Football Rules For Men On The Line Of Scrimmage

Playing on the offensive and defensive line is a vitally important job in football. While running backs, quarterbacks and wide receivers may get most of the attention with their headline-grabbing play, none of those skill-position players could get the job done without the offensive linemen doing their job. Linebackers and defensive backs who come up with interceptions also benefit when the defensive line puts pressure on the quarterback.

Holding

The offensive linemen are allowed to use their hands to hit, push or drive their opponents backwards when run blocking. This includes holding their opponents by grasping the front of their uniform in the chest area. However, the offensive lineman cannot grasp outside the frame of the body. That means the offensive lineman cannot grasp the arms or shoulders. That is considered outside the frame, and a holding penalty will be called. A holding penalty will force the offense back 10 yards.

Chop Block

Offensive lineman cannot block an opponent who is not directly in front of them by diving at their legs. When an offensive guard and a defensive tackle are engaged, the center cannot assist the guard by diving at the defensive tackle's knees or ankles. This is called a chop block, and it sets the offense back 15 yards. This is a dangerous maneuver that could result in an injury.

Head Slap

The head slap is a maneuver that used to be a significant part of a defensive end's repertoire when it came to rushing the passer. It was made famous by Hall of Fame defensive end David "Deacon" Jones of the Los Angeles Rams during the 1960s. Jones would slap the helmet of the offensive tackle with his inside arm and then hit it again the opposite way with his outside arm to knock the tackle off balance. The head slap was banned in the 1980s because football officials wanted to reduce the chance of head injuries. A head slap is considered a personal foul and results in a 15-yard penalty.

Illegal Procedure

The offensive line must be set in its position for a full second before the start of the ball. If a player moves or even acts like he is going to move, he will be called for illegal procedure. For example, a quarterback will call his team's signals and the offensive linemen will take their position with one hand on the ground. If an offensive lineman moves his hand or adjusts his shoulder once he has become set, he will be flagged for illegal procedure. Moving after getting set is interpreted by officials as trying to induce your opponent to jump off-sides. The illegal procedure penalty moves the offense backward five yards. Defensive linemen can jump around all they want before the start of the play as long as they don't cross the line of scrimmage or touch an opponent before the start of the play. Defensive linemen cannot try to induce an illegal procedure penalty by interfering with the quarterback's signals or making other intentional movements to distract the offensive lineman. When a defensive lineman crosses the line of scrimmage and makes contact with an offensive player, he is called off-sides, and the offense moves forward five yards.