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514 Questions

Last Answer on January 23, 2021

A QB fumbles on a pitch to a rb on the 30yd line in an attempt to march down the field for a 70yd drive, the obvious chaos to recover the ball by D & O occurs; can a D player hit or kick the ball while trying to pick it up, causing the ball to roll towards the endzone, then recover it for a defensive touchdown??? Does this fall under the illegal batted ball rule?? (Ex: while he's trying to pick it up he kind of hits it forward, then hits it forward again, then picks it up in the endzone. Is this a legit td for the D or an illegally batted ball?) the ball started at the 30yd line, went back 5yds on the bad pitch, then was hit backwards nearly 25yds by the defense while attempting to pick up & advance the football.

Asked by Royal Chiou almost 9 years ago

You cannot bat a ball forward. If the defense batted it towards the endzone they're facing, that's forward and illegal. There is a certain amount of reading intent. "he kind of hits it forward, then hits it forward again, then picks it up in the endzone." If a player tried and failed to pick it up twice and - golly gee - it happened to go towards the endzone, I think we have an issue. Ain't happening.

821 Votes

10/1/16 Lou vs Clem ques you replied: A def hold is only an auto 1st down if it's against eligible receiver. If not, then like any other penalty, the down is repeated after 10 yard mark off. So, result of play + 10 yards + repeat of down? Thx

Asked by Gorilla over 9 years ago

No. If you accept the DH, then you go from the enforcement spot (previous spot ), Mark off 10vyards, repeat down.

820 Votes

What would have happened during tonights ram niners game the playclock was at zero before the niners recovered the onside kick is ent that A delay of game?? If the niners.would have.scored would it have still counted

Asked by MIKE thomas almost 9 years ago

Didn't see the game but based on what you're writing: thete is a play clock for kickoffs just as on any other play. If the play clock expired before it was kicked (And I've never seen that) then the kickibg team is penalized five yards. So, if it went to :00, there was no kick and thete can't be a recovery. The kicking team, by the way, cannot advance a recovery of their own kick.

819 Votes

In the Detroit game yesterday there was a dispute whether Stafford fumbled or was attempting a pass and upon challenge they ruled it a fumble. But even if it was a pass, the ball was clearly thrown backwards. why wasn't it a loose ball regardless.

Asked by Lane Potkin almost 9 years ago

Didn't see this nor hear anything about it. You're saying it was "clearly back"; maybe not.

818 Votes

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If a player catches a pass while in bounds but has not yet touched the ground but, while falling out of bounds he breaks the plane of the goal line, is it a TD?

Asked by Kyle collins over 9 years ago

No but.... Receiver needs to catch the ball in the field of play or endzone and come to ground to complete the catch. If he lands in the endzone as maintains possession to complete the catch, then it is a TD.

817 Votes

When is a punter no longer protected. If an Australian style punter runs outside the hash marks before kicking the ball, can he be hit even if he punts.

Asked by kevin over 9 years ago

Very good question. When he runs, he is a runner and can be hit - legally- like any other ball carrier. But if he stops to kick, he's a kicker and is subject to those protections. The referee (white hat) has responsibility for the kicker. He has to make the judgement of when the punter stops being a runner and becomes a kicker.

813 Votes

If there is 1 second left on a football game clock and the play clock counts down to zero because there are so many players and people on the field, why wouldn’t the team who was supposed to make the next game play receive a delay of game penalty?

Asked by Littlebit over 8 years ago

I'm not sure what you mean by "so many players and people on the field". But if the play clock is running and the clock goes to zero, yes, it's a delay of game. Now, if there were substitutions going on (NCAA rules), it is possible that the defense could cause the delay.

813 Votes

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10/1/16 Lou vs Clem ques you replied: A def hold is only an auto 1st down if it's against eligible receiver. If not, then like any other penalty, the down is repeated after 10 yard mark off. So, result of play + 10 yards + repeat of down? Thx

What would have happened during tonights ram niners game the playclock was at zero before the niners recovered the onside kick is ent that A delay of game?? If the niners.would have.scored would it have still counted

In the Detroit game yesterday there was a dispute whether Stafford fumbled or was attempting a pass and upon challenge they ruled it a fumble. But even if it was a pass, the ball was clearly thrown backwards. why wasn't it a loose ball regardless.

Also on Jobstr...

If a player catches a pass while in bounds but has not yet touched the ground but, while falling out of bounds he breaks the plane of the goal line, is it a TD?

When is a punter no longer protected. If an Australian style punter runs outside the hash marks before kicking the ball, can he be hit even if he punts.

If there is 1 second left on a football game clock and the play clock counts down to zero because there are so many players and people on the field, why wouldn’t the team who was supposed to make the next game play receive a delay of game penalty?

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

10/1/16 Lou vs Clem ques you replied: A def hold is only an auto 1st down if it's against eligible receiver. If not, then like any other penalty, the down is repeated after 10 yard mark off. So, result of play + 10 yards + repeat of down? Thx

What would have happened during tonights ram niners game the playclock was at zero before the niners recovered the onside kick is ent that A delay of game?? If the niners.would have.scored would it have still counted

In the Detroit game yesterday there was a dispute whether Stafford fumbled or was attempting a pass and upon challenge they ruled it a fumble. But even if it was a pass, the ball was clearly thrown backwards. why wasn't it a loose ball regardless.

Also on Jobstr...

If a player catches a pass while in bounds but has not yet touched the ground but, while falling out of bounds he breaks the plane of the goal line, is it a TD?

When is a punter no longer protected. If an Australian style punter runs outside the hash marks before kicking the ball, can he be hit even if he punts.

If there is 1 second left on a football game clock and the play clock counts down to zero because there are so many players and people on the field, why wouldn’t the team who was supposed to make the next game play receive a delay of game penalty?

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