PSA From Your Friendly GID Football Official

[5GetsYou1]

Personal fouls are not automatic first downs. The only automatic first downs under NFHS rules are roughing the snapper, holder, kicker, quarterback. 

A horse-collar tackle is when the inside back or side collar, or the name plate area is pulled backwards or sideward to the ground.

 

Thank you for listening to my RefTalk. 

 

[ButterOnAPopTart]

Are personal fouls and unsportsmanlike penalties considered the same when looking at disqualification? If a player gets one of each are they disqualified from the contest? 

[Rodney]

If we chain the refs to the light post in the parking lot they cant make any calls

 

Therefore there can never be a situation where we question those calls

 

[5GetsYou1]

10 minutes ago, ButterOnAPopTart said:

Are personal fouls and unsportsmanlike penalties considered the same when looking at disqualification? If a player gets one of each are they disqualified from the contest? 

Nope, personal fouls hold nothing more than the penalty unless they are flagrant or for fighting. 

[Daniel_Bragg]

13 hours ago, 5GetsYou1 said:

Personal fouls are not automatic first downs. The only automatic first downs under NFHS rules are roughing the snapper, holder, kicker, quarterback. 

A horse-collar tackle is when the inside back or side collar, or the name plate area is pulled backwards or sideward to the ground.

 

Thank you for listening to my RefTalk. 

 

So if a defender only has the back of a player's jersey while tackling, that's an automatic horse-collar?

[Bobref]

7 hours ago, Daniel_Bragg said:

So if a defender only has the back of a player's jersey while tackling, that's an automatic horse-collar?

Let’s start with the rulebook definition. “No player shall …

Grab the inside back or side collar, or the name plate area (directly below the back collar), of either the shoulder pads or the jersey of the runner and subsequently pull (backward or sideward) that opponent to the ground (Horse-collar), even if possession is lost. The horse-collar foul is enforced as a live-ball foul.”

[5GetsYou1]

I think what most people don't realize is a horse-collar tackle is a foul to protect the runner's legs and knees. When they get pull from that high up and their foot is in the ground there is no where for the force of their body to go and causes the knee to buckle with a lot of pressure. 

[Bobref]

A little history.

The horse collar foul came into being in the NFL in 2005. The impetus for the rule came in 2004 when Cowboys’ safety Roy Williams used the technique to tackle Terrell Owens, breaking his leg in the process. Williams was rather notorious for the move. 

[Daniel_Bragg]

On 11/11/2025 at 7:09 AM, Bobref said:

Let’s start with the rulebook definition. “No player shall …

Grab the inside back or side collar, or the name plate area (directly below the back collar), of either the shoulder pads or the jersey of the runner and subsequently pull (backward or sideward) that opponent to the ground (Horse-collar), even if possession is lost. The horse-collar foul is enforced as a live-ball foul.”

So, in this situation, the defensive players choice is either grab the runner's jersey and get called for a foul, or just let the guy score?  In my opinion, this is a poorly written rule.  Pulling on the jersey should not be a foul, again, in my opinion.

[Bobref]

1 hour ago, Daniel_Bragg said:

So, in this situation, the defensive players choice is either grab the runner's jersey and get called for a foul, or just let the guy score?  In my opinion, this is a poorly written rule.  Pulling on the jersey should not be a foul, again, in my opinion.

Simply grabbing the jersey is not a foul. It has to be a specific area of the jersey, and the runner has to be pulled to the ground either backwards or sideways.

[Impartial_Observer]

1 hour ago, Bobref said:

Simply grabbing the jersey is not a foul. It has to be a specific area of the jersey, and the runner has to be pulled to the ground either backwards or sideways.

Any chance you could share with PAAL parents in Columbus? 

[Rodney]

58 minutes ago, Impartial_Observer said:

Any chance you could share with PAAL parents in Columbus? 

can I hear the story of why your signature reminds people that you're allowed to share their pictures.

 

who cried

[Impartial_Observer]

Scooter cried. 

[gonzoron]

2 hours ago, Rodney said:

can I hear the story of why your signature reminds people that you're allowed to share their pictures.

 

who cried

And you're allowed to share your own picture. I've done it.

[gonzoron]

1 hour ago, Impartial_Observer said:

Scooter cried. 

Fun times. I miss Scooter.

[Impartial_Observer]

9 hours ago, gonzoron said:

Fun times. I miss Scooter.

I do not. 

[5GetsYou1]

16 hours ago, Daniel_Bragg said:

So, in this situation, the defensive players choice is either grab the runner's jersey and get called for a foul, or just let the guy score?  In my opinion, this is a poorly written rule.  Pulling on the jersey should not be a foul, again, in my opinion.

Here's a picture that does a good job showing the area. And like Bobref said, it has to be to the ground backwards or sideways.

 

[RingLeader]

Team punts the ball away, during kick receiving team is called for block in the back, however during the play the player blocked got up and was blocked again in back by same player from first time. 
 

penalty is changed by referee as unsportsmanlike conduct by receiving team since kid did it twice, ball is given back to punting team with 15 yds and a fresh first down. 
 

is this correct call and enforcement of penalty? 

Edited November 13, 2025 by RingLeader

[Bobref]

23 minutes ago, RingLeader said:

Team punts the ball away, during kick receiving team is called for block in the back, however during the play the player blocked got up and was blocked again in back by same player from first time. 
 

penalty is changed by referee as unsportsmanlike conduct by receiving team since kid did it twice, ball is given back to punting team with 15 yds and a fresh first down. 
 

is this correct call and enforcement of penalty? 

Be nice to actually see this before ruling. But from the description:

• That’s not unsportsmanlike conduct. UNS at the high school level is a non-contact foul. If there’s contact, it can be a personal foul, but not UNS.
• If it were 2 blocks in the back during the same live ball, only one can be enforced.
• The block in the back is a “post-scrimmage kick” foul. Ball belongs to R. 10 yd. penalty enforced from the end of the kick, spot of the foul, or end of the return, whichever is more favorable for Team K.
• If this actually were a UNS foul, it would still be R’s ball. The 15 yd. penalty would be enforced from the succeeding spot, where it would be 1st & 10 for R.