OT: Flying Tush Push

[NorthKCHawk]

Slow day. I was thinking of how absurd the tush push as an NFL play. It used to be illegal (remember Reggie Bush and USC) and I suspect the rule gets changed again because Philly is too damn good at it.

But, how about this. You put your smallest guy at QB, like a small slot reciever. Somebody like 170 pounds. You put two 300 pound DE two steps behind him on one knee shoulder to shoulder. QB takes a step back and sits on their shoulder pads and they instantly do a box jump and launch the guy in the air 10 feet over the line. Let's not get too bogged down with the physics or if this would really work. I mean they do it with Chinese acrobats in Vegas all the time. If it would work, is it legal? Seems like just an elaborate push, just like Philly does.

 

[Grady]

I don't know about the pros, but in college ball you're not allowed to use anything other than the ground as a launching pad. For example, to block a FG, you can't run, and then jump off the back of your own player to launch over the OLinemen or block the FG.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

I don't know about the pros, but in college ball you're not allowed to use anything other than the ground as a launching pad. For example, to block a FG, you can't run, and then jump off the back of your own player to launch over the OLinemen or block the FG.

But I think that is a specific rule for FG and punt plays. You can't use another player as leverage to jump the line to block a kick. You can jump over it on your own.

I don't know that the rule applies to a regular play from scrimmage. To me, this is just an elaborate tush push. If you watch the Eagles, often time the QBs feet come off the ground as the pushers push him over the goal line, so that seems like there is already leverage.

 

[Grady]

But I think that is a specific rule for FG and punt plays. You can't use another player as leverage to jump the line to block a kick. You can jump over it on your own.

I don't know that the rule applies to a regular play from scrimmage. To me, this is just an elaborate tush push. If you watch the Eagles, often time the QBs feet come off the ground as the pushers push him over the goal line, so that seems like there is already leverage.

Perhaps it would be legal if they just picked up a small player and threw them over the LOS, without having that player launch off another player. You're right, that type of thing is the next logical step as long as they allow 'pushing' of your own teammate. I hated it when college ball changed to allow that -- I don't think it should be allowed and wouldn't be disappointed at all if a pro team hired a 100 lb female to dress and then just throw her over the top of the LOS down by the goal line. That's the kind of stupid stuff that rule wold seem to allow.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Perhaps it would be legal if they just picked up a small player and threw them over the LOS, without having that player launch off another player. You're right, that type of thing is the next logical step as long as they allow 'pushing' of your own teammate. I hated it when college ball changed to allow that -- I don't think it should be allowed and wouldn't be disappointed at all if a pro team hired a 100 lb female to dress and then just throw her over the top of the LOS down by the goal line. That's the kind of stupid stuff that rule wold seem to allow.

I agree. It is not a football play in my opinion. That said, I like the rule change that allows pushing and pulling as long as it happens organically during the play, and is not the actual purpose of the play. Meaning, I love it when a RB is caught in a scrum 10 yards down the field and big OL comes charging down the field and drills the pile and pushes the RB forward another 10 yards. That's bad ass. But, the play wasn't designed that way, it was just a good, tough, hustle play by the big guy. I am fine with that.

But, when you line up with the intent of pushing the ball carrier through, that is rugby, not football.

You could fix this in a couple ways.

1. Change the rule so that pushing and pulling of a ball carrier can only occur once the carrier has crossed the line of scrimmage.
2. Require any pushers to be set up at least two yards behind the QB so that they basically have to crash into the QB, not just push. Make it hurt.
3. Or just ban the play. You cannot set up to push a QB from behind on purpose. Unsportsmanlike.

Either way, I hope they don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Some pushing/pulling of ball carriers is a great part of the game, just not this.

 

[Fryowa]

Slow day. I was thinking of how absurd the tush push as an NFL play. It used to be illegal (remember Reggie Bush and USC) and I suspect the rule gets changed again because Philly is too damn good at it.

But, how about this. You put your smallest guy at QB, like a small slot reciever. Somebody like 170 pounds. You put two 300 pound DE two steps behind him on one knee shoulder to shoulder. QB takes a step back and sits on their shoulder pads and they instantly do a box jump and launch the guy in the air 10 feet over the line. Let's not get too bogged down with the physics or if this would really work. I mean they do it with Chinese acrobats in Vegas all the time. If it would work, is it legal? Seems like just an elaborate push, just like Philly does.

What I've never understood is why for goal line and 4th and inches scenarios they don't find some 6'10" 230# P6 basketball player who could easily line up in the backfield and jump over the line to gain. The average NBA wing span I saw online for that height is 9'2". All they'd have to do is cross the plane in the endzone and it's a done deal. Direct snap it to the guy and with a running start and jump there's no stopping a TD at that point. One would think you could find a guy like that with hands and not be afraid of a fumble on the snap. But who knows?

 

[NorthKCHawk]

What I've never understood is why for goal line and 4th and inches scenarios they don't find some 6'10" 230# P6 basketball player who could easily line up in the backfield and jump over the line to gain. The average NBA wing span I saw online for that height is 9'2". All they'd have to do is cross the plane in the endzone and it's a done deal. Direct snap it to the guy and with a running start and jump there's no stopping a TD at that point. One would think you could find a guy like that with hands and not be afraid of a fumble on the snap. But who knows?

Remember when Wegher used to do his goal line leap? Take the handoff and launch over the top? You don't see that very often, but it was damn near unstoppable unless the LB could time the jump and meet him midair. That's a fun play, but it can be stopped. Very few RBs have the stones to launch like that.

I like your NBA player idea, but you would need a special guy to do that. He is going to take a beating when he jump over the line and lanky guys like that have a lot of knees and joints to hurt. That said, you could use that same guy on field goal block teams. Have him burrow in behind the DL and time his jump to get a hand on the ball.