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514 Questions

Last Answer on January 23, 2021

What happens in college football when the runners own player knocks him backwards and down to the ground. How is forward progress determined? Since the defense did not stop him – should he be down where he lands and not where the forward most spot of the ball?

Asked by Brian Jarrell about 9 years ago

I wish I had seen this - it's the second question about it. Here's the answer - repeated: A player is moving forward until he isn't. If a runner collides with a teammate and falls down, he's down. Once the runner's own action stops propelling him forward - unless he runs backwards of his accord - he has ended his "forward progress". And to add/clarify: It is where the ball is when his forward movement ends, whether tackled or he falls on his own or after contact with his teammate.

667 Votes

can an offensive lineman be called for a block in the back when a rusher beats them to try and get to the quarterback

Asked by umpref15 about 9 years ago

I will definitively say, maybe. If the lineman maintains contact with the rusher and the opponent ends up facing away from the blocker, then no. It's continuous action and the original contact - that was legal - is continuing. However, if the defender gets past him and contact is lost, and then the O lineman pushes him in the back, then yes it can be IBB.

667 Votes

If a interference penalty is called in the e.z. and it is the last play of the half, the ball is placed at the one, but on the ensuing play, the offense is called for pre snap movement, is the extra play still runafter a 5 yard march off.

Asked by bucky110 over 8 years ago

Placed at the one in the NFL, at the 2 in NCAA play. If there was a false start, then there was no play. Yes, the five-yard penalty is enforced and then the offense runs the untimed down from the 6 or 7, depending on the level. In high school, it is simply a 15 yard penalty from the previos spot.

666 Votes

Watching the Pitt/Jax game. A. Brown catches a pass and goes out of bounds. The clock keeps running. Huh?

Asked by Doug about 8 years ago

First, in the NFL, outside of two minutes remaining in each half, the clock is started once the ball is spotted after the runner goes out of bounds. And the clock is stopped when a runner goes OOB. Now, in your situation, the only thing I can think of is that Brown had forward progress and then was pushed OOB. In that case, he technically didn't go out of bounds. Rather, he was stopped while in bounds and that ended the play. Not the going OOB.

665 Votes

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If a member of the punting team touches the ball on the 2 yard line, and knocks it into the end zone where his teammate covers the ball, is it a touchback?

Asked by James Dean over 7 years ago

Yes. The axiom is "a kick is a kick is a kick". If K touches the ball, it is "illegal" or "first" touching, depending on the level (HS, NCAA). But the ball as you describe it is still considered a kick, so being downed in the endzone makes it a touchback.

665 Votes

If an offensive and defensive player catch the football together and hit the ground but one player gets up with the ball who gets credit for the catch

Asked by Cdk over 8 years ago

We'll only talk highvschool or college here. Simultaneous catches or recoveries go to the offense. When you say "hit the ground" you need to clarify. Catching off the ground and then returning and touching the ground with their feet? Or bodies going to the ground where the players are grounded ending the play? If they come to the ground on their feet in "joint possession", it's still a live ball and they can fight it out. If they go to the ground in joint possession, it's the offense's ball.

664 Votes

On a kickoff, say the receiver catches the ball straddling the endzone, he hesitates, and here's the other team. He can't go fwd., he may get a safety, so he decides to throw the ball out of bounds. An illegal forward pass but they keep the ball?

Asked by Scott about 8 years ago

Hey, coach! Tell your player to either catch it in the field of play or in the endzone. No indecision!!

Generally, officials will give the player the benefit of the doubt and say he's in the endzone. But if he is obviously straddling the line as you describe, he's caused all of us problems. It matters where the ball is, not the player. But if he throws it, he just screwed the pooch. If he throws it backwards, it's alive and the kicking team could recover it. If he throws it out of bounds backwards, it's a safety. If he throws it forward from the endzone, it's an illegal forward pass and the penalty is marked from the spot of the foul -- safety.

664 Votes

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Football Official

Ask me anything!

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What happens in college football when the runners own player knocks him backwards and down to the ground. How is forward progress determined? Since the defense did not stop him – should he be down where he lands and not where the forward most spot of the ball?

can an offensive lineman be called for a block in the back when a rusher beats them to try and get to the quarterback

If a interference penalty is called in the e.z. and it is the last play of the half, the ball is placed at the one, but on the ensuing play, the offense is called for pre snap movement, is the extra play still runafter a 5 yard march off.

Watching the Pitt/Jax game. A. Brown catches a pass and goes out of bounds. The clock keeps running. Huh?

Also on Jobstr...

If a member of the punting team touches the ball on the 2 yard line, and knocks it into the end zone where his teammate covers the ball, is it a touchback?

If an offensive and defensive player catch the football together and hit the ground but one player gets up with the ball who gets credit for the catch

On a kickoff, say the receiver catches the ball straddling the endzone, he hesitates, and here's the other team. He can't go fwd., he may get a safety, so he decides to throw the ball out of bounds. An illegal forward pass but they keep the ball?

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

What happens in college football when the runners own player knocks him backwards and down to the ground. How is forward progress determined? Since the defense did not stop him – should he be down where he lands and not where the forward most spot of the ball?

can an offensive lineman be called for a block in the back when a rusher beats them to try and get to the quarterback

If a interference penalty is called in the e.z. and it is the last play of the half, the ball is placed at the one, but on the ensuing play, the offense is called for pre snap movement, is the extra play still runafter a 5 yard march off.

Watching the Pitt/Jax game. A. Brown catches a pass and goes out of bounds. The clock keeps running. Huh?

Also on Jobstr...

If a member of the punting team touches the ball on the 2 yard line, and knocks it into the end zone where his teammate covers the ball, is it a touchback?

If an offensive and defensive player catch the football together and hit the ground but one player gets up with the ball who gets credit for the catch

On a kickoff, say the receiver catches the ball straddling the endzone, he hesitates, and here's the other team. He can't go fwd., he may get a safety, so he decides to throw the ball out of bounds. An illegal forward pass but they keep the ball?

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