Understanding the NCAA Blindside Block Rule: Ensuring Player Safety in College Football

The NCAA is actively working to make football safer by cracking down on plays considered dangerous. These efforts include changes to rules regarding targeting and blindside blocks. These rule adjustments aim to decrease the number of head and neck injuries.

The Evolution of Targeting Penalties

The NCAA has refined the process of confirming targeting penalties to eliminate any uncertainty surrounding these calls. Previously, officials had the option to confirm the call, uphold the call, or overturn the call. The "call stands" option has been removed, requiring a targeting penalty to be definitively "confirmed" for a player to be ejected from the game.

Defining Targeting

Targeting occurs when a player aims at an opponent with forcible contact that goes beyond a legal tackle, block, or playing the ball. Indicators of targeting include launching, a crouch with upward thrust, and leading with the helmet.

The Blindside Block Rule: A Detailed Explanation

A significant rule change involves blindside blocks, which are now illegal. A blindside block is defined as an open-field block against an opponent that is initiated from outside the opponent’s field of vision, or in a manner that prevents the opponent from reasonably defending themselves.

Penalties for Illegal Blindside Blocks

A player who delivers a blindside block by attacking an opponent with forcible contact will be penalized with a personal foul and a 15-yard penalty. If the action also meets the criteria for targeting, it can be classified as a blindside block with targeting, leading to ejection from the game.

Exceptions to the Rule

There is an exception: the runner or receiver attempting to catch a pass.

Examples of Legal and Illegal Blocks

Illegal: A receiver initiates an illegal blindside block on a defender, making forcible contact from the side.
Legal: An offensive lineman uses his body to shield the quarterback from a hit from behind without making forcible contact. This is considered a legal screening movement. A blocker initiates contact with his shoulder while moving toward his opponent’s goal line, and there is no contact to the defender's head or neck area.

Stricter Penalties for Targeting

The NCAA has approved stricter penalties for targeting. Players who are ejected for targeting now face a half-game suspension. Three targeting ejections in a single season will result in a full-game suspension.

Overtime Rule Changes

The NCAA has also implemented new overtime rules. If a game reaches a fifth overtime, teams will alternate two-point plays instead of starting another drive at the opponent’s 25-yard line. This change reduces the number of plays from scrimmage and helps bring the game to a quicker conclusion. There will also be a two-minute rest period after the second and fourth overtimes, while the rules for the first four overtimes remain unchanged.

NFL's Blindside Block Rule

In professional football, the NFL competition committee has also addressed blindside blocks, modifying the rules to enhance player safety. The rule covers forcible contact initiated with the head, shoulder, or forearm to a player’s body when the blocker's path is toward or parallel to their own end line.

Exceptions in the NFL

A blindside block is not a foul if the forcible contact occurs in close-line play before the ball leaves that area, such as during a handoff or a quarterback retreat in the pocket. This exception applies only to designed plays.

Read also: Crafting Your NCAA Profile

Emphasis on Technique

The league is encouraging coaches to teach players to shield with their bodies or push with their hands rather than initiating full blocks.

The Rationale Behind the Rule Changes

The changes to targeting and blindside block rules are driven by concerns for player safety. Concussions are a serious issue in football, and these rule changes aim to reduce the risk of head and neck injuries.

Impact on the Game

While some may argue that these changes make the game "softer," they are essential for protecting players. The new rules may alter the game's dynamics, but they are a necessary step toward ensuring player well-being.

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