BOL Round Table

Who is deemed to be in a "defenseless" position when attempting to make a catch?

Here are the rules:

9-1-4 of the NCAA Football Rule Book reads, "No player shall target and initiate contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent with the helmet, forearm, elbow or shoulder."

Rule 9-1-3 which states, ‘No player shall target and initiate contact against an opponent with the crown (top) of his helmet.’”

Taken together I read this to mean that you must duck your shoulders enough that your helmet doesn't hit the opponent's helmet, but do so without leading with your helmet. Basically a shoulder pad to the torso is clean? Or apparently you can drop kick to the head since it says nothing about foot to head contact.

Seems like a very difficult calculation to make in an instant on a bang-bang play. Does anyone know how coaches are teaching DBs to tackle with this rule?