Why is tripping illegal?

[Sow’sEar]

SIAP, I have not been on board much since game.

Why, in a game that allows you to throw someone to the ground and/or hit them as hard as humanly possible, is tripping against the rules?

Is it an injury risk?

I understand its against the rules and Skipper clearly did it so I don't have a problem with the call just wondering what the rationale is to making it illegal.

And why is it 15 yards?  Holding is only 10.

[Hogwild]

Tripping is legal, just can't use your legs to do it. 

[onebadrubi]

Come on, if it happened the other way around you would see why it was illegal.  It's a poor way of removing a guy from a play.  You are usually on the ground cause you got best, then to trip is a way to remove the upright individual that most likely legally put you to the ground is not allowed rightfully so.

I've said it numerous times, all that Dan brings us there was going to be this moment.  It's who he is, but you can't come in here and knock who he it is, it takes that's mentality to do all the other great things as well that he does.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Tripping is legal, just can't use your legs to do it. 

Tripping is only legal when it is done on a ballcarrier, but that's it.

[acua]

Skipper the Tripper!

[malibu327]

Skipper the Tripper!

I like it

[hogrocker]

I've always wondered that.  I probably tripped people 100 times in games in high school and never got flagged. The guy next to me did it once and got flagged.  I never understood it.

[hogsanity]

Why is face masking, spearing, clipping, or chop blocking illegal? You go to trip a guy running full speed and it is easy to break his shin, or your own for that matter.  Also easy to catch him with his cleats in the ground and injure his knee.

Sure, players probably get away with it all the time, but when you do it in the middle of a pile it is often hard to see in a tangle of legs and arms.  Do it at midfield, when basically you and the defender are the only two people around, at it is hard to hide.

[Locutus_of_Boar]

Here is the thinking of the guy who wrote the rules:

"I am delighted to have you play football. I believe in rough, manly sports. But I do not believe in them if they degenerate into the sole end of any one's existence. I don't want you to sacrifice standing well in your studies to any over-athleticism; and I need not tell you that character counts for a great deal more than either intellect or body in winning success in life. Athletic proficiency is a mighty good servant, and like so many other good servants, a mighty bad master. "

- Theodore Roosevelt

http://www.history.com/news/how-teddy-roosevelt-saved-football

[DeltaBoy]

It is a penny annie rule that cost us a game. Skipper should have known better.

[DoctorSusscrofa]

That play was definitely a trip.

[code red]

Let's put it this way.  Would it be a good idea to put speed bumps on I40???  Did you really just ask that???

[twistitup]

There's no tripping in football (Tom Hanks voice)

[Grunt]

Tripping is only legal when it is done on a ballcarrier, but that's it.

Correct.
Striking Fouls and Tripping
ARTICLE 2. a. No person subject to the rules shall strike an opponent with the
knee; strike an opponent's helmet (including the face mask), neck, face or any
other part of the body with an extended forearm, elbow, locked hands, palm,
fist, or the heel, back or side of the open hand; or gouge an opponent (A.R.
9-1-2-I).
b. No person subject to the rules shall strike an opponent with his foot or any
part of his leg that is below the knee.
c. There shall be no tripping. (Exception: Tripping the runner is not a foul.)

[jbcarol]

There's no tripping in football (Tom Hanks voice)

Fo' knows.

[intelligence]

Correct.
Striking Fouls and Tripping
ARTICLE 2. a. No person subject to the rules shall strike an opponent with the
knee; strike an opponent's helmet (including the face mask), neck, face or any
other part of the body with an extended forearm, elbow, locked hands, palm,
fist, or the heel, back or side of the open hand; or gouge an opponent (A.R.
9-1-2-I).
b. No person subject to the rules shall strike an opponent with his foot or any
part of his leg that is below the knee.
c. There shall be no tripping. (Exception: Tripping the runner is not a foul.)

d. Thar be dragons'

[flynhog]

You guys lie on the ground on your back.    Now try to get up as fast as you can.  The first thing that happens is your feet come off of the ground.  He did not trip!  He was just trrying to get up really fast!  Getting up really fast is not a penalty.  There.

[Martygit]

Same reason that horse collaring, grabbing the dreadlocks hanging out of the back of some guy's helmet and happening to hit someone's helmet with your's is illegal - because some PC correct jerk decided that it was - this isn't football - pretty soon it will be turned into flag football with no physical contact at all - that will be fun to watch 

[Mike Irwin]

You guys lie on the ground on your back.    Now try to get up as fast as you can.  The first thing that happens is your feet come off of the ground.  He did not trip!  He was just trrying to get up really fast!  Getting up really fast is not a penalty.  There.

That is nonsense. Look closely at the video. He throws his right foot into the guy's  shin. That was an all out trip. It was intentional. Bielema saw it. That's why he called Skipper out after the game.

[Mike Irwin]

Same reason that horse collaring, grabbing the dreadlocks hanging out of the back of some guy's helmet and happening to hit someone's helmet with your's is illegal - because some PC correct jerk decided that it was - this isn't football - pretty soon it will be turned into flag football with no physical contact at all - that will be fun to watch 

There have always been certain rules with regard to blocking. You can't grab a guy with your hands and you can't intentionally trip him with your feet.

These rules aren't new. They've been around forever. A long time before the term "PC" was created.

[Martygit]

There have always been certain rules with regard to blocking. You can't grab a guy with your hands and you can't intentionally trip him with your feet.

These rules aren't new. They've been around forever. A long time before the term "PC" was created.

And, now, PC is being used to turn this game into a game that most of us who have been watching it since the 50's don't recognize - I've almost quit watching the NFL because the officials seem to think that they're more important than the game and throw a flag at almost anything - the NCAA is getting as bad - the game shouldn't be decided on penalties but on who played the game the best - but the "best" has been morphed into who can play with the least yellow flags thrown against them - that's not the way it should be played - football was never meant to be a game for sissies - should we eliminate the game all together? Doubt that will happen or should it - but every year there is an addition to the rules that takes away from the basics of the game

[Mike Irwin]

How is tripping a new rule? It's been around as long as I've been alive. It is, however, an uncommon penalty. Most players don't even think about doing it. You're going to get caught.

Arkansas head coach has gone on record as saying it has no place in the game.

What else is there to debate?

[Hogarusa]

There is nothing more annoying than tripping.  If you saw a scuffle on the playground in elementary school, it probably started with someone getting tripped. 

[(notOM)Rebel123]

Why is offensive basket interference against the rules in basketball?
Isn't the object of the game to put the ball in the basket?

[Sow’sEar]

Why in basketball when a player goes out of bounds does the offensive team lose possession of the ball, and in football if a player goes out of bounds the offensive team retains possession???

[Hogarusa]

Why is Greenland full of ice and Iceland full of grass?

[Hawgfan5]

Why is tripping illegal?

It doesn't matter. Is illegal bc it is illegal and we play with the same rules as everyone else. Just bc u don't think something should be illegal doesn't mean it is. It's like every day society. If it's against the rules don't do it. If u do and get caught don't whine about it. It's all about personal responsibility and that's what is about on O line.

[Hawgfan5]

[Sorry I double posted on accident]

[Sow’sEar]

It doesn't matter. Is illegal bc it is illegal and we play with the same rules as everyone else. Just bc u don't think something should be illegal doesn't mean it is. It's like every day society. If it's against the rules don't do it. If u do and get caught don't whine about it. It's all about personal responsibility and that's what is about on O line.

you are missing the point of my post.  I know it's illegal.  I know Skipper did it.  I know he should have been called for it.  I'm just wondering what is the rationale for it being illegal, and why the penalty is so harsh....

[twistitup]

Tripping is a penalty, but if you put your knee in a guys scrotum there is no racking penalty, why?

[RazorbackToTheFuture]

Same reason that horse collaring, grabbing the dreadlocks hanging out of the back of some guy's helmet and happening to hit someone's helmet with your's is illegal - because some PC correct jerk decided that it was - this isn't football - pretty soon it will be turned into flag football with no physical contact at all - that will be fun to watch 

Is grabbing dreads illegal?  I always heard it was legal and pretty sure Collins got tackled by his hair once last Sat.  Would've been an easy call to make if illegal.

[hobhog]

It's not illegal, just against the rules in football.

[hobhog]

Is grabbing dreads illegal?  I always heard it was legal and pretty sure Collins got tackled by his hair once last Sat.  Would've been an easy call to make if illegal.

No.

[Hawgfan5]

you are missing the point of my post.  I know it's illegal.  I know Skipper did it.  I know he should have been called for it.  I'm just wondering what is the rationale for it being illegal, and why the penalty is so harsh....

you are missing the point of rules. It doesn't matter why that rule is in place. It just is. So abide by it. It's a rule of the game so game plan around it. If a player breaks a rule that u didn't think is ok...guess what...they still broke a rule. It's society. Abide by it. Our athletes have to abide by our society's rules to have an athletic program that we can be proud of.

[Sow’sEar]

you are missing the point of rules. It doesn't matter why that rule is in place. It just is. So abide by it. It's a rule of the game so game plan around it. If a player breaks a rule that u didn't think is ok...guess what...they still broke a rule. It's society. Abide by it. Our athletes have to abide by our society's rules to have an athletic program that we can be proud of.

Okay.  Excuse me for wanting to why something is against the rules.  According to you it just is and that's all there is to know.  I know it just is.  That is not my point.  Good grief.  I want to know WHY it is... 

[Pork Twain]

It is a good rule and few break it.  Doing so is a bonehead move, especially on the other side of the field from the play and obvious, but who doesn't make boneheaded plays from time to time.  It likely cost us the game and I am sure a lesson was learned.

[rzrbaxfan]

I believe the reason it's illegal is that it's a safety thing. Blocking is supposed to be a face-to-face combat sort of thing.  That's why blocking from behind and blocking below the waist are also considered illegal. Linemen on both sides would have shorter careers if it were legal to have their legs kicked at while in play.

[PonderinHog]

you are missing the point of rules. It doesn't matter why that rule is in place. It just is. So abide by it. It's a rule of the game so game plan around it. If a player breaks a rule that u didn't think is ok...guess what...they still broke a rule. It's society. Abide by it. Our athletes have to abide by our society's rules to have an athletic program that we can be proud of.

Big Dan abides, dude.

[PonderinHog]

Tripping is a penalty, but if you put your knee in a guys scrotum there is no racking penalty, why?

I think it's mostly Timothy Leary's fault.

[EastexHawg]

Do you want a 350 pound man kicking you in the shin?  If it was legal there would be guys flopping around on the field with lower legs that looked like Joe Theismann and Sam Bowie every other game.

[Nafunu32]

I'm not so concerned about it being a rule, but how certain rules are enforced. I would like to see penalties without any effect on the overall play, be a penalty assessed after the run. In this instance, from the 2 back to the 17.

[hogsanity]

I'm not so concerned about it being a rule, but how certain rules are enforced. I would like to see penalties without any effect on the overall play, be a penalty assessed after the run. In this instance, from the 2 back to the 17.

But now you are asking the refs to decide what was and was not going to effect the play.  A ref watching for holding in the line does not always know where the ball is.  A ref watching for defensive holding on a wr does not know the ball is/has been thrown to the other side of the field.

Plus, like on the call Sat, what if JW gets hit 15 yards down field and fumbles?  The tripped player could have been involved in the play. 

You can't enforce rules in that manner.  IT's either a flag or it isn't. In this case it most certainly deserved one.

[azhog10]

Quick question. I have seen the replays of this "tripping" call, and I have a question. When Skipper went to the ground he rolled to his back and lifted his leg up. However, from the replay I can't see that anyone was actually "tripped", and I couldn't even tell that his leg prevented anyone from making a play. The closest guy to him from the replay looked as though he didn't even try to run around Skippers leg, but instead went the other direction which was the direction in which the play went. Is there a better replay "view" of this call and who Skipper actually tripped?

[azhog10]

But now you are asking the refs to decide what was and was not going to effect the play.  A ref watching for holding in the line does not always know where the ball is.  A ref watching for defensive holding on a wr does not know the ball is/has been thrown to the other side of the field.

Plus, like on the call Sat, what if JW gets hit 15 yards down field and fumbles?  The tripped player could have been involved in the play. 

You can't enforce rules in that manner.  IT's either a flag or it isn't. In this case it most certainly deserved one.

In what replay can you actually see someone "tripped" by Skipper? I see his leg go up, but I never see a guy actually fall over it, or prevented from trying to make a play that is 20 yards down the field.......

[azhog10]

Is grabbing dreads illegal?  I always heard it was legal and pretty sure Collins got tackled by his hair once last Sat.  Would've been an easy call to make if illegal.

No, but the grab of Carrol Washingtons facemask when he intercepted the ball should have been a penalty. I know it was on the top, just inside the helmet, but the facemaks goes up to the top of the helmet and that's what the WR of TAMU grabbed. IMO should have been a facemaskm but we got away with one also. The most inexcusible was the false start no call. I wish CBB would have taken a quick timeout when he saw Mitchel jumping up and down about him moving. That would have allowed our guys to reset, and Bielema to chew on the side judge a little longer.

PS The hold on Skipper was bogus.

[hogsanity]

In what replay can you actually see someone "tripped" by Skipper? I see his leg go up, but I never see a guy actually fall over it, or prevented from trying to make a play that is 20 yards down the field.......

this one
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SfsreRHlDKI/VCd_tJMB9TI/AAAAAAAAB0A/2jvlQRHugQc/s1600/skippertripper.gif

Or just go look at the stickied thread about BB saying he needs to coach Skipper better, in reference to this penalty.

[azhog10]

this one
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SfsreRHlDKI/VCd_tJMB9TI/AAAAAAAAB0A/2jvlQRHugQc/s1600/skippertripper.gif

Or just go look at the stickied thread about BB saying he needs to coach Skipper better, in reference to this penalty.

Thank you! The replays I saw on TV only showed him when he first went to the ground and I had a hard time thinking that was a trip. But it was actually a little later when the trip occurred. Absolutely just a stupid play. Can't argue that at all.

[EastexHawg]

He didn't get called for the first attempt at a trip on that play, but he did it again in an even more obvious way.