In NCAA football, offensive holding is covered under Rule 9, Section 3, Article 6 of the NCAA Football Rules & Interpretations.
The rule defines several situations that constitute offensive holding. Here are the main forms:
Types of Offensive Holding (NCAA)
- Restraining by Grasping or Encircling
- Grabbing and restricting a defender with the hands, arms, or body.
- Hooking, Jerking, or Pulling
- Hooking the arm around an opponent or jerking/pulling them to restrict movement.
- Tackling
- Taking a defender to the ground in a way that prevents them from pursuing the play.
- Obstructing with Hands or Arms
- Using hands, arms, or body to push from the outside and lock onto the defender illegally.
- Material Restriction
- Any action where the blocker prevents the defender from moving freely toward the ball carrier or quarterback (e.g., grabbing a jersey, locking onto shoulder pads).
Exceptions (Not Holding)
The NCAA also specifies that use of the hands or arms is legal if:
- Hands are inside the frame of the defender’s body.
- There’s no “material restriction” of movement.
- Hands slide off immediately once contact is lost.
- The blocker is legally pushing, not grabbing.
Penalty
- 10 yards from the previous spot (or from the spot of the foul if it’s behind the line).
- Replay the down (unless it results in a loss of down, e.g., if committed by the offense in its own end zone, it becomes a safety).
⚖️ So, the “categories” of offensive holding are essentially grasping, hooking, tackling, pulling, or otherwise restricting.
Here’s a simple chart that shows the difference between legal blocking and offensive holding under NCAA rules:
🏈 NCAA Football – Offensive Holding Breakdown
| Legal Use of Hands (Not Holding) | Offensive Holding (Penalty) |
| Hands inside the defender’s frame (between shoulders, on chest). | Grabbing or grasping outside the frame (shoulders, jersey, or collar). |
| Open-hand push to the chest or shoulders. | Hooking or encircling with arms to restrict movement. |
| Hands slide off quickly after contact is lost. | Tackling or pulling defender to the ground. |
| Engaging, but allowing defender to move if they disengage. | Jerking, twisting, or turning the defender unnaturally. |
| Blocking with forearms or body inside the frame without restriction. | Holding on and preventing defender from pursuing the play (material restriction). |
Penalty
- 10 yards (spot or previous spot, whichever is worse for the offense).
- Safety if it occurs in the offense’s own end zone.
