Guard Reverse

quote:

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Originally posted by: Oriole Power
I have seen the guard reverse drawn up as a trick play but I have never actually seen it run. Is it legal in HS football? I know the fumble rooskie has been illegal for a couple of years.

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Coach: Here are the rule citations you are looking for:

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NCAA rules (used for high schools in Massachusetts and Texas):

7-1-6 - Handing the Ball Forward
ARTICLE 6. No player may hand the ball forward except during a
scrimmage down as follows:
a. A Team A player who is behind his scrimmage line may hand the ball
forward to a backfield teammate who is also behind that line.
b. A Team A player who is behind his scrimmage line may hand the ball
forward to a teammate who was on his scrimmage line when the ball was
snapped, provided that teammate left his line position by a movement
of both feet that faced him toward his own end line and was at least two
yards behind his scrimmage line when he received the ball (A.R. 7-1-6-
I).
PENALTY—Five yards from the spot of the foul; also loss of a down if by
Team A before team possession changes during a scrimmage
down.
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NFHS rules (used for high schools in the other 48 states):

7-3-2a (paraphrased) -- it is a foul to hand the ball forward to a lineman behind the line when the lineman has not moved his feet 180 degrees (faced his own goal) and/or is not 1 yard behind the line when receiving the ball.
PENALTY - 5 yards and loss of down.
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Therefore: As long as the lineman in question turns to face his own goal at the snap, and is 1 yard (NFHS) or 2 yards (NCAA) behind the LOS when he receives the snap, the guard-around play is legal.

To avoid all these extra rules, you can always pull a guard behind the QB so the hand-off to him is not taking place forward...

In any event, I would definitely mention to the officials in your pre-game conference that you are planning on running a play like this, to demonstrate to them that you know the rules and will abide by them...