Face Guarding in GA

[ALStripes17]

Was watching Colquett County's game on TV and announcer made a comment that face guarding is legal in GA... Any truth to this?

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[SouthGARef]

Correct. GA is an experimental state to have face-guarding not be a foul.

[Ironhead17]

I don't understand the rational behind this "test". Blocking the vision and not playing the ball should always be a foul IMO. Is the defense so disadvantaged that they need this technique to even the field?

After a full season I'd like to know how things played out.

[GA Umpire]

I don't understand the rational behind this "test". Blocking the vision and not playing the ball should always be a foul IMO. Is the defense so disadvantaged that they need this technique to even the field?

After a full season I'd like to know how things played out.

Ironhead and all others calling NFHS rules:

When was the last time you had "face guarding" called for pass interference in one of your games?
I can remember it only once.

[Atlanta Blue]

I don't understand the rational behind this "test". Blocking the vision and not playing the ball should always be a foul IMO. Is the defense so disadvantaged that they need this technique to even the field?

After a full season I'd like to know how things played out.

Not a foul in the NFL, not a foul in the NCAA, testing it here in Georgia.

While I've seen face guarding happen in the past, I have never seen it called.  Not sure what the "experiment" will measure really.  We had no calls in the past, we'll have no calls now, so what's the difference?

We might as well be "experimenting" with doing away with "intentional pass interference."

[ncwingman]

Ironhead and all others calling NFHS rules:

When was the last time you had "face guarding" called for pass interference in one of your games?
I can remember it only once.

I've had it once, but the defender was playing the kids game of "I'm not touching you!!" about a centimeter away from the receiver's facemask.

[ALStripes17]

I don't understand the rational behind this "test". Blocking the vision and not playing the ball should always be a foul IMO. Is the defense so disadvantaged that they need this technique to even the field?

After a full season I'd like to know how things played out.

Or the offense can throw it out of the line of the defense so that face-guarding is useless anyway.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[FLAHL]

It's more common here.  If the DB is beaten, turns his back to the QB, and waves his arm or arms in front of the receiver, we call it.  It's not a once-a-game thing, but I bet we have it 3 or 4 times per season.

ART. 10 . . . It is forward-pass interference if:

a. Any player of A or B who is beyond the neutral zone interferes with an ­eligible ­opponent’s opportunity to move toward, catch or bat the pass.

b. Any player hinders an opponent’s vision without making an attempt to catch, intercept or bat the ball, even though no contact was made.

[AlUpstateNY]

Not a foul in the NFL, not a foul in the NCAA, testing it here in Georgia. While I've seen face guarding happen in the past, I have never seen it called.  Not sure what the "experiment" will measure really.  We had no calls in the past, we'll have no calls now, so what's the difference?

Since NFHS is far more a "learning level" than either NCAA or NFL, and Coaches are more involved with teaching basics, perhaps the reason this foul doesn't happen more often, is simply because it"s taught well and is clearly understood as being prohibited behavior.

[stevegarbs]

It's more common here.  If the DB is beaten, turns his back to the QB, and waves his arm or arms in front of the receiver, we call it.  It's not a once-a-game thing, but I bet we have it 3 or 4 times per season.

ART. 10 . . . It is forward-pass interference if:

a. Any player of A or B who is beyond the neutral zone interferes with an ­eligible ­opponent’s opportunity to move toward, catch or bat the pass.

b. Any player hinders an opponent’s vision without making an attempt to catch, intercept or bat the ball, even though no contact was made.

This has been my experience here in Illinois. We called it Friday night in our opener, exactly as described here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sumstine]

15 yard non-contact penalties should be limited to UNS. The NCAA is not the answer in all cases but getting rid of face guarding and reducing illegal participation to 5 yards was a good move. The other NFHS rule that is not fair in most instances is if a receivers last step touches the line and he then steps back in and does nothing or catches the ball it is a foul for illegal participation and a 15 yard enforcement from the previous spot.  I do like the NFHS low blocking rules better than NCAA as they are much simpler to officiate.

[SouthGARef]

15 yard non-contact penalties should be limited to UNS. The NCAA is not the answer in all cases but getting rid of face guarding and reducing illegal participation to 5 yards was a good move. The other NFHS rule that is not fair in most instances is if a receivers last step touches the line and he then steps back in and does nothing or catches the ball it is a foul for illegal participation and a 15 yard enforcement from the previous spot.  I do like the NFHS low blocking rules better than NCAA as they are much simpler to officiate.

Strong agree.

[Atlanta Blue]

It's more common here.  If the DB is beaten, turns his back to the QB, and waves his arm or arms in front of the receiver, we call it.  It's not a once-a-game thing, but I bet we have it 3 or 4 times per season.

Never gets called.  "Coach, he was trying to bat down the ball."

[AlUpstateNY]

Never gets called.  "Coach, he was trying to bat down the ball."

Does Hillary coach too?