POE Interp - TE is INSIDE the FBZ

[bossman72]

Did anyone catch the interpretation in the POE? TE is considered inside the FBZ when the offense has normal splits.

To determine whether blocking below the waist and blocking in the back are legal, game officials must first determine whether players are in the free-blocking zone at the snap. Since offensive linemen are in the zone if any part of their body is in the zone at the snap, game officials must check the spacing between offensive linemen. As long as the line is using “normal” splits and the formation is “balanced” (i.e., the distance between the outside foot of each lineman and the inside foot of the adjacent linemen is no greater than 2 feet and an equal number of linemen are on each side of the snapper), all players, including the tight end, are deemed to be in the zone at the snap. If the splits are wider than 2 feet, the tight end is considered out of the zone and therefore cannot legally block below the waist or in the back.

[NVFOA_Ump]

We've got a team here in MA that very frequently runs a 2 tight end play with 7 linemen who are all in the free-blocking zone.  It depends on the splits between the lineman and their actual stance when in the formation, but you certainly can have up to 7 linemen who could legally block below the waist providing of course that the B player they are blocking is also in the free-blocking zone.  This team tends to fire out the TE's to get the outside LB's and that block would have to be above the waist.

[BetweenTheLines]

You could conceivably have 9 players on the line.

[NVFOA_Ump]

You could conceivably have 9 players on the line.

Could have 9 on the line but the focus here is who is in the free-blocking zone at the snap and could potentially legally block below the waist.

[Stinterp]

I agree, the TE in normal splits is in the zone.  The right tight end's left foot must just be in the zone (4 yards from the ball) to be considered in the zone. 
The more difficult thing to officiate is the defensive end that's lined up across from the tight end.  If the D. End is lined "head up" on the TE and he is on the LOS at the snap, he can be blocked below the waist immediatly by the TE.  However, if the D. End is "flexed" outside of the TE, then he is restricted.  This is very difficult to officiate in a 5 or 6 man game.

[NVFOA_Ump]

No question that a tight formation with 2 tight ends will give us some heartburn when the D-ends are lined up on the outside shoulders of the tight ends.  We actually have a similar issue when the O-line is in wide splits and the D-end is lined up on the outside shoulder of the tackles.  In both of these cases the D-end is almost certainly not in the free blocking zone at the snap.  We'll just have to continue to use our best judgment.   

[toma]

That is why, pre-game on field, it makes good practice to observe the offense and defense formations. How they line up what base offense they use. where are the LB's and D ends lining up.