Where do they come up with this stuff?

[M Buck]

Had a Coach call me today regarding "new rule" regarding "steaming not being allowed" and what was the new ruling regarding the center and adjacent guards not being allowed to "place theirs ankles inside of each other(?) on field goals, extra points and punts? I've been to the State Convention and a Riles Clinic but haven't heard of any of these supposed changes. Can anybody help me out?

[TXMike]

Sounds like someone might have been dozing during the presentation at the THSCA and he only got part of it.  The "stemming" piece probably "stems" from the change that prohibits defenders stationary within 1 yard of the line of scrimmage from making "exaggerated" actions that are not part of normal player movement. 

Don't have a clue where the other part of your question came from

[JasonTX]

It probably comes from the same place where a coach told me that a, "Crackback Block" was illegal.  I was concerned that I had missed an illegal block below the waist so I inquired with the coach to explain exactly what he saw and who committed the act.  His description was that the outside receiver (more than 7 yards on the line) came back in and blocked his linebacker in the side with his helmet to the back.  I dug deeper and verified that the block was indeed above waist and he also confirmed there wasn't anything, "helmet to helmet".  The next play it happened again and I saw it all and it was in fact a legal block in the side.  I'm still not sure he is convinced it is legal. 

[Wingmanbp]

Last year I had a Varsity Head coach tell me that there is no such running into the kicker rule, and hasn't been for years. Don't know if he thought he could play me or if he actually believed that. I just said its been a rule for years.

[Coby]

Sounds like someone might have been dozing during the presentation at the THSCA and he only got part of it.  The "stemming" piece probably "stems" from the change that prohibits defenders stationary within 1 yard of the line of scrimmage from making "exaggerated" actions that are not part of normal player movement. 

Don't have a clue where the other part of your question came from

Not to defend the coaches but we should probably look to incorporate video into the THSCA rules update.  I was at the presentation this year and there was "a lot to be desired".  You would think that a couple of video clips would have been incorporated (especially of the new targeting rules).  This is realistically the only  time all year when the coaches that care will sit down and at least pretend to listen to the rule changes.  We need to have a top notch presentation for them.

[Rulesman]

Chop blocks are another misunderstood rule.

"He's chopping my nose guard!!!"

After film review we found it was a legal BBW that the coach was calling a chop block.

[TXMike]

Not to defend the coaches but we should probably look to incorporate video into the THSCA rules update.  I was at the presentation this year and there was "a lot to be desired".  You would think that a couple of video clips would have been incorporated (especially of the new targeting rules).  This is realistically the only  time all year when the coaches that care will sit down and at least pretend to listen to the rule changes.  We need to have a top notch presentation for them.

You already alluded to this by your "coaches who care" comment.  If you were in the room you know the number of coaches there was a tiny tiny fraction of all the coaches in the state.  And even IF the coaches who were there had the world's greatest presentation and understood perfectly, there would still be way too many who would be out there uninformed. 

Also, having done 1 of these presentations in the past, TASO is under a tight time constraint and must cover as much as they can and still leave time for questions in a very very short session. 

[Etref]

If you turned the lights out to show video, they would probably go to sleep.

I have asked three different coaches in our area if the attended the rules segment and they said no one from their schools went.

[RMR]

In Louisiana, the state association puts on a rules clinic for the officials and coaches and attendance is mandatory.  If a school doesn't send a coach, they get fined.

That being said, it's possible to have a coach who was sitting right next to you in the clinic when a new rule was being presented act, three weeks later, when it comes up, like it's the first time he's hearing of it.

[TXMike]

And in the interests of full disclosure and honesty...the exact same thing can happen in a clinic of all officials.   

[TexDoc]

And in the interests of full disclosure and honesty...the exact same thing can happen in a clinic of all officials.   

And quite likely if a certain Wise official from San Antonio is the clinician.   

[TXMike]

One would think that one who does participate in such things would feel himself unqualified to speak to such endeavors. 

[TexDoc]

One would think that one who does participate in such things would feel himself unqualified to speak to such endeavors.

Not without lots of coffee mi amigo!!!

[TXMike]

Overheard at scrimmage tonight after B flagged a wideout for an illegal block below the waist.  Came in from the outside and hit the defender low from the side as defender was looking back to the inside.   

Coach:  How can you flag that?!?!?!  That is a legal block!!

Ref: No coach he was a restricted blocker and hit the player at the side and low.

Coach:  That is legal!! The defender was outside the low blocking zone when he got hit!!

 

[Welpe]

And quite likely if a certain Wise official from San Antonio is the clinician.   

I didn't know you went to the Houston rules clinic this year.

[James]

new ruling regarding the center and adjacent guards not being allowed to "place theirs ankles inside of each other(?) on field goals, extra points and punts?

I expect he was a few years behind.
There used to be a provision in the rule book (in section 7 about snapping) that said:
'The player on each side of and next to the snapper may lock legs
with the snapper, but any other lineman must have both feet outside
the outside foot of the player next to him when the ball is snapped'

I just happened to have the 2002 rule book handy and it is in there - don't know for sure when it was dropped, but I would guess 2009 or so.

[Welpe]

I just happened to have the 2002 rule book handy and it is in there - don't know for sure when it was dropped, but I would guess 2009 or so.

I believe it was 2011.

[rickref]

I believe it was 2011.

Yeap. We looked up this one two weeks ago.