Getting closer to no cutting at all

I think Mike Reed covered it.
Help me out because I am not clear. Is "the tackle box" the hash marks? Do the refs make an imaginary "tackle box" in their mind?

To help you out, Roach, the UIL makes rules designed for 11-man football that get passed down to 6-man. Even though I still do not like it, this rule makes more sense in 11-man.

A retired 6-man coach should get involved with officials and start interpreting the rules for 6-man. For instance, if the 11-man rule references "a tackle box," then the rule only applies in tight because there is no tackle box in 6-man spread. While little guys being able to cut block in the backfield in spread is a big deal, the rule is not as big of a deal in tight.
 
The tackle box is five yards to the left of the center and 5 yards to the right if the center and dissolves after the snap.

So pretty much can cut the first line of scrimmage at the snap. Then after that it’s a penalty.

The issue with 11 man vs 6 is in this instance.

Their is two less offensive linemen being that both tackles are taken out. Therefore the DE’s are closer to the center in 6 man than 11 man.
 
So an upback in spread cannot cut a rusher five to seven yards in the backfield?
 
That’s correct, as of now that is the interpretation of officials.

Now Uil is allowing 11 man association and 6 man association modify, or accept or decline the new rule.
 
That’s correct, as of now that is the interpretation of officials.

Now Uil is allowing 11 man association and 6 man association modify, or accept or decline the new rule.
I think my interpretation of the "tackle box" would solve the problem. The "tackle box" in 11-man changes depending on formation, so why not say there is no "tackle box?"

Whether you agree or not, I appreciate you bringing this to my attention.
 
I disagree. I played six man for 7 years, coached youth league, and watched countless games throughout the years and I can’t recall any serious injuries from a cut block. Just bumps and bruises
I would have to agree here. There’s something magical in a player opening up the runway for the ball carrier to the promise land from a beautiful cut block. I’d hate to see it go. IMO if you’re teaching the kids to aim for the knee or ankle for that matter. You are not teaching it correctly. That sweet spot is mid thigh. That’s lead blocking I’m speaking of. Line cutting is a different story. If your teaching your kids to properly use your arms to keep it away from your knee/ankles there’s not much of a problem.
 
90% of knee injuries that I have witnessed, and had, occurred in the open field with no or minimal contact. No cut blocks involved.
Just my two cents worth. Give the UIL a little more time and we will be able to play in shorts and T shirts, no contact involved.
 
I used to block and I used cutting to keep defensive players guessing so they never knew if I was going high or low on them. Never once was there a knee injury and we were known to be a very good cut-blocking team. It’s more rare for that to happen than a kid making a cut and tearing his acl without being touched…
 
The UIL has already accepted the changes that NCAA made and they apply to both 11 man and 6 man. The UIL could have made an exception to these rules but they will never make an exception to a player safety rule. They did make an exception this year to change the playclock after a TD and after the Kickoff. Now, instead of the 40 second clock starting after the TD or after the kickoff, we are going back to a 25 second clock that we had a few years ago for just those two situations. At the NCAA level, when they made the change in 2018 where you couldn't block low beyond 5 yards downfield, leg injuries were drastically reduced. Considering that there are people who want this game to go away, they made the change to just about eliminate low blocking altogether. In 2018 Georgia Tech was the first to contact NCAA and complained that it was going to destroy their program because they relied upon that block for their running game. That first year, Georgia Tech led the conference in rushing yards. They adapted.
 
I hate cut blocking in 11-man. One of the most brutal plays in crowded ball is an offensive lineman cut blocking a defensive lineman, especially when the latter is engaged with another offensive lineman or does not see it coming because he is pursing the play. Although I am usually vehemently against rules addressing "player safety" in general, I see the logic behind this in 11-man.

If the offense chooses to run tight in 6-man, it is pretty similar to 11-man with the exception that, in my opinion, there are less knee injuries in 6-man due to a lack of ineligible players, less players in general, the fact winning "the low game" for a lineman is less important in 6-man vs. 11-man, defensive lineman rarely get in a stance in 6-man because being able to see is often more important than winning the gap, and the blocking schemes are not as elaborate without as many traps, counters, pulls, influences, etc. While 6-man might be worse for concussions due to the fact, potentially, two players could hit each other with more momentum than in 11-man, a lack of knee injuries is a positive for 6-man.

Where I think cutblocking has a place is in spread. I was a fairly big boy, and other teams had upbacks that I outweighed by 60 to 80 pounds. The only way to "block me" before they flared was to chop me. Some of them could even chop me, get off the ground faster than me, and became open receivers. It is pretty safe because the defender sees, and probably knows, it is coming before the play starts. There are few analogous situations in 11-man.

Not allowing chop blocking in spread will put a premium on bigger upbacks and bigger rushers. Maybe that is a good thing, but so many 6-man players are small. I just hate to see the rules alter the game, even though it would help me as a player.
 
Just to clarify, chop blocking has been illegal for at least 20 years. A chop block is a combo block between teammates. One blocks high and the other blocks low.
Just a quick , off topic question while Jason TX is watching. How is the Officiating situation shaping up for this season? Have you added any numbers?
 
Just a quick , off topic question while Jason TX is watching. How is the Officiating situation shaping up for this season? Have you added any numbers?
I'm not sure on statewide numbers yet, but for our chapter we currently have 16 new members attending our new members class. That's a good number for us but we are still right around where we ended last year in overall membership. Recruiting isn't usually the problem, it's retention. I'm excited to have 16 new members but check with me in 3 years to see how many of them are still officiating. 3 years seems to be the magic number that if we can get them to stick around that long, they'll be in it for the long haul.

While I'm here I wanted clarify on a post that mentioned the tackle box vanishes at the snap. It actually vanishes when the ball leaves the box. As mentioned the tackle box is 5 yards to the left and right of the snapper and extends all the way back to the end line and to the line of scrimmage. Both NCAA and UIL interpret the 2nd lineman from the snapper in normal splits to be inside and a 3rd lineman would be considered outside. For a back to be inside the tackle box, he needs to be getting a piece of that second lineman, basically calf to calf. We don't get to write the UIL exceptions for 11 man or 6 man, but if I had a vote, I would not want 6 man to do anything different than 11 man with this rule. Last years rule was difficult. The way the rule change is now will make it much easier on officials, and truth be told, I've already forgotten last years rule. Having separate rules for this would make it hard on officials to remember.
 
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