiefs won a game that way against the Browns back in 2003 because we got another play and the 15 yard penalty put us in FG range. Was hilarious!

As for Blind's situation, that is tough......

I think if a defender loses his helmet during the play, he should be forced to quit on the play or tack on 5-10 yards at the end of the play for the offense. I don't know how else you can prevent defenders that lose their helmet from risking serious injury by attempting to make a play helmetless. They should clearly state in the rules that defenders without a helmet must quit on the play immediately and if not a penalty will be assessed at the end of the play and potentially an automatic 1st down. What else can you do?

[TheJON]

Any player, other than the ball carrier, can protect themselves by taking themselves out of a play after their helmet is knocked off

Right, but WILL they take themself out of the play? They CAN, but you need a rule in place to prevent them from even thinking about trying to continue making a play without their helmet on.

[Left Seater]

I like the rule as is. The ball carrier is going to get hit and likely on the head if he is without the lid. The defender losing his has a choice to make if he wants to continue without it.

Props on having your first IW in 9 seasons on a decision and not cause you missed something.

No way to add yards or anything like Jon suggested, that seems stupid.


I remember a play last season in which Quizz of Oregon State would have walked into the endzone against USC but for the SC player ripping his hat off. Still a good rule though.

[BlindRef]

Last night was a nightmare however. The local assigner gave us two new kids to work this game with. Mine was one of 4 IWs in that game. My crew chief was losing his mind.

We sent an email this morning apologizing to the coaches. It didn't cost anyone the game....but Jesus, what the hell. I never blow the whistle unless I see the ball on the ground. Or if everyone has stopped moving.

[BlindRef]

One more fun rules issue from the Clemson game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNMsybVooJQ

Probably an unfair act. A player who acts they are coming out of the game is considered to be out of the game. Therefore this should be illegal participation.

9-6-4c.

Use a replaced player or a substitute in a substitution or pretended substitution to deceive the opponents at or immediately before the snap or free kick

[TheJON]

Why does flagging a defender for not taking themselves out of the play seem stupid, Lefty? Gotta protect them. I understand they should use better judgment than to try and make a play without a helmet but sometimes you get caught up in the emotions of the game and you don't really give a crap about risking injury, you just want to go make a play. You won't if you know your team will be penalized for it. It's just a way to protect the player from serious injury. I really don't know what else you can do.

[Left Seater]

Hmmm. Let's see, a player wants to make a play and you want us to flag him for not removing himself from the play. There are enough dumb rules as it is, see hurdling.

Again Jon, the ball carrier doesn't get the option on not having people attempt to tackle him. A defender does have the option of not going after the ball carrier.