Is hurdling legal

[gen22]

I was watching the Rockford guilford vs Belvidere North game last night and the ball carrier from Guilford hurdles the defender for a touchdown. I thought it was a 15 yard penalty in high school football.

 

[BadgerPete]

If defender is on the ground with a knee touching the turf, hurdling is legal. The stuff you see in college and the pros, is illegal in the National Federation of High School rules.

While we don’t see it very often, one of most unique football rules at the high school level deals with the prohibition about a runner hurdling over a defender.

Whenever a ball carrier is moving down the field and a defender is coming over to make that tackle, the only time that ball carrier can hurdle the defender – and by hurdle we mean trying to go over the top of the defender, leading with their foot first – the only time they can hurdle that defender is when the defender is contacting the ground with more than just their feet and hands.

So if that defender is lying on the ground, a hurdle is a legal move. However, if that defender is still on their feet, hurdling would result in a foul.

 

[Corey90]

Sounds like a dumb rule. I get it the rule was made for safety reasons. It’s football. Stop it already.

 

[BadgerPete]

Sounds like a dumb rule. I get it the rule was made for safety reasons. It’s football. Stop it already.

Dumb rule …..until you get spiked in the arm by a 200lb tailback going full speed.

 

[Corey90]

Dumb rule …..until you get spiked in the arm by a 200lb tailback going full speed.

Hahaha
Still dumb. It’s football. Try again at a real excuse that’s believable.

 

[cigaros]

Dumb rule …..until you get spiked in the arm by a 200lb tailback going full speed.

No one wears spikes. I never hear hockey players complaining about blades crossing in front of them from opponents who move faster than the football players. Football players wear the second most padding of any sport. It's a dumb rule.

Signed, Former Football AND Hockey player