Helmet-to-Helmet

[cincibuck]

After two years of calling anything that was even close to a helmet-to-helmet hit a foul the refs seem to have backed off. The hit put on Maurice Wells being a case in point as well as an awful shot taken by Tyler Donovan during the Badger's game with Michigan.

I was usually sleeping during the football portion of the OHSAA required safety courses, some of you coaches out there catch me up here: Are coaches teaching leading with your helmet? Isn't that dangerous to both runner and tackler? Is the problem with the language of the rule? Seems like now they don't know what is H-t-H and before anything that came close WAS H-t-H.

 

[Brutus1]

After the replay, the Mo Wells shot looked more like the defenders shoulder.

 

[Jaxbuck]

After the replay, the Mo Wells shot looked more like the defenders shoulder.

Its hard for a non QB to get that call no matter what it seems.

The one on Donovan that wasn't called was just an awful non call.

 

[Zurp]

I was usually sleeping during the football portion of the OHSAA required safety courses, some of you coaches out there catch me up here: Are coaches teaching leading with your helmet? Isn't that dangerous to both runner and tackler? Is the problem with the language of the rule? Seems like now they don't know what is H-t-H and before anything that came close WAS H-t-H.

ESPN's Outside the Lines did a piece on this. Actually, I think it was more on the injuries related to these hits (as well as other hits). I didn't actually pay a lot of attention to it, but the coach the story was mainly about (high school level) was saying that if he sees any of his players perform any kind of dirty hit, he pulls him from the game, penalty or no penalty. He said that other coaches allow their players to keep playing, though.

My guess is that they started enforcing the rule to cut down on injuries. However, the players have continued with the HtH hits, and maybe public outcry for some of the lame calls has gotten the referees to scale back on the flags.

It's kind of a mixed-message. On the one hand, coaches might tell their players to not commit penalties. On the other, they watch sportscenter and they'll see big hits celebrated all night long. And since the players don't necessarily see the punishments dealt from the highlights, they don't see that as being wrong. They want to go out and make an impact in their games, and the easy way for that is to lay out a receiver who's left hanging on an easy pass over the middle. Sometimes it's a clean hit. Sometimes it isn't.

 

[fourteenandoh]

At first, I thought this thread was about Shawn Crable.

 

[kartaron]

The VT/FSU game had several head to head shots, which knocked 2 of the QBs out of the game, none of them were called. That said the ACC officiating has been universally terrible all year. Two consecutive plays in one FSU game in particular took around 15 minutes each because the officials couldnt decide what happened.

 

[Taosman]

I always thought that the refs and "powers that be" want to help the game by protecting the QBs in both leagues(college and pro). Non-QBs seem to be fair game and usually don't get the H-to-H call. I would guess that; they are thinking a missing QB effects the game more than any other player. Probably a policy but not a rule?

But, the officiating has gotten worse, overall.

 

[Steve19]

That was one hell of a HtH hit on Colt Brennan last week.

 

[cincibuck]

I don't know if it's because I'm looking for it more, but I think I'm seeing more guys use the helmet on tackles... there are two calls that can be used, spearing and HtH. I'm just not seeing it called at all this year... especially when I think of the "you've got to be kidding me call" that went against David Patterson on a sack of Quinn in the 05 Fiesta.

My understanding is that you coach "head up" on tackles because "head down" can lead to neck/spinal injuries. Looks to me like coaches are coaching spearing instead. Or as was suggested, kids are watching the greatest hits and imitating. If so, it's a really dangerous technique to imitate.

Someone just about did in Oregon's QB, Dennis Dixon (sp?) two weeks ago with a helmet to his knee... of course it didn't help that Dixon wasn't wearing any knee pads...

 

[Taosman]

The NFL guys always say the tackling is not being taught in college football.
I think they have a point. But, kids being smart, will learn from what they see. They know the helmet is a weapon capable of inflicting damage and they are using it! It's up to the NCAA, coaches and refs to provide "direction" in this matter before we start seeing many more kids get hurt.