Blocking Below the Waist Diagram

[cougar729]

I've searched and searched, does anyone have a link or can post a diagram for the blocking below the waist restricted vs. unrestricted.  I've seen it floating around but can't nail it down...

[mishatx]

[Archie]

That's funny right there....I don't care who you are! 

[Rulesman]

Yeah, and I've been to Tokyo and have ridden the train. It brings back memories.

[TXMike]

these are the best I have seen this season  (attached)

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[clearwall]

Misha, 10,000 likes for that

[Tieron]

these are the best I have seen this season  (attached)

Ok, so on the first one there's basically a few yards outside the tackle box where it's not legal to bbtw... I don't completely understand how you can tell this during a play though. Am I missing something?

Also could you explain the 2nd diagram? I'm reading the rule on bbtw and looking at that one but it's confusing the heck out of me. I don't get the 360 degree part 

[TXMike]

The 1st diagram is for "restricted blockers".  Those are the ones who by virtue of their position at the snap, can legally bbw only in certain directions based on where they are when they block.

The 2d diagram is for the "unrestricted blockers".  Those are the ones who are virtually unrestricted and can legally bbw almost anywhere and in almost any direction.

At the snap, you have to know whether or not a player is a restricted or unrestricted blocker.  Then when he actually throws the block you have to judge where he was when he threw it and in what direction the force of the block was. Those factors should automatically compute in your mind so you can make the determination on the legality of the block.

The 360 degrees part means that when an unrestricted blocker is behind the nz, his low block can be in any direction, east-west-north-south, and be legal.

[Tieron]

I apologize if I seem obtuse, but I'm just trying to completely understand this rule. The officiating crew for my small league was horrible and unwilling to learn so I made it my mission to build a new crew by joining it myself and I, of course, want to make sure the right call is made every single time.

Now getting back to the subject, and to make it simple for me:
 
A restricted player can only bbw towards their adjacent sidelines, towards either goal line while behind the LOS and only north beyond the LOS.
The unrestricted player can bbw in any direction behind the LOS and only north beyond the LOS.

Am I missing anything?

Thanks again!

[TXMike]

You may have it down but just reading what you wrote, it is not exactly right. 

restricted blocker - beyond the NZ = Can bbw towards adj sideline, or to the north

restricted blocker - behind the NZ = Can bbw to adjacent sideline, or to N or to S (and in all these cases as long as he is not in the tackle box)

Unrestricted blocker - beyond the NZ = Can bbw towards either sideline, or to the N

Unrestricted blocker - behind the NZ = can bbw towards either sideline, or to the N or the S (tackle box has no bearing here)

[El Macman]

This why BBW needs to go away altogether. Even TxMike's description leaves out a detail. The prohibition against BBW in the tackle box by "restricted" players terminates when the tackle box disintegrates.

And don't forget the restrictions on Team B.

[TXMike]

I purposely left that out because if there is no tackle box then there is nothing to be restricted about.  SOrt of like you don't have to say "if the block is high first and then the blocker slides low, the blocker can block back towards his own goal line."  By defintion, that is not a block blow the waist so need not be included.  A block someplace where the tackle box used to be is no longer a block in the tackle box.

[Tieron]

Great, thanks for the clarification TXMike! 

Now, I'm having a hard time finding the bbw rules when the tackle box disintegrates. Care to quote this El Macman?

Thanks in advance!

 

[TXMike]

The disintegration of the box has nothing to do with the bbw rule.  It is a general defintional rule   Take a look at 2-34

[Tieron]

Ah ok, I got the logic of it now that I read the bbw rule again.

Awesome, thank you!

[Archie]

These diagrams do nothing to help me with the rule.

[TXMike]

Well aren't you the guy who said Erin Andrews did nothing for him?  Apparently you do not do well with visual material.

[Rulesman]

Speaking of EA, now that she and ESPN have parted company, has anyone seen her lately? That's some eye candy that's sorely missed!

[TxSkyBolt]

She's in the Fox studio on Saturdays anchoring their coverage.

[Rulesman]

She's in the Fox studio on Saturdays anchoring their coverage.

Guess I'll have to check out the fox on Fox.

[clydesummers]

BBW Chart

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[Aussie-Zebra]

Thx Clyde - pinching that one as well.

This rule is far too complicated to be interpreted and implemented during a game. How are you supposed to know when seeing a BBW if the blocker was within 7 yards of the center at the snap ?

The Rules Committee is stressing Safety Safety Safety in the rules so lets just get rid of BBW altogether,  it looks like its going in that direction anyway.

[Welpe]

This rule is far too complicated to be interpreted and implemented during a game. How are you supposed to know when seeing a BBW if the blocker was within 7 yards of the center at the snap ?

Most of the formations I've seen this year, it has not been an issue in figuring out who the restricted blockers are on my side of the ball. The scenario where I see a problem is if you have restricted players on the other side coming across and blocking towards your sideline on your side.

Fortunately at least we know that any block beyond the LOS back towards a team's own goal line is going to be illegal.

I still don't like the kludge we have right now.

The Rules Committee is stressing Safety Safety Safety in the rules so lets just get rid of BBW altogether,  it looks like its going in that direction anyway.

My understanding is that the coaches on the committee are wanting to try and hold on to it which is a resulting in these restricted v. unrestricted players, etc. I think the Federation gets this rule right and it is very easy to detect.

[kerryman71]

Thanks for the diagrams and explanations.  It's helped me get a much better grasp on BBW, however, in the last diagram, the back lined up on the right side half in and half out of the tackle box is shown only being able to block along the north-south line and his adjacent sideline.  With the changes for 2012, isn't he now considered unrestricted, as he is not completely out of the tackle box? 

John   

[Welpe]

  With the changes for 2012, isn't he now considered unrestricted, as he is not completely out of the tackle box? 

The player in question is not completely outside of the tackle box but he is completely outside the frame of the second lineman from the snapper in that diagram.

Here's the rule from this year's PDF:

2. Before a change of team possession the following players of Team A are restricted
with regard to blocking below the waist:

(a) A lineman more than seven yards from the middle lineman of the offensive
formation at the snap.

(b) A back aligned at the snap with the frame of his body completely outside the
tackle box or completely outside the frame of the body of the second lineman from
the snapper in either direction toward a sideline.

(c) A back who is in motion at the snap and during this continuous motion was
outside the area in b (above) any time after the ball was ready for play and before
the snap. Note: A back is not restricted if he starts from a set position inside the specified area and during that continuous motion he does not leave the area (see
par. 4 below).