Free-Blocking Zone

Rule 2 Section 17  Free-Blocking Zone - Legal Blocking Below the Waist, Legal Clipping, Legal Block in the Back

Art. 1.  The Free-blocking zone is a rectangular area extending laterally 4 yards either side of the spot of the snap and 3 yards behind each line of scrimmage.  A player is in the free-blocking zone when any part of his body is in the zone at the snap.

Art. 2.  Blocking below the waist is permitted in the free-blocking zone when the following are met:

a. All players involved in the blocking are on the line of scrimmage and in the zone at the snap.

b. The contact is in the zone.

Art. 3.  Clipping is permitted in the free-blocking zone when the following are met:

a. By offensive linemen who are on the line of scrimmage and in the zone at the snap.

b. Against defensive players who are on the line of scrimmage and in the zone at the snap.

c. The contact is in the zone.

Art. 4.  Blocking in the back is permitted in the free-blocking zone when the following conditions are met:

a. By offensive linemen who are on the line of scrimmage and in the zone at the snap.

b. Against defensive players who are on the line of scrimmage and in the zone at the snap.

c. The contact is in the zone.

Art. 5.  The free blocking zone disintegrates and the exception for a player to block below the waist and/or the exception for an offensive lineman to clip and/or block in the back is not to continue after the ball has left the zone.

Please Note:

Central U.P. Youth Football League Rules do not allow clipping in the free-blocking zone.

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