"Spearing" is a penalty that can be called on both offense and defense, but is rarely called.
I called a running back for spearing in a HS game and was damn near tarred and feathered. Told the head coach to read the rule and then come back and apologize.
Head of our association tells me in the next meeting that I was right according to the letter of the rule, but that call was not one that should be made.
I pointed out to him that the first time there is a catastrophic injury to a defensive player receiving such a hit from a running back or the running back that delivers one there will be an attorney looking for a big payday...and did he want to be on record with an official policy of looking the other way?
Watch today's game and next years' games and watch the running backs...they all lower their head just before contact with the defender.
That's just one example.
The rules are there to create as safe a game as possible, but they are not being enforced....which will create the liability for the officials first and then the league after the fingers start pointing back saying they were following instructions...
Good for you, ref! Neck injury and back injury. I don’t know why you got such flack. This technique is a penalty, plain and simply.
Plaintiffs always go for the deep pockets. That’s not the officials, but the owners and the league itself.