Guess who’s not thrilled about the new NCAA rule that bans blocks below the waist happening five yards beyond the line of scrimmage?
Paul Johnson doth protest.
A day after the NCAA approved a rule change that will ban blocks below the waist that occur five yards beyond the line of scrimmage – a small facet of the Georgia Tech option offense – the Yellow Jackets coach called it to question.
Following his team’s spring-practice scrimmage Saturday morning, Johnson said that the rule may affect Tech to some degree, “but I noticed it’s five yards downfield, so it doesn’t affect the bubble screens or the RPOs or anything.”
Bubble screens and the run-pass option (RPO) are plays that have gained in popularity that can include cut blocks – blocks thrown below the waist – within five yards of the line of scrimmage. The topic of cut blocking often irks Johnson, as the block is often claimed to be dangerous and his offense frequently is associated with it. Johnson’s typical response has been to ask for research that supports the contention. He also has noted that the Jackets are hardly the only team that employs blocking below the waist.
“Either blocking below the waist is dangerous or it’s not,” Johnson said. “It’s not anymore dangerous five yards down the field than it is on the line of scrimmage. If it’s that scary, they ought to not tackle below the waist.”
To which I can but say, be careful what you wish for, genius.
Get The Picture 
Another step towards flag football. Next year the NCAA will mirror the NFLs new “leading with the helmet rules” and the 520 refs/65 replay officials will certainly apply it equals across every game, every Saturday.
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The NFL’s new rules mirror the targeting rules that have been in place in college football for several years.
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Great! Now the NCAA (and I call the organization by the same name as The Boz) is going to run off Coach Johnson before Kirby does!
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They may have extended his contract a little too soon. Not sure they can afford to buy him out now. The good news, however, is that their program will be even further in the toilet when he does leave.
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I generally find the whining about cut-blocking ridiculous. We were certainly taught how to do it not that many years ago, it has been a standard part of football for many years, is used in a wide variety of situations and by many teams – it is NOT chop blocking, which is very dangerous and, now, illegal.
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Ask Abry Jones and DeAngelo Tyson their opinion on cut blocking. In today’s games where 330 pound men throw themselves at knees and ankles, it’s dirty play whether it’s legal or not.
The problem is chop blocking isn’t called unless it’s egregious.
Cutting needs to go the way of the head slap, leading with the crown of the helmet and other unsafe techniques that were once legal.
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Agree. It’s not blocking, it’s going directly at the opponent’s knees. Other than the head, is there any part of the body more susceptible to a serious football injury than a player’s knees? The number of players who’s careers were ended by knee injuries is countless.
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With holding practically legal today, there’s no reason to cut block. To Fish Fry, tackling below the waist (rugby style) is proving to be safer than form tackling the way it used to be taught.
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This.
Today’s linemen are likely 50-75 lbs larger and much stronger and quicker than they were 40 years ago.
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Just imagine if CPJ had to actually change something.
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I think Johnson is correct to say “either blocking below the waist is dangerous or it’s not.” I believe it needs to be banned outright. Unfortunately, banning the cut block would leave way too many teams unable to compete so we’re not likely to see it retired anytime soon.
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Seems reasonable. A defender at the line of scrimmage has a reasonable expectation of an opponent being able to cut him, grab him, redirect etc. The problem with the cut 10 or 20 yards downfield is the LB or S running full tilt with his head turned one direction and an OL, RB, FB or TE cuts his knees.
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Anything knee level or down would have gotten this done. It’s the chop block you want to get rid of. He has to completely rethink what he does once that rule goes into place.
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Yeah, yeah. I get it with all of the “Oh, noes! Football is for wusses now!”
Still though… HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
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It’s hilarious isn’t it?
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Let me see if I have this straight. Paul Johnson has two main points he wants to get across to us about the new rule:
1) Every single team in the country does it all the time.
2) Stop picking on us!
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Paul Johnson coaching:
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I agree with the rule change but it doesn’t go far enough. Just outlaw blocking below the waist–period. Guys get knee injuries more often than head injuries and those can be devastating too. Most of the time those blocks are really uncalled clips anyway. Get rid of that type of block.
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