Author Topic: Tripping On Ball Carrier  (Read 3695 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline BG5

  • *
  • Posts: 62
  • FAN REACTION: +6/-1
  • Without officials... it is only recess.
Tripping On Ball Carrier
« on: November 02, 2018, 07:55:02 AM »
Hey Gang,

Had a crew in the playoffs see a unique play.  Ball carrier busts a long run and a defensive player chases him down and uses a slide tackle (similar to soccer) to bring down ball carrier.  The BJ throws a flag for tripping.  After the game the BJ is told that tripping is allowed on the ball carrier.

Is this true?

Offline FLAHL

  • *
  • Posts: 900
  • FAN REACTION: +52/-9
Re: Tripping On Ball Carrier
« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2018, 07:59:36 AM »
It is legal to trip the runner.

“ART. 7 . . . A player shall not trip an opponent who is not a runner.”

Excerpt From: NFHS. “2017 NFHS Football Rules Book.”
« Last Edit: November 02, 2018, 08:01:49 AM by FLAHL »

Offline CalhounLJ

  • *
  • Posts: 2940
  • FAN REACTION: +134/-1004
  • Without officials... it is only recess.
Re: Tripping On Ball Carrier
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2018, 08:02:01 AM »
A good conversation to have had would go like this:
WH: "Whatcha got?"
BJ: Tripping against the defense
WH: Who did he trip?
BJ: ball carrier
WH: Oh, brother. We need to wave that one off. You need to buy dinner tonight...

Offline BG5

  • *
  • Posts: 62
  • FAN REACTION: +6/-1
  • Without officials... it is only recess.
Re: Tripping On Ball Carrier
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2018, 08:03:30 AM »
That is so odd to me and I am not questioning you on it as thats what a number of other officials have said but I find it weird with all the talk on safety that you can slide tackle a runner. 

If people are calling hurdling for safety reasons then its weird that we would not call a trip on runner when its intentional. 

But thanks for giving me the correct information....just when you think you have things kind of figured out a play like this happens and shows most of us that there is still plenty to learn. 

Thank God for this site!

Offline CalhounLJ

  • *
  • Posts: 2940
  • FAN REACTION: +134/-1004
  • Without officials... it is only recess.
Re: Tripping On Ball Carrier
« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2018, 08:09:54 AM »
It's pretty clear in the rule book. Rule 2-45: "Tripping is the use of the lower leg or foot to obstruct an opponent, who is not the runner, below the knee."

Offline brettjr2005

  • *
  • Posts: 70
  • FAN REACTION: +2/-3
  • CIF
Re: Tripping On Ball Carrier
« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2018, 10:13:30 AM »
I don't know if anyone has seen or heard about the review videos that Mark Andrews does on YouTube, but he reviewed a play like this and I agreed with his assessment (disclaimer: can't find the video yet, so this is all off my recollection and might not be what he actually said).  Basically he said that tripping the ball carrier in and of itself is completely legal, but how it is done can escalate it to a UNR or similar type of foul.  Now adding my assessment of that...it's a judgment call, but in my opinion if a defender just sticks his legs out or even comes sliding in from the side and gets his leg in front of the runner then we're probably clean.  If the defender comes in with a foot up (or both up) and contacts the ball carrier with the spikes of his cleats or if he takes the runner out from behind, making major contact in the back of the legs, then we have a very dangerous play that would be supported as a UNR. 

I don't feel that this would qualify as "making up rules" as we have a lot of plays that are legal unless done in a dangerous manner, but I'm curious what you all think of that interpretation. 

Offline TampaSteve

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 1509
  • FAN REACTION: +23/-13
Re: Tripping On Ball Carrier
« Reply #6 on: November 06, 2018, 10:01:25 AM »
On the note of tripping a runner is a no-call for NFHS:
I was watching a late NFL game this past Sunday (maybe it was LAC??) and I swear I remember the K for LAC tripping a tunner and it was flagged.
With that in mind, did I see it wrong or does the NFL have a tripping rule on the runner?

Offline FLAHL

  • *
  • Posts: 900
  • FAN REACTION: +52/-9
Re: Tripping On Ball Carrier
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2018, 10:20:31 AM »
On the note of tripping a runner is a no-call for NFHS:
I was watching a late NFL game this past Sunday (maybe it was LAC??) and I swear I remember the K for LAC tripping a tunner and it was flagged.
With that in mind, did I see it wrong or does the NFL have a tripping rule on the runner?

In the NFL and NCAA, it is illegal to trip the runner.