The Most Abused Call In Football Is

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romegajacket

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Just curious as to how the rest of the world thinks on this one.
It seems to me that "HOLDING" is the most abused, overly used, overlooked call on the books. Some years back when I was a kid, our coach required that we (OL) keep our hands close in about the bottom of the shoulder pads. He advised us to hold on to our on jersey just to keep from anything ever looking like we were holding anyone.
Somewhere along the way this concept has gone the way of the basketball fowl where breathing too close to an opponent may be a fowl but a flying scissor tackle may not be called.
BTW, UGA always appeared to me to get away with more blatant, visible "holds" than anyone else.
What say you??
 
romegajacket said:
BTW, UGA always appeared to me to get away with more blatant, visible "holds" than anyone else.
What say you??
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Agreed, but I guess when you're used to seeing the boys in the red jerseys assaulting everyone in sight, a simple hold doesn't sound quite so bad.
 
I agree and was saying the same thing to my wife last night watching games. If you don't do it you are at a serious disadvantage but its really illegal. I think the rules gurus should revisit the holding call and come up with a creative solution before it ruins the game. Options:

1) Go back to the old rule and enforce it. Can't extend the arms or put hands on the defender.

2) Forget about it! Let O and D lineman have the same rights. Only call holding if someone actually tackles the opponent and pulls him to the ground. This would probably be most fair but if you do this get ready for some NBA scores. Maybe you could increase the first down distance to 15 yards to offset it.

3) Make the 5 interior lineman wear boxing gloves to make holding nearly impossible. Center gets one free hand.
 
ramblinwise1 said:
2) Forget about it! Let O and D lineman have the same rights. Only call holding if someone actually tackles the opponent and pulls him to the ground. This would probably be most fair but if you do this get ready for some NBA scores. Maybe you could increase the first down distance to 15 yards to offset it.
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Ramblinwise1, I like this idea but only allow for the 5 interior linemen at the initial point of attack. No downfield holding allowed. This puts the defense at a disadvantage, so to even things up, the DBs and LBs have free reign on any eligible receiver. The QB is fair game too.
 
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Is this a general rant about holding calls, or is this directed towards ACC refs in particular? Because we all know that ACC refs are watching another game anyways.

The problem with holding calls is the same as any other subjective calls, and the fact that each conference pays and trains their own battalions of blind zebras only adds to disparity and lunacy of calls/non-calls. The NCAA may want to look into centralizing the FBS refs making sure they're all on the same page, although the logistics of that is pretty staggering.
 
I would have said Pass Interference is easily the most overly abused call in football.
 
Someone put me on the rules committee. I'll change the game into football like it's supposed to be played.
 
romegajacket said:
Just curious as to how the rest of the world thinks on this one.
It seems to me that "HOLDING" is the most abused, overly used, overlooked call on the books. Some years back when I was a kid, our coach required that we (OL) keep our hands close in about the bottom of the shoulder pads. He advised us to hold on to our on jersey just to keep from anything ever looking like we were holding anyone.
Somewhere along the way this concept has gone the way of the basketball fowl where breathing too close to an opponent may be a fowl but a flying scissor tackle may not be called.
BTW, UGA always appeared to me to get away with more blatant, visible "holds" than anyone else.
What say you??
Click to expand...

Rome, the rules required the way you were taught to block; to extend your hands in blocking was a penalty, "illegal use of hands". The increased athleticism of defensive lineman rendered offensive linemen helpless in pass blocking. So, the rules were changed to allow the arm extension. The problem is that this makes refereeing difficult, it is hard to determine whether an extended armm is truly flat and pushing or whether there is some clutching going on. And, extended arms that get to the outside of the defenders shoulders almost surely leads to some form of holding. Look at how often blocks are made this way.

Thus, the problem is a situation where people claim "there is holding on every play". Then, when you get called for holding it is hard not to feel like you are the victim of a subjective call. And, watch many refs judging line blocking and you see late flags, because they flag the holding because it significantly affected the play.

Some rule adjustment is needed and better, more consistent rule enforcement is needed. I like the idea of disallowing arm extension on run blocking at or ahead of the line of scrimmage, downfield blocking, or wideout blocking. Ultimately that would lead to better run blocking, IMO, more like the blocking CPJ is trying to teach our linemen. Allow the extension of the arms on pass protection only and only call holding when there is a tackling of the defender. In other words, OL arm extension is only allowed when the lineman retreats to protect in the pocket.
 
ramblinwise1 said:
I agree and was saying the same thing to my wife last night watching games. If you don't do it you are at a serious disadvantage but its really illegal. I think the rules gurus should revisit the holding call and come up with a creative solution before it ruins the game. Options:

1) Go back to the old rule and enforce it. Can't extend the arms or put hands on the defender.

2) Forget about it! Let O and D lineman have the same rights. Only call holding if someone actually tackles the opponent and pulls him to the ground. This would probably be most fair but if you do this get ready for some NBA scores. Maybe you could increase the first down distance to 15 yards to offset it.

3) Make the 5 interior lineman wear boxing gloves to make holding nearly impossible. Center gets one free hand.
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Ramblin,
You make some very good points here as well as 77gtfan.
Matter of fact, your 3rd point was exactly what I suggested to my wife during the bowl game.
Whatever the case, what we're seeing today is lacking.
 
For Tech games, it's chop blocking.

I haven't seen the game film yet, but the chop block against us looked like the LSU defender held our OL from getting on to his next level and then he got cut blocked. It should have been holding LSU but we're good for a few chop blocks called against us every game.
 
The chop block call was good. It doesn't matter if it is inadvertent or why the DL was engaged. If anything, cut blocking may be made completely illegal if chop blocking becomes common. All it takes is one major injury.

I agree that pass interference is more abused and less logical than the holding rules.

The whole idea that pass interference is not a penalty depending on whether the official thinks it is "catchable" is stupid to me. The defender thought the ball was catchable or they wouldn't have interfered.

I also think it should be a reviewable call. If you hit the receiver early and you aren't going for the ball yourself then it should be interference. And coaches should be able to challenge incorrect interference calls (or non-calls.)
 
lonestarjacket said:
The chop block call was good. It doesn't matter if it is inadvertent or why the DL was engaged. If anything, cut blocking may be made completely illegal if chop blocking becomes common. All it takes is one major injury.

I agree that pass interference is more abused and less logical than the holding rules.

The whole idea that pass interference is not a penalty depending on whether the official thinks it is "catchable" is stupid to me. The defender thought the ball was catchable or they wouldn't have interfered.

I also think it should be a reviewable call. If you hit the receiver early and you aren't going for the ball yourself then it should be interference. And coaches should be able to challenge incorrect interference calls (or non-calls.)
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I do not like the chop block rule at all. The rule didn't exist in my high school playing days. Yeah I know its to keep people from getting hurt but its football people. If you're skeert you should put on a skirt and be a cheerleader.
 
The fumbleroosky is by far the stupidist penalty in football... Think about how things would be different if that were legal in today's game!
 
lonestarjacket said:
The chop block call was good. It doesn't matter if it is inadvertent or why the DL was engaged. If anything, cut blocking may be made completely illegal if chop blocking becomes common. All it takes is one major injury.

I agree that pass interference is more abused and less logical than the holding rules.

The whole idea that pass interference is not a penalty depending on whether the official thinks it is "catchable" is stupid to me. The defender thought the ball was catchable or they wouldn't have interfered.

I also think it should be a reviewable call. If you hit the receiver early and you aren't going for the ball yourself then it should be interference. And coaches should be able to challenge incorrect interference calls (or non-calls.)
Click to expand...

So a linemen can grab a guard who is trying to run by him, making the cut block by the center illegal? Hmmm, maybe that's why they were tough on the inside.
 
the common attitude toward holding is now that the old school holding is ok, as long as it is not outside of the shoulder. all of the "grab his shirt and twist it up in your hand and then grab your other hand so it looks like there is no way that you have his shirt" stuff was too much to keep up with.

officials look for a grasp outside of the arm/shoulder. if you go there, they will call holding pretty much guaranteed. if you are inside of the arms, you usually get away with it no matter what, unless you drag them down to the ground in front of the referee
 
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