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514 Questions

Last Answer on January 23, 2021

Question on HS kickoff rules. If a kickoff is popped into the air (doesn't hit the ground) the receiving team can fair catch the ball. The kicking team cannot advance the ball if they recover, but can the kicking team catch the ball out air?

Asked by HSCoach almost 9 years ago

Kicking cannot legally touch tbe ball until it has gone 10 yards. Yes, they can cat h it in the air but they are also subject to kick catch interference rules. The receivers can call for a fair catch.

732 Votes

How was j.wistons head butt not more than a personal foul? Helmet to helmet. Defenceless? Targeting?

Asked by Arvy over 9 years ago

I always said that if you could penalize for stupidity, there would be no game - it would take too long for all the penalty enforcements.

It was a personal foul - maybe unsportsmanlike? - but still just 15 yards. Could you call it flagrant and DQ the guy? Maybe, but would they? And especially at that point in the game? You could have called it all the things you said, although "targeting" has a specific definition that may not apply here. Regardless, you can't get blood from a stone, so PF is pretty much it.

729 Votes

The tackle box is the area that's from the left side offensive tackles to the right side OT and is 5 yards deep on the defense. My question is, if there's a defensive end aligned with an outside shade on the OT, would that still be considered the box

Asked by Bret over 9 years ago

It's based on the offensive formation, not where the defense is. The DE's position is irrelevant.

726 Votes

In Saturdays LSU-Auburn game the officials called a penalty on LSU for illegal motion with 5 seconds to play. The play was nullified and brought back to the line of scrimmage and the penalty was assessed. Should the clock have been reset at 5 seconds

Asked by Rick over 9 years ago

Couple of things here. If the clock was running and the foul for illegal motion stopped the clock, then there could have been a 10 second runoff and the game would be over. If the click wasn't running, then yes you should have the clock reset to five seconds since the play never happened. But, and I'm not clear from your description, if the play was run and the foul was a live ball foul during the play, then you could have an untimed down or Auburn could decline the penalty and the game ends.

726 Votes

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Would you or could you call a delay of game penalty. The Falcons intercept Brady deep in Falcon territory. During thr runback all Patriots players give up about the 50 yard line. Alford stops before crossing the goal line to run off time off clock.

Asked by Dick E over 9 years ago

No. It's an accepted part of the game.

726 Votes

This is a question about the NFL. Is sack also counted as a tackle for loss? Meaning are they duplicate stat line or do they both show as a separate stat? I know tackles for loss are counted in the tackle stat but I'm not clear on sacks vs TFL. Thank

Asked by JB Steel about 8 years ago

Can't help you. That isnt a part of the playing rules, which on-field officials address. That's a stat question.

725 Votes

In the Cowboys Giants game the Giants threw a pass just past the 1st down mark and then was pushed back and fumbled the ball another Giant recovered short of the 1st why were the Giants awarded a 1st down?

Asked by lousulliva over 8 years ago

Forward progress. The runner is entitled to what he earns. If he made the line to gain and then was pushed back, he gets what he gained - first down. The run ended at the forward progress mark. So the fact that he fumbled is moot.

724 Votes

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Question on HS kickoff rules. If a kickoff is popped into the air (doesn't hit the ground) the receiving team can fair catch the ball. The kicking team cannot advance the ball if they recover, but can the kicking team catch the ball out air?

How was j.wistons head butt not more than a personal foul? Helmet to helmet. Defenceless? Targeting?

The tackle box is the area that's from the left side offensive tackles to the right side OT and is 5 yards deep on the defense. My question is, if there's a defensive end aligned with an outside shade on the OT, would that still be considered the box

In Saturdays LSU-Auburn game the officials called a penalty on LSU for illegal motion with 5 seconds to play. The play was nullified and brought back to the line of scrimmage and the penalty was assessed. Should the clock have been reset at 5 seconds

Also on Jobstr...

Would you or could you call a delay of game penalty. The Falcons intercept Brady deep in Falcon territory. During thr runback all Patriots players give up about the 50 yard line. Alford stops before crossing the goal line to run off time off clock.

This is a question about the NFL. Is sack also counted as a tackle for loss? Meaning are they duplicate stat line or do they both show as a separate stat? I know tackles for loss are counted in the tackle stat but I'm not clear on sacks vs TFL. Thank

In the Cowboys Giants game the Giants threw a pass just past the 1st down mark and then was pushed back and fumbled the ball another Giant recovered short of the 1st why were the Giants awarded a 1st down?

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

Question on HS kickoff rules. If a kickoff is popped into the air (doesn't hit the ground) the receiving team can fair catch the ball. The kicking team cannot advance the ball if they recover, but can the kicking team catch the ball out air?

How was j.wistons head butt not more than a personal foul? Helmet to helmet. Defenceless? Targeting?

The tackle box is the area that's from the left side offensive tackles to the right side OT and is 5 yards deep on the defense. My question is, if there's a defensive end aligned with an outside shade on the OT, would that still be considered the box

In Saturdays LSU-Auburn game the officials called a penalty on LSU for illegal motion with 5 seconds to play. The play was nullified and brought back to the line of scrimmage and the penalty was assessed. Should the clock have been reset at 5 seconds

Also on Jobstr...

Would you or could you call a delay of game penalty. The Falcons intercept Brady deep in Falcon territory. During thr runback all Patriots players give up about the 50 yard line. Alford stops before crossing the goal line to run off time off clock.

This is a question about the NFL. Is sack also counted as a tackle for loss? Meaning are they duplicate stat line or do they both show as a separate stat? I know tackles for loss are counted in the tackle stat but I'm not clear on sacks vs TFL. Thank

In the Cowboys Giants game the Giants threw a pass just past the 1st down mark and then was pushed back and fumbled the ball another Giant recovered short of the 1st why were the Giants awarded a 1st down?

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