Assisting the runner

[VBCheeseGrater]

I was curious about the Landry play not being called for "assisting the runner", which I had not heard called in many years, so I did a bit of digging.....

https://www.google.com/amp/s/daalle...carrier/amp/?client=ms-android-sprint-mvno-us

.In trying to gain yardage, ball carrier A44 is slowed by defensive
players attempting to make the tackle. Back A22 (a) puts his hands
on the buttocks of A44 and pushes him forward; (b) pushes the pile of
teammates who begin to surround A44; (c) grabs the arm of A44 and
tries to pull him forward for more yardage.

RULING
(a) and (b) Legal.
It is not a foul to push the ball carrier or the pile.

(c) Foul for assisting the runner. 5-yard penalty with three-and-one enforcement. (Rule 9-3-
2-b)

So as long as you don't grab and pull the guy, it's all good, you can push the runner, but not pull him.

The above quote is NCAA rules, below the NFL is addressed...

. In comparison, NFL Rule 12, Section 1, Article 4-a (Page 2/11) prohibits offensive players from “pull[ing] a runner in any direction at any time”. The rule’s silence regarding pushing a runner is telling; it is legal. In fact, A.R. 12-2 at the bottom of page two provides a specific example of a ball carrier being pushed into the end zone by a teammate. The ruling? Touchdown.

I was curious, thought other might be as well....

 

[J. David Wannyheimer]

Thanks for posting. Yeah, you can give a guy a push, but you can't pull, drag, or carry him.

It's a necessary player safety rule.

 

[Statler Waldorf]

Yup, this is why helping a runner up off of the ground after the play is actually illegal in the NFL but is never called. It's on the officiating test as a 5 yard penalty though.

 

[fansinceGWilson]

Yup, this is why helping a runner up off of the ground after the play is actually illegal in the NFL but is never called. It's on the officiating test as a 5 yard penalty though.

I remember Madden frequently saying a player can push the pile, but not the runner. Hard for the refs to distinguish.

 

[Golphindolphin]

"Hands on the buttocks" ..... does A44 have any say so as to whether that is indeed a penalty in that particular scenario?

 

[VBCheeseGrater]

Yup, this is why helping a runner up off of the ground after the play is actually illegal in the NFL but is never called. It's on the officiating test as a 5 yard penalty though.

Wow seriously? One would think after the whistle the rule no longer applies, but you sound like you know this from experience....interesting.

 

[Statler Waldorf]

Wow seriously? One would think after the whistle the rule no longer applies, but you sound like you know this from experience....interesting.

Crazy huh? The rule says though, "NFL Rule 12, Section 1, Article 4-a (Page 2/11) prohibits offensive players from “pull[ing] a runner in any direction at any time”. " I saw an interview with Ed Hochuli and he was talking about this rule. He thought it was funny because it's on the test every year and yet hasn't been called in decades. The example on the test is one player helping his teammate off the ground after the play by pulling him to his feet. Ed said that it's one of the most missed questions on the test.

 

[FinfanInBuffalo]

Crazy huh? The rule says though, "NFL Rule 12, Section 1, Article 4-a (Page 2/11) prohibits offensive players from “pull[ing] a runner in any direction at any time”. " I saw an interview with Ed Hochuli and he was talking about this rule. He thought it was funny because it's on the test every year and yet hasn't been called in decades. The example on the test is one player helping his teammate off the ground after the play by pulling him to his feet. Ed said that it's one of the most missed questions on the test.

Seems to be proof that Refs are not trainable. You'd think that they'd all know about the trick question and get it right.

 

[VBCheeseGrater]

"Hands on the buttocks" ..... does A44 have any say so as to whether that is indeed a penalty in that particular scenario?

It says it's legal...... "(a) and (b) Legal." and it was scenario A about pushing the by the buttocks. But again I should point out this snippet was from the NCAA rules, whereas the NFL seems to allow it as well, but at least from anything I could find does not explicitly state this, rather just says 'you can't pull a guy".

 

[Fin Thirteen]

Often wondered why on short yardage situations the RB doesn't form up with a number of players behind him rather than for example a FB in front. The "limpet" or "latch" is very commonly used in rugby to drive a player over the gain line or try line.

 

[Fin Thirteen]

Often wondered why on short yardage situations the RB doesn't form up with a number of players behind him rather than for example a FB in front. The "limpet" or "latch" is very commonly used in rugby to drive a player over the gain line or try line.

 

[Atila]

Often wondered why on short yardage situations the RB doesn't form up with a number of players behind him rather than for example a FB in front. The "limpet" or "latch" is very commonly used in rugby to drive a player over the gain line or try line.

Good question... or what if you just had 2-3 FB's and did a dive right down the middle... you're gonna have 2-3-4 guys pushing straight forward almost like a battering ram.

 

[royalshank]

Are they allowed to grab his nuts and pull him into the EZ by them?