Understanding Officiating -- Offensive Holding NCAA Rule & Philosophy

[alt f4]

I did post this on tater island.

Background
Throughout the season I'll define and present rules of the game and officiating philosophy behind a call or non-call. It never fails dating back to to Big 12 days there are messages, Facebook posts, and fans complaining about officiating. I can ensure you there is no league initiative to punish Nebraska or favor another team. Throughout a normal season a team will see around 60+ different officials throughout the season. BIG uses an organization called Collegiate Officiating Consortium (COC) for their officials, which comprises of BIG, MAC, Missouri Valley, and some Pioneer conference games. The COC falls under the umbrella of the College Football Officiating (CFO).

Hopefully these post can help you better understand officiating and why flags were thrown or not thrown.

In officiating there is a rule book which defines the rule and approved rulings based on situations. There is also a officiating "philosophy", which is designed to ensure the rule and approved rulings are applied in a practical and meaningful manner of the game.

In season training
Every week the CFO, COC, and crews put together training tapes to help ensure consistently, as well as, what should or shouldn't be called.
The NCAA Resources puts out free public YouTube rules reviews that are similar to what the CFO and COC puts out for their officials. These are MUST WATCH if you want to understand the rules better (scroll to playing rules playlist): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChy2SdUn8Jl3H2NQ3801kMQ

Today I'll cover the most common foul, offensive holding (OH). The old "there is holding every play." might be true by rule, but that is why philosophy and holding categories were implemented. This ensures the hold rises to the level of a foul worthy of a flag.

The Rule -- http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/FR20.pdf
9.3.3b
Holding. The hand(s) and arm(s) shall not be used to grasp, pull, hook, clamp or encircle in any way that illegally impedes or illegally obstructs an opponent.

PENALTY—10 yards Penalties for Team A fouls behind the neutral zone are enforced from the previous spot. Safety if the foul occurs behind Team A’s goal line [S42].

Philosophy

1. Restriction must have meaningful, impactful, and material effect on the play. The offensive player restricts a defensive player's clear opportunity to make a play on ball carrier at the point of attack or the restriction occurs where player cannot make it to the point of attack or play on ball carrier.
   1. What this says is the holding must occur at the point of the attack and without the hold the defender could have made a play on the runner or QB.
   2. Simply grabbing the jersey, hands outside the frame, hugging, are not necessarily holding because it must occur at point of attack and must have material restriction on defender.
   3. Example, holding on left guard against right defensive tackle, however, ball carrier is running to the right outside the right tackle. This holding didn't occur at point of attack, and without the hold, that defensive tackle would not have made a play on the ball carrier. This is a non-flag.
   4. Defensive player is held and ball carrier is tackled at that spot of the hold by a teammate. No material impact on play. If defender was not held, the result of the play would have been the same.
   5. A good indicator for foul is the hold allowed for additional yards to be gained or QB to release the ball.
   6. The hardest hold by philosophy is with a mobile QB and a slower DL on pass plays.
2. The offensive player is "beat" by the defender and hold takes steps away.
   1. This is why we see so many holds against less talented and skilled OL vs a better DL, especially against a pass rush.
3. Offensive holding categories -- view this pdf for greater explanations and pictures - http://kvfoa.org/clinician/kvfoa.org/6 Types of Holds.pdf
   1. Grab and restrict - the most common. The is where the offensive player grabs jersey, shoulder pads, etc and restricts him from ball carrier or QB.
   2. Hook and restrict - this is where offensive player is typically beat and "hook" his arm around the defensive player.
   3. Take down and reverse takedown - The most obvious takedown is the "reverse takedown" This is where defender is bull rushing or overpowering the offensive player, then offensive player then grabs onto defender and pulls him down backwards. A takedown is where offensive player grabs or hooks onto defender and takes him to the ground.
   4. Tackle - this is obvious when offensive player literally tackles the defender, much like a defender would do on a ball carrier.

Next installment
9.1.3 and 9.1.4 -- Targeting

 

[slattimer]

I should have just asked my question here instead of tater island.

In your opinion, did Farniok hold on the play everyone is freaking out about being a pancake block?

Also, what was your opinion on the target callings? TIA

 

[mcgradynu]

I should have just asked my question here instead of tater island.

In your opinion, did Farniok hold on the play everyone is freaking out about being a pancake block?

Also, what was your opinion on the target callings? TIA

I was wondering this whole time who this newer poster was that was making so much sense whack-a-moling taters over there and the avatar was so obvious. Good to have you back over there.

 

[alt f4]

I should have just asked my question here instead of tater island.

In your opinion, did Farniok hold on the play everyone is freaking out about being a pancake block?

Also, what was your opinion on the target callings? TIA

On targeting, the commentators and Mike Pereira shaped the fan's opinion on targeting in the game. I really wish all commentators would brush up on the targeting rules because they use the buzz words, but not right application of the rule. There are two rules for targeting but they lump them all into the "defenseless player" rule. Through the weeks leading up to last week, the CFO put out a video explaining that targeting by leading with the crown of helmet has been up a ridiculous amount this year, I'll try and get the exact percentage.

JoJo, good call on field, good reversal by replay. This is why replay is used in this situation, get it right. I know on field this looks like targeting because of the launch and contact towards head or neck area. Replay has better angles to get this right.

The other two were good targeting calls. Cam Taylor-Britt's was 9.1.3 lower of of helmet to initiate contact with crown of helmet. This it doesn't matter if it's a defenseless player or not, can be against runner.

 

[alt f4]

I should have just asked my question here instead of tater island.

In your opinion, did Farniok hold on the play everyone is freaking out about being a pancake block?

Also, what was your opinion on the target callings? TIA

Found it. Yes, that is is a take down hold. The hook part of this makes it a foul because that's what turned the defender allowing MF to take him to the ground.

Queued up to this hold.

 

[Red Finger]

I don't see why targeting calls can't be reviewed by the conference or the NCAA the week following the game. Why penalize a kid for more than one game when there's no malicious intent?

Deontai Williams' hit, by definition, may have been targeting, but come on. What is he supposed to do? He can't help it the QB lead his WR into the safety.



This rule has good intentions, but imo clearly needs to be revisited.

 

[mcgradynu]

I don't see why targeting calls can't be reviewed by the conference or the NCAA the week following the game. Why penalize a kid for more than one game when there's no malicious intent?

Deontai Williams' hit, by definition, may have been targeting, but come on. What is he supposed to do? He can't help it the QB lead his WR into the safety.



This rule has good intentions, but imo clearly needs to be revisited.

The Tater Island staff seemed to intimate that the conference could put a ruling in wherein CTB and Deontai would not need to sit for the first half if they overruled on intent.

 

[alt f4]

I don't see why targeting calls can't be reviewed by the conference or the NCAA the week following the game. Why penalize a kid for more than one game when there's no malicious intent?

Deontai Williams' hit, by definition, may have been targeting, but come on. What is he supposed to do? He can't help it the QB lead his WR into the safety.



This rule has good intentions, but imo clearly needs to be revisited.

To answer what is supposed to do? The coach's have been directed to tell the players to lower their target level on defenseless players for 5+ years now. It's not like this is a new rule. Don't launch or propel yourself into the neck or head area of a defenseless player.

It is revisted every week by every conference, CFO, and we even cover it in practice.

 

[slattimer]

I was wondering this whole time who this newer poster was that was making so much sense whack-a-moling taters over there and the avatar was so obvious. Good to have you back over there.

LOL. I'm literally surprised I haven't been bant yet. It's not like they're from the same movie or something...

 

[Red Finger]

The Tater Island staff seemed to intimate that the conference could put a ruling in wherein CTB and Deontai would not need to sit for the first half if they overruled on intent.

Didn't realize that was actually a thing that could be done. Ok then

To answer what is supposed to do? The coach's have been directed to tell the players to lower their target level on defenseless players for 5+ years now. It's not like this is a new rule. Don't launch or propel yourself into the neck or head area of a defenseless player.

It is revisted every week by every conference, CFO, and we even cover it in practice.

He hit him in the chest/shoulder However, that's fair...especially since they're told ahead of time.

 

[slattimer]

I don't see why targeting calls can't be reviewed by the conference or the NCAA the week following the game. Why penalize a kid for more than one game when there's no malicious intent?

Deontai Williams' hit, by definition, may have been targeting, but come on. What is he supposed to do? He can't help it the QB lead his WR into the safety.



This rule has good intentions, but imo clearly needs to be revisited.

I feel like that's a shitty targeting call. But he didn't lower his target level. Yeah, he lead with his shoulder but was still high.

@alt f4 Do you feel like since the targeting call's inception have you seen an increase in low tackles where dudes are injured as a result of taking a shot to the thighboard or lower?

 

[alt f4]

I feel like that's a shitty targeting call. But he didn't lower his target level. Yeah, he lead with his shoulder but was still high.

@alt f4 Do you feel like since the targeting call's inception have you seen an increase in low tackles where dudes are injured as a result of taking a shot to the thighboard or lower?

That was the initial thought when targeting was pushed that there would be an increased injuries to knees, hips, and legs, however, there was a study a few years ago that these were even, if not lower, after the targeting rule. They looked the defenseless player injuries and it didn't result in higher injury rates. The average impact on the defenseless players went down around 6" which would basically be head and neck to shoulder/chest level. I'll see if I still have that report, it was pretty interesting.