The "Leaping" Penalty

MemphisBamaDude said:

What's crazy is, I can't remember the last time I saw that call but I saw it twice yesterday. Our game and the UGA Awburn game it was called against a Georgia player. Both times were killers of momentum for one side.

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Yes, exactly I was saying the same things. Did the SEC office tell the refs to make it a "point of emphasis" this past week? Normally they'll do that at the beginning of a season, not the 10th game.

WildTusk said:

Rule 9-1-11Leverage, Leaping and LandingARTICLE 11(New Paragraph)c. No defensive player who is inside the tackle box may try to block a punt by leaving his feet inan attempt to leap directly over an opponent.1. It is not a foul if the player tries to block the punt by jumping straight up withoutattempting to leap over the opponent.2. It is not a foul if a player attempts to leap through or over the gap between players.


I went back and looked at the play and the players legs were stick straight as he leaned over the MSU blocker. I think the intent of the rule is when you try to actually leap over the defender which he clearly was not trying to do.

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Agree. Looked to me like the Bama player leaped between the blockers and one blocker shouldered under him. This makes it a very difficult to judge correctly by the refs. He did not go "directly over" the opponent. I did not think it was a bad call and was cussing Bama for not knowing the rules but then saw the replay and I think the refs got it wrong.

This rule is horse hockey, IMHO.

ReturnToGlory said:

This rule is horse hockey, IMHO.

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Yes, and the penalty is way too harsh. It's always going to allow the punting team to keep the ball and extend the drive, which is a huge momentum shift.

IIRC, thinking back, it appeared our player was merely trying to jump straight up in an attempt to get a hand on the ball, and the MSU lineman pushing forward, actually went under him. I haven’t re-watched it since it happened live, so I may be wrong. I thought the rule was in place to keep players from standing way off the line, getting several steps of speed going, anticipating the snap, and leaping over the set lineman. If that was the case, I guess it was the correct call. All I know is, it was a huge momentum swing in the game that seemed to set the stage for how things would go.

I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that they call that on the defense, but allow the ball carrier to hurdle a defender. I feel the latter could be much more dangerous. Just look at what happened to Minkah last week.


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Like I posted above, I thought the rule came about to stop the defending team from getting 4-5 steps off the line, anticipating the snap, getting up some speed, and hurdling over the line.

Seems like it was a Vandy player IIRC a few years ago that made the highlight reel doing just that, and then later they made a rule against it. I’m not completely sure about that but that’s what comes to mind...(but I’m starting to develop a touch of CRS so take it FWIW!)


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I agree with the previous posters calling for the ban on offensive players leaping over defensive players. As pointed out, that is two weeks in a row we have had an opposing player do it. The problem I have with it is that it's dangerous for both players. I'm not aware of a serious injury as result of this play, but if it's not addressed soon then there will be. It seems like it's become a popular move over the last 2-3 years, but in this age of trying to make the game safer it has no place.

I have no problem with an offensive player leaping over a defender who is tackling low since can maintain control of his body and there is very little risk that he will land on his head. However, where the player leaps over a defender standing straight up there is a significant risk of the player getting flipped and landing on his head.

CajunCrimson said:

So A’Shawn’s blocked XP should have gotten a penalty?

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That play drove the creation of the rule. Yes it would now be illegal.

BamaFanTN said:

That play drove the creation of the rule. Yes it would now be illegal.

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The leaping rule has been in effect since 2012 and was in the NFL before that.

I have to agree with the OP. If it’s too dangerous on a kickoff block attempt, why is it allowed for a RB to do it?

MemphisBamaDude said:

What's crazy is, I can't remember the last time I saw that call but I saw it twice yesterday. Our game and the UGA Awburn game it was called against a Georgia player. Both times were killers of momentum for one side.

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I thought the same. Didn't Auburn block a Texas A&M punt last week by leaping over the blockers? It's the same as many of the rules, it seems. They call it sometimes and not others. I don't have a problem with it as long as it is called equally.

I am not denying it looks dangerous both ways (more dangerous on offense even), but I don't think the offensive and defensive cases are the same, and there's no simple argument that if it's illegal on punts then it should be on runs. On defense you really can avoid that situation, evidenced by how infrequently we see that called. I think there would be an endless supply of borderline cases on offense; how high is too high, and did the tackler go low, inviting a hurdle? It would be murder to enforce.

If they keep coming up with rules like this one touch football is right around the corner.

And Miss St took 2 timeouts right in the middle of plays.How dangerous is that?I guess the refs thought it was perfectly ok.

Wasn't leaping over players one of the reasons Gayle Sayers' career was cut so short?

trenda said:

Their RB attempted to leap over one of our defenders and was absolutely destroyed. That seemed as much dangerous for him as the above mentioned danger of a knee to the head of a defender.

Either eliminate the penalty (that's my suggestion) or call it both ways.

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I haven't read all the posts in the thread, but I think the "leaping" penalty is actually a very good rule. The player who tries to leap a blocker on a punt play could come down on his head and break his neck. It one rule that makes sense to me.

And I'll add, I fully expect offensive leaping will be banned very soon for the same reason.

About the worse thing that can happen to a player in a football game is a spinal injury so I actually think it's a good rule.

CajunCrimson said:

So A’Shawn’s blocked XP should have gotten a penalty?

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BamaFanTN said:

That play drove the creation of the rule. Yes it would now be illegal.

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A'Shawn would have been fine because he didn't have a running start. That's the main difference.

LA4Bama said:

I am not denying it looks dangerous both ways (more dangerous on offense even), but I don't think the offensive and defensive cases are the same, and there's no simple argument that if it's illegal on punts then it should be on runs. On defense you really can avoid that situation, evidenced by how infrequently we see that called. I think there would be an endless supply of borderline cases on offense; how high is too high, and did the tackler go low, inviting a hurdle? It would be murder to enforce.

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All it would take for the offensive players to stop is if a defender raises his head right as the runner hurdles. Helmet to the groin, and every player will stop it.