Welcome to Ask the Official, a weekly blog series from USA Football. We’ve teamed up with Bill LeMonnier, USA Football rules editor, who’s served as a college football referee and also works with ESPN as a rules analyst. Look for LeMonnier’s blog every week during football season, as we take reader-submitted questions or revisit a controversial play that took place the previous weekend. See below for information on how to submit your questions. Here’s today’s topic:

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Q: If a defensive player tackles a ball carrier by jumping in the air and wrapping his arms around the ball carrier's helmet and pulling him to the ground, is this a legal tackle? The defender's hands did not grasp inside any helmet opening.

A: "If this was a striking blow, then you would have a personal foul penalty. If you only have this as a wrap-up with no helmet opening or face mask, then the contact is legal.  The key thing is to make sure no "second act" occurred where, after controlling the runner's head, the defender did something else like a body slam.  If a second act occurred, then you would have a personal foul. But simply wrapping up around the runner's head is not a foul."

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USA Football Rules Editor Bill LeMonnier is a former college referee who currently serves as an ESPN NCAA rules analyst. Click here to ask Bill a question. Make sure to put “Ask the Official” in the subject line.