Can anybody explain to me what the thought process was behind the IHSA rules? I just can't make it make sense. Why would they not make it spot of the foul and 15 plus automatic 1st?! Teams, quite literally use Pass Interference as a defensive technique... I hear it being coached... I just dont understand the purpose of making the rules that way. Can anybody make it make sense?
Pass Interference Rules
- Thread starter Uncle Bacon
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It’s not a “IHSA Rule.” It’s a federation rule. 15 yards from the previous spot no automatic first down. College is not a spot foul either.
I understand that, I mean conceptually... I just don't understand, at all, why they would write the rule like that? I mean, for instance, they changed the kickoff rules in the NFL because they wanted to protect against the full speed collisions. They change the tackling rules for the same reason, etc. Why on earth would they set the rules up so that teams can get a lead and just tackle your wide recievers?
This is the way this rule has always been. This isn’t the only rule that’s different from the NFL rule book.
I’m sure they look at it each year. Wouldn’t be surprised if the HS rule matches the college rule before too long. But I don’t see it matching the NFL rule any time soon.
Yeah, I don't necessarily think that they need to go full NFL. I am familiar with the rule, but I just never saw it get as exploited as I did this weekend. I can't imagine the circumstance would make since often at the HS level, but it was pretty wild. The way the rule is written (to go to a laughable extreme) you could line up a bunch of wrestlers in press on the and just tackle all the recievers every play until the game ends to ice a game with the lead. It didn't quite get to that level but the end result was the same. Evert time the recievers would get more than 10 yards downfield they were just getting wrapped up. The rules have to be written in a way where they can't be easily exploited, and in my humble opinion this one is not.
At very least make it a spot foul so they can't just hit a defenseless reciever while the ball is in the air and just take the walkoff, right?
At very least make it a spot foul so they can't just hit a defenseless reciever while the ball is in the air and just take the walkoff, right?
The following is just one opinion, with several aspects to the opinion. I, for one, like the rule as written. Pass interference tends to be one of the most controversial penalties in football. Perhaps half of those calls are clear; but the other half seem to be very questionable calls by the officials. Why give the offense a 40-yard advantage by making a questionable call on a long pass? I would rather the offense have to earn the yardage rather than officials gifting them the yardage. Secondly, in most cases a 15-yard penalty will give the offense a first down. That in itself is a worthwhile advantage for the offense. And lastly, (although I may be wrong on this), I do not think a game can end on a defensive penalty. Consequently, at least on a technical level, the scenario you describe above cannot happen. The defense would not be able to end a game with repeated penalties. If the defense commits a penalty as time runs out on the game, the offense would be given another play as an untimed down.
Im not understanding your gripe/scenario. If the def decided to get a PI every play, thats a free 15yds and the clock stops. Its no different than if the offense ran 15yd outs the entire length of the field. Unless the refs just dont call the foul, im not sure how a committing consecutive DPI calls exploits the rule to the advantage of the defense.
I understand and agree with your point about the huge game changing ticky tack fouls... I however watched a game this weekend where the team got a 1 TD lead over a strong offense and they started burning clock on offense and sat in prevent and just tackled the recievers on any pass over 10 yards the whole second half... I think that there has to be AT LEAST an automatic first. In one of the situations the offensive team took a holding penalty and ended up 3rd and 20 or something like that and they wrapped and tackled the reciever as he went up to catch the ball 40+ yards downfield. So they call the penalty buy still get another chance to hold on 3 & 10 which is wild IMHO... Also end game scenarios Hail Mary should just not exist... Take your best open field tacklers and throw them in the deep third to tackle the recievers before they catch ball and send the house til you get home or redo it for 15 yards in perpetuity... Obviously this is a gross oversimplification/hypothetical but the rule is exploitable and is being exploited and the game suffers.
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Every PI would give you a 1st down. Unless the offense got behind the chains with negative plays or penalties. But in that case, you really think the referees should bail out the offense with a free 1st down when it was your own fault that you ended up in 3rd and 20?
And if they hold on 3rd and 10. Its a first down. Still not an effective strategy for any defense to use.
Its not perpetuity. Eventually you will end up on the 1yd line. If you cant get 1 yard after the defense gave you 50+ in penalties you probably don't deserve to win that game anyway.
Maybe there needs to be a section to that rule, regarding intentional fouls or repeat intentional fouls. If deemed intentional, it would greatly increase the severity of the penalty.
I'm just throwing that out for thought.
I'm just throwing that out for thought.
I mean technically it is perpetuity, but your point stands. My point is being able to control the clock and game on offense AND defense and getting a freeroll at an offensive mistake or a no/mis call is a HUGE exploit in certain situations. It effectively removes the deep game, and more concerningly incentives hitting a defenseless receiver while the ball is in the air.
If a team is going to tackle wrs every play I am going to keep throwing as it is a free 15. It owuld only take 3 or 4 to get close enough where it doesn't matter anymore. If the call is not made, then the spot foul doesn't matter anyways.
I think that is the right tactical response to that exploit given ample time. The thing is that they dont just tackle every time, necessarily, they sit in a deep shell and smoke recievers before the ball gets there on anything deep because they know the penalty doesn't fit the crime.
Agreed. If deemed intentional or repeat intentional, escalate the punishment greatly.
Speaking of rules different than NFL (or college, in this case).... I never knew that a missed FG that makes it to the end zone is a touchback. St. Laurence attempted a 53 yd FG against us that was well short, but we started on the 20, not the spot of the kick. Creates some weird incentive to try really long FG if you have any hope of making it.
MC blocked two or three De La Salle punts in a game many years ago. The rest of the game they attempted field goals.
2 things and this is giving away my age
Offensive pass interference was once a loss of down as well as defensive pass interference was once an automatic first down. The governing bodies felt it was too harsh a penalty and changed it. My guess was it was about 20 years ago it changed
the other thing some one mentioned you can't end a game on a defensive penalty. Although correct. The rule is you can't end the game on an accepted penalty by either team
So if the offensive is winning and the defense commits a penalty the offense just has to decline the penalty
Offensive pass interference was once a loss of down as well as defensive pass interference was once an automatic first down. The governing bodies felt it was too harsh a penalty and changed it. My guess was it was about 20 years ago it changed
the other thing some one mentioned you can't end a game on a defensive penalty. Although correct. The rule is you can't end the game on an accepted penalty by either team
So if the offensive is winning and the defense commits a penalty the offense just has to decline the penalty
Actually the missed field goal must cross the goal line to be a touchback. If it stops on the one , that is where it is put into play.
Once had a team who's punter broke his leg in the 1st quarter. The attempted a field goal every 4th down the rest of the game. Didn't have another punter
right, what I read is that even on a roll, as long as it gets to the end zone its a touchback. Also, what I read said that if the FG attempt is from outside the 20 & it doesn't make it to end zone, then ball is spotted at LOS. So in your example, it would only be at the 1 on a FG of ~36 yds or less.
not correct. To make it simple a field goal in high school is treated like a punt. so no matter where it is kicked from if it crosses the goal line - touchback , if not it where it ends up. But if it doesn't cross the goal line the defense can return it
I couldn't find a free version of the rule book, so I am relying on ChatGPT AI. Point 4 is what I was referencing, but that could be wrong 🤷♂️
this is not correct
I have no clue who wrote this gets his information. Nothing in the rule book about field position consideration
Like I previously stated high school treats field goals as a scrimmage kick,
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It was a really reactive short-sighted change that doesn't understand you can't write exploitable rules... There was nothing wrong with the penalty, it exists for a reason. If anything they could have adjusted what defines interference but to change the penalty and build in this huge loophole, Was ignorant.
I've always felt like this is a net negative for high school officiating
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