Zebra
Somewhere in, NJ
Male, 62
I've officiated football for over 30 years, now in my 26th on the college level. I've worked NCAA playoffs at the Division II and III level. In addition, I've coached at the scholastic level and have been an educator for over 35 years. I have no interest whatsoever in being an NFL official! Ever!
Oooh, getting down and dirty with fun and games. OK, I'll be frank - I can't figure the attraction of FF. That being said, I have a slew of friends and family who are in multiple fantasy leagues, some with entry fees in four figures. Not me. Now, is it OK? I don't think so. Despite the fact that the NFL's vetting process for replacements was rather shaky (a professional poker player as a ref is not an issue? Really?) I don't think anyone in that situation should be involved in fantasy leagues or any form of gambling, legal or not. When you are put into a position of trust, as the protector of integrity in a very popular and financially lucrative endeavor (the NFL), you have to be above reproach. There can't be any questions about your character, your honesty, or your decisions. Being in a fantasy league, where you can be financially rewarded for the performances of players you are judging, is not a healthy situation. Even at the college level, we are required by the leagues we service to sign non-gambling statements; our honesty and integrity are on the line even when there isn't a betting line. The NCAA will be doing background checks on officials working the football playoffs even at Division II and III. Fantasy football is a fun distraction (I guess) but not for professionals who are expected to be above question in their judgements.
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Fair question. For whatever reason, I just never thought about the NFL. Many others do. I did want to do higher level NCAA games, but things happen -- being shorter doesn't always help. I've worked the former Division 1AA (now FCS) and that was great. For some it comes down to the "big fish in a small pond" mindset. Why move up if I am getting great games and am respected for my work where I am currently? And there are other considerations that will keep people at a certain level: the impact of travel, family commitments, and the like. There's an analogy used in the movie "The Right Stuff". The pyramid gets narrower towards the top. It gets tougher and tougher as you move "up"; sometimes it just doesn't seem all that important.
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The NFL doesn't prohibit their officials from working their "home" team. I've seen NFL officials I know from the NYC area working the Jets' and Giants' games. I'm pretty sure that none of them have much, if any, Giants or Jets apparel in their wardrobe, or have a Facebook page with photos of them wearing it. However, if an NFL official has a relationship with someone on a specific team, they will not assign him to that team's games. For example, one official has a brother who coaches in Arizona, so he won't work their games. I do know that at the college level supervisors of officials will try to avoid assigning an official to a game if he is an alum. I am asked by my supervisor where I went to college and whether there are any issues with any other schools (e.g. a son or daughter attends a school on your schedule). At one point, the story was that only SEC-grads worked in the SEC, so....
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Does Justin Verlander get a little larger strike zone than a rookie pitcher? Does Derek Jeter strike out looking very often? My answers to those questions are yes and no, respectively. And I think the answer to your question is likely yes in baseball (at least for balls and strikes) and perhaps basketball (does ANYONE travel any more?). Football? I doubt it. In football. the action comes out you too fast to really be thinking whether the "star" is involved. It's also, in my opinion, too clear and open to see, even on judgement calls. The films show what happened and they are reviewed by supervisors. You're graded on each play; that doesn't happen in other sports. Play favorites with the stars? Not likely.
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Veterinarian
Do you think keeping monkeys as pets is a bad idea?
Flight Attendant
What kinds of passengers annoy you the most?
Hotel Front Desk Agent
Have you ever had a suicide occur in one of your rooms?
The fee varies from conference to conference. Remember that at that level you don't have big TV contracts or high ticket prices supporting the athletic program. Fees should be higher (in my opinion) but schools pay what they can afford. Where I am in the northeast the game fee is $190.
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I HOPE I would have called for a conference!! Communication is key between and among officials. When you watch the NFL or a good college crew officiate a game, you see them talk to each other. I'm not referring to the 4 or 5 man conferences that we all hate. I'm talking, as an example, about a linesman and a side judge conferring on a play at the pylon with "What did you see? Was he in, did he step out". Or two deep officials conferring over a catchable pass on a possible pass interference. Regardless, the key is to get it right. When you watch the replay from Monday night, you see the two officials look at each other - that's the good news. They should have been talking, saying something like "I've got an interception" and, as it appears, "I've got a touchdown". That's a concern! And it should have immediately generated a conference with the "white hat", the referee. Now here's the bad news: they didn't. The referee should have been in there to mediate. Former NFL referee Jerry Austin was on ESPN at the end of the game and he said the same thing. Okay, I really haven't answered your question. So what would I have called? This was not, in my opinion (and apparently 99.99% of the rest of the world outside of the state of Washington), a simultaneous catch. The Green Bay player had possession of the ball (first and continuously), but it isn't a catch until they return to the ground. When they do hit the ground, the Seattle player cannot be seen "in possession". By any standard I'm familiar with, it is an interception.
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Oh no! True confessions. Haunt may be a strong word. Bother. Never forget. Shake your head in disbelief that I made that call. They may be better descriptors. I think every official has made a call that he felt was right at the time but that when replaying it in his head later questions it. And we all cringe a bit when an observer comes in after the game and asks that wonderful question, "What did you see on that play?" Which in officials' circles means, "I can't wait to hear your explanation of THAT call". The one play that I still shake my head about occurred probably a dozen years ago in a college game. I was having an off day. The first half was not going well for me and I was getting flustered. There was a pass into the endzone that clearly hit the ground before bouncing up into the diving receiver's hands. I saw it clearly; I knew it was an incomplete pass. And yet I still put my hands up signaling touchdown. Well, it took about two milliseconds before three of my fellow officials were surrounding me, asking me what I saw (and, I'm sure thinking that I was crazy!) We corrected the call - and we didn't need instant replay to do it - and moved on. I don't know what happened or why I did that. Brain freeze? I regrouped in the locker room at half time and the second half was much better. Haunting me? No. Wondering what the heck I was thinking? Oh, yes!
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In the spirit of full disclosure, I know officials on both sides. I've worked with some at the high school and college level. I believe the replacements were put into a very difficult situation. They are officials - at some level - but are unfamiliar with the intricacies of NFL rules, the speed of the players at that level, and the nuances of what goes on at the line of scrimmage and downfield in the pro game. Like so many others have said, I think the replacements did the best job they could. I do feel that as the pre-season and then the regular season got underway, coaches and players saw what they could get away with (perhaps more than they could with the regulars) and pushed the envelope.
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Yes. As far as I understand, the only major sport in the US that has "full-time" officials is baseball. While the salaries the NFL officials make is significant, they are employed full time elsewhere. They are lawyers, educators, finance people, and a host of other professionals. College officials, even in the highest level conferences, don't come close to the income of the NFL officials so they definitely have regular jobs.
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The talking heads love to talk. But some of them have bodies below those heads that actually played the game. And they're right. Go to a local high school game and watch the players, not necessarily the game. Then go to a college game - doesn't have to be "big time" - and compare. Take that up one more level to the NFL and the difference is staggering. I still work high school games, and I do it primarily with other college officials. It is, comparatively, much easier than doing a college game. Why? The skill, size, and speed of the players. There aren't many calls to be made in the average high school game that a decent official can't make. It gets a bit more challenging at the college level, and I'm only talking about D2 or 3. I've also worked as a practice official for a nearby D1 program. Bigger than high school players? yes. Faster? yes. More skilled? yes. And there are more of them with talent. A top high school program might have maybe 1, 2, or 3 kids who could play D1 (and not necessarily in the SEC). A college team at D1 has, well, everyone who can play there. And the very top D1 programs might have 4 or 5 players who will be drafted into the NFL. NFL teams have....uh, you get the picture. With the increase in the size, speed, and skill of the players comes a commensurate need for an increase in the skills of the officials. Talking heads droning? Yeah, but this time they have a point.
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Regardless of the level of play, officials are human. We actually do have feelings, and no one enjoys getting yelled at. That being said, if you are really doing your job properly, you have to turn off the outside distractions, including coaches, players, and fans. And you'd better develop a thick skin and leave your emotions in the locker room. You have to try to be objective and "call what you see". Officials don't care (or shouldn't care) who wins or loses. Now, as a young official who is human (see first part of answer) can you be influenced? Sure. Are there "make up" calls? There shouldn't be. But as an official, a big part of your job is communication with the coach. You need to establish a relationship, especially the officials who work the sidelines, with the coach. He wants answers to questions, he wants and needs information (ask Bill Belichick) to do his job. And that means giving him both good news ("Coach, it will be your ball if you decline the penalty") and bad news ("Coach, your right tackle was holding; that's gonna be 10 yards"). The good coaches, and most of them are decent, know you have a job to do; if you communicate with them and do your job to the best of your ability, the yelling and screaming just become background noise to the game.
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It always comes down to money. What is anyone worth for their labor? Is A-Rod worth $240 million? Is any performer worth the money they get for a movie or a concert? What will the traffic bear? As you watched the first three weeks of the NFL season, I'm sure there were a few times when you thought that whatever the NFL paid the regular refs wasn't enough. The big questions here, and in any profession, is what is your expertise, your skill, your time worth? Your question notes 20 days of work. Well, it's a bit more than that. As an educator, I would get similar comments like 'you only work 10 months' and you only work from 9 to 3. Not exactly. Go to the answers on this site about teachers. The woman writing does a good job explaining the hours/days that teachers put in well beyond the "9 to 3". Same for officials. For starters, all of us started out doing Pop Warner, midget leagues, and JV games. And we got a lot less than $173K. The first high school JV game I ever did I earned $15. There are tests to take, clinics to attend, conditioning to do - and that's on "your time". NFL officials have to be at the game city the day before, where they do film study together. That's in addition to film and rule study during the week on their own. Yes, the behind-the-scenes work is pretty extensive, and it also reflects years of work leading up to the ultimate assignment. A quick comparison: I can work a Division II game and get $195 for the game. But I have to arrive there three hours before the game and I'm usually there an hour after, what with game reports, hearing from an observer, and cleaning up. So I've been on site for about 6 hours for $195. That's just over $32/hour. That doesn't include the weekly pre-season study groups I attended, the two-day rules/conditioning clinic I attended, and all the other preparation I put in before I even stepped onto a field. Is it a lot of money? Sure. But I feel they've earned the right to make that. And you have something to compare it to the last three weeks.
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Defenders ALWAYS signal incomplete. Receivers ALWAYS signal catch. If they think they were held or interfered with, they ALWAYS wave their hands as if throwing the flag. They react very quickly, because they believe there was a foul. And there is the big difference between a player and an official. Officials don't BELIEVE there was a foul, they KNOW it. Four defenders waving their arms "incomplete" to me says four defenders blew their coverage.
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To the best of my knowledge, that has never happened. And I don't think it should. If you open that can of worms and set a precedent for changing results after the fact from what occurred on the field, there would be no end to the challenges. It would call into question every decision, every call, every outcome. The old saw goes, 'It's a game played by humans and judged by humans'. You have to live with certain things. And as a side note, the official who made the call apparently is publicly saying he was right. Heard that on the radio this morning.
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More true confessions. This is an honesty, trust, and integrity thing. Who am I owning up to? I can, and will, admit to my fellow officials that I blew a call, and not waiting until after the game. And truthfully, if you miss a call, you're going to hear it from the coach right then and there. That is when you own up to a bad judgement. There are different situations regarding a "bad" call. An example: I had a game in which there was an interception by the team on my sideline - and right in front of the coach. The defender went up, caught the ball, and then came to the ground -- ALMOST. I thought I saw his knee hit and I blew the whistle. In replaying it in my head, I know he didn't touch, and he had clear sailing down the sideline to a score. But he wasn't scoring once I blew the whistle. We set up for their offense and as we did, the coach came over and courteously asked, "Was his knee down?" He knew and he wanted to know if I was going to tell him the truth or lie, which would have created a major rift for the rest of the game between him and me. I said, "I think I might have missed that, coach." He said thank you and walked away. In other situations, you might miss something, such as a hold or pass interference. Maybe you aren't sure, and you get "questioned" by the coach. The best you can do is say you'll watch it, or that you might have missed it and you'll watch.
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I don't get paid enough to mediate my family's problems. I don't get paid enough to officiate football, either, but I WANT to be there.
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Well, if you judge abuse by what the replacement refs were taking, then yes, we take a lot. But look at baseball. Kicking dirt, going nose-to-nose with an umpire. I know coaches/managers can be ejected, but umpires take a lot, probably more than in any sport. A lot of this goes back to communication and control. You need to communicate with the coach about what is going on. They have a job to do and so does the official. The coaches will say a lot, usually about a missed call. But eventually they have to coach. Sometimes they'll keep going and then communicating with them is the key. "Coach, I'll watch for that", or "Coach, I'll find out what the other official saw as soon as I can". If they keep harping, the best thing to say is something like, "Coach, I know you're upset, but if we keep going back to that play, you're going to cause me to miss the next one" or, ultimately, "Coach, we have to move on. that one is over". Many coaches, especially as you move up in level, are pretty smart. They'll come over to you and more quietly say something on-on-one so no one else hears it. And contrary to popular opinion, they really don't question your heritage or parentage. The rule of thumb for officials: if no one else hears it, then it's just between you and the coach. But if he really goes off, and your mom, who you invited to the game and is sitting right behind the team, hears it, then you can flag him for unsportsmanlike conduct. But truthfully it doesn't happen very often.
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Good question and very interesting. There is no question that the Monday night game with the controversial ending was a catalyst to get the deal done. But I think the NFL was in a unique position. It is, with some contrary notions, the most popular sport. There is heavy gambling on the NFL (not that the league "worries" about Las Vegas books), so it garners a lot of attention. But not every call made during the lockout was in error. And not every replacement official was bad or didn't belong at that level. You can find very competent replacements - the NFL, as I noted in another posting, did not use highly competent Division 1 officials who MIGHT have done a better job. If the NHL locked out its officials, what kind of outcry would there be? With all due respect to hockey fans everywhere, if an NHL game was messed up by a replacement official, how much would you hear about it? Take it a step further: Major League Soccer?
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Uhh, you do agree. There are no "do overs" because officials can't agree. And when push comes to shove, that is why the white hat is there. There will be plays (need I remind you of Seattle-Green Bay) where two officials see it differently (e.g. catch-no catch on a pass that is close to the ground). You confer. Someone has to convince the other. And, as I said, the referee is there to mediate and guide the discussion. On a pass play, for example, the college axiom is 'when in doubt, wipe it out'. But that assumes there is no replay (it's not available at Division II or III) or that there is no clear opinion from both officials. Be assured, there will be a decision.
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Short answer: no. Referees have to know the rules, the enforcement, and need to have the ability to speak clearly and extemporaneously. Every situation is a bit different so you can't have a script. The easy stuff is natural: "Holding, on the offense, number 75. Ten yard penalty, repeat second down". But you can get a bit involved, too. "We have multiple fouls on the receiving team on the return. Block in the back, number 29; that foul is declined. Holding, number 43. That foul is enforced at the spot of the foul. First down." You can't script all that. There are some things that supervisors want and don't want said in the announcements. For example, with the current concern about concussions, there are more fouls for helmet-to-helmet contact. But you shouldn't be hearing the phrase "helmet-to-helmet". The national college supervisor does want the term "targeting" used, as in the head, or the player, was targeted by the hit. But don't use helmet in the announcement. Noted NFL referee Jerry Markbreit tried to prepare for the unusual. In his book, he recounted how he would create crazy plays and their related fouls. He would then "announce" the foul, practicing announcing it while looking at himself in the mirror. As the story goes, one game he had a weird, wacky, and very convoluted foul. He gets on the mike and announces it clearly and concisely. He later gets a call from someone who says what a great job he did explaining the foul and its enforcement. They asked Markbreit how he could explain that play so well and on TV no less. His answer: "I practiced it".
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A couple of thoughts. First, I believe that most officials start out in officiating because they love the sport. You're on the right track. As for how to get started, often local officiating organizations put ads or list meetings in the sports section or in public notices in the paper. Another way is to contact your state's sports governing body to get the name/address/phone of the secretary of the officials group. Contact them for an application or to find out about the process. If you happen to be in season, go to a local high school game and talk to the umpires. That, for the record, is how I got into football officiating.
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That would make a lot of sense but it would have been a very dicey situation. Many of the D1 conferences use NFL officials as their supervisors of officials (e.g. Big East, Big 10, Big 12, C-USA). If the NFL used officials from those conferences, the officials would be replacing their own supervisors and their supervisors' colleagues on the NFL games. Can you say UGLY?
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This was, as I understand it, a simple management versus union matter. I heard, as I'm sure you did, that it would cost each team about $100,000 to settle it. The union wanted protections and the NFL wanted to make some significant changes in long term costs and control of the process of putting officials on the field. Roger Goodell set out an open letter to season ticket holders in which he wrote: "While the financial issues received the most attention, these negotiations were much more about long-term reforms. For example, beginning with the 2013 season, the NFL will have the option of hiring a number of officials on a full-time basis to work year-round, including on the field. In addition, the NFL will have the option to retain additional officials for training and development purposes, and may assign those additional officials to work NFL games." The second part is important in that it lets the NFL add officiating crews so that "underperforming" officials can be replaced during the season. The union counters that there are crews not working some weeks now, and those officials can be used to cover such situations. Bottom line, in my view, is that this was a control issue for the NFL; they didn't want to lose any.
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No. And if I was offered, I certainly hope I would have the character and integrity to say no. And then to turn the person in to the appropriate authorities.
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One of the issues in the NFL lockout involved adding crews. The reason was that the commissioner wanted to be able to have the extra bodies to replace "under-performing" officials during the season. The number of "bad calls" isn't a black-and-white matter; it's a lot more complex than that. Officials at the higher levels are judged on a range of actions including correct calls, correct judgements, incorrect judgements, incorrect calls. It also takes into account working with the crew, communicating with coaches, and test scores, among other things. I don't believe a supervisor has a set number in mind when he critiques an official. So there isn't a number of "bad calls" that decides an official's fate.
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It seems that every time you have a controversial call, you learn some other wrinkle about instant replay (they can't review this or that). I've never worked with instant replay, although I know a lot of officials who like it because they know the call will be corrected. Odd, you say, that they are okay with that? Bottom line is, officials want the call to be right, so they know that if a call is tenuous, it will be corrected. What would I want changed? I'm really not sure. I think a lot is going right, recent activity not withstanding. Sometimes I think they've gone too far with things like catches (having to maintain possession throughout the entire action - the only way you could possibly see it is with super-slow motion replay - takes away the human element). I'm probably not giving you anything too juicy here, but if I think of something, I'll add it -- if the NFL doesn't do it first!
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Once upon a time, in the world of football officials, the umpire (the one right behind the defensive line) used to be referred to as being in the "rocking chair". Just like an old man, he could sit back a rock on the front porch. He was often the heaviest and slowest on the field. Not any more. The game, even on the high school level, is much faster and the players more athletic. The spread offense and no huddle teams are across the board. While you don't have to be ready to run a marathon, you'd better be able to move quickly and make judgements on the fly. An interception at the 1, run back 99 yards? You better be at the goal line pretty much with that defender, to call the TD! I don't know of any physical testing at the high school level, but just about all college conferences require officials to have pre-season physicals and to undergo physical testing of some sort. Being able to run (jog) at least a half mile and to do interval sprints is pretty common. Everyone is different as far as training. If you don't do a winter sport, where you would be staying in shape, I usually get out of hibernation in March or April. That coincides with the start of our local study groups on the new rules (still think it's a 3 or 4 month job?). You hit the treadmill, you stretch, you do sprints. I try to get to the gym 2-3 times per week from the start to about June 1. Then I start the outdoor segment (warmer weather, conditions similar to what you'll get in the early part of the season). By the way, the weekly study groups have been going on at least into May, and once we get final interpretations on the new rules, those sessions are more important. The conferences' pre-season clinics, often two day affairs, are in early August, so you're trying to peak with your training with those dates in mind. You continue with the running and stretching; I'm doing at least 3 times per week. And after the clinic, where we get rules tests as well as the physical testing, I'm still running twice a week and at the gym with strength and stretching another two. And I think my workout is light compared to some others. During the season I cut back. A three hour college game on a Saturday (often after a two-plus hour high school game on Friday night) is a pretty good workout. Usually it's stretching and some strength training during the week. Does that help?
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While for most of this is an avocation, it is no different than any other job. You are going to have "professional differences". Your example of "fairness" might not be the right example, but there will be officials who have different views of holding or pass interference. Some sideline officials will give a coach a bit more leeway in comments or "dialogue" about a call than others. If you are on a crew, you try to be as consistent as you can, That's why, on the college level, we get there three or more hours before a game so we can review the little things that make the game run well. If there are serious issues - and I'm probably talking personality more than actual officiating - it needs to be addressed (the referee - the white hat - needs to intervene) and that might mean moving someone off the crew.
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The simple answer is no. I think I can honestly say that I have never been or felt threatened on the field. There was a college coach who once violated the "unwritten" rules and confronted us after the game in the locker room. I guess he figured it was our fault that his team blew a two touchdown lead in the fourth quarter. In that situation, we maintained our calm as best we could, left the campus quickly, and contacted our supervisor. That, however, was a single occurrence and I never experienced anything like that again. There has been only one time in my career where I received a police escort off the field. It was a high school game and there were back-to-back defensive pass interference calls against the home team. It allowed the visitors to kick the game winning field goal with the clock expiring. We got off the field without incident. And the calling official on those fouls stood by them. If the foul is there, you make the call and throw the flag. For the record, in New Jersey assaulting an official (and I believe that would include making threats of harm) is a crime.
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Guess I'm old school. I'm a big believer in the axiom, "Act like you've been there before". Everyone is trying to get on Sports Center.
It is a bit silly. Personally, yes, cut the nonsense. I don't think it takes away from the college game to have some "youthful exuberance" but eliminate celebrations that draw attention to you. Why have all the carrying on as the pros do now? The college rule changed so that any sort of unsportsmanlike act (high-stepping into the end zone, for example) causes the foul to be live, meaning no score and the foul is enforced from the spot - maybe the 5 or 10 yard line. That might stop some fools from spiking the ball on the 5 yard line by mistake. Cutting back on celebrations also might stop guys from trying to dunk over the cross bar and breaking their wrist, or landing funny, breaking an ankle. I'm waiting for someone to do a back flip and break his leg on the landing. Think that will get a coach's attention?
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As with any occupation, you get to know people, and you might actually be friends outside of work. That being said, I'd say it is a bit harder to do, and probably less likely, on the college and professional level. When I started doing high school officiating, I was also in education. I knew coaches from teaching and even coaching other sports (as I did), and you tended to work in the same area so you saw them more frequently. On the college level, and certainly in the NFL, you travel a lot to get to your games, and coaches change jobs moving to other areas. It is far less likely that you would be socializing with a coach.
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Football is an emotional game, and things get said in the heat of the moment. Interestingly, and I would add fortunately and happily, such situations are very rare. Will kids think that, based on their own histories and backgrounds? Maybe. But coaches can stop that sort of thing, and we, as officials, can diffuse it, too. How we interact with the players can let them know that such comments are a) inappropriate and b) a bit misguided. There are far more minorities - and women! - in officiating across the board, including football. The NFL had a woman as a replacement and I am aware of another who is in line for a spot down the road.
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That's a great question with answers on a lot of levels. I have worked with a female official on the high school level. She was knowledgeable and she hustled. You can't ask for much more than that. One of the issues that creeps into the conversation, though, is a person's knowledge level and their "feel" for the game. If you never played it, can you understand it? The answer is, of course, yes; you just have to work harder at it. I know a male official who said he was a better lacrosse official because he never played the game; he had to study and think more. He couldn't assume he knew the game "because he played it" as he did in football. I believe women are in the same situation. Today, there is more equity and both players and coaches, being younger, have different, more open views. That doesn't mean they don't have their issues with female football officials. But like anything else, you earn your stripes. If you can't cut it, being a woman isn't going to get you very far. And I feel women, in a "man's world", just like men working in a predominantly female area (e.g. field hockey), have to understand the game better and get inside the players' heads to figure out how they think. An example: as an official, I've patted a player on the back saying, 'good play' or 'way to stay off the pile'. And it's been done to me (believe it or not). Players have said 'good call' and patted me. Well, a story was passed on to me about a female official who flagged a player for unsportsmanlike behavior. When the referee (white hat) asked for details, she said that the player patted her on the butt -- and told her good call. As it was told to me, the referee refused to enforce the penalty. To me, that was a mistake on her part, misjudging or being overly sensitive to a player's actions. Was it disrespect to her by the ref or was she trying too hard to get control? You earn respect, and I think most players, coaches, and other officials will give a female official the opportunity to make it. After that, it's up to her.
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This question appeared back in November but, unfortunately, I didn't get notified that it was here. I'm seeing it now the day before the Super Bowl. Can it be intentional grounding? Yes, and if it is then it is a safety (it's a "spot foul", meaning it is marked off from the spot of the infraction). But just as on any other part of the field, the QB can throw it away under certain circumstances (e.g. out of the pocket) and it goes as in incomplete pass.
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If they want to see, it's a big help. Seriously, yes. Whether they wear glasses or contacts, the important thing is they see the game properly. I wear glasses and, on average, I would say that maybe half the people I work with wear corrective lenses in some form. Years ago, while working high school, I had a pair of photo-grey glasses that changed to dark lenses in the sun. One day, a fan wasn't totally enthralled with my call and yelled out, 'Take off your sunglasses, you'll see the game a lot better'. I hadn't even thought about it until then. Needless to say, the next game those glasses stayed home.
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Appropriate that there would be a question on the eve of Super Bowl XLVII. There is sooooo much on the line in these contests that the NFL - any league and even the college conferences - has to have its best on the job. There are rankings and the best get to the top games. As I understand it, though, there is a rotation among the top officials so that the same referee (white hat) or other positions don't get the game every year. I mentioned the colleges. In one conference, for example, crews are assigned games up until the closing few weeks when games are more critical in deciding championships. For those late games, merit is the criteria for assigning the officials.
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I think the answer is yes, with this caveat: You really need to work at it. That may seem obvious, but having played a sport, you have a "feel" for how it works and flows. Knowing the rules, mechanics, and philosophies is an absolute, whether you played the game or not. Applying them, interpreting them, that's where you need to work. It's like the law: there is the letter of the law (what the legislature created) and there is the spirit of the law (how it is interpreted and applied by the police and the courts). I believe you would need to be a true student of the game in order to do the job well, and that would take some time. In an earlier post, I noted that I knew an official who does both football and lacrosse. He felt he was a better lacrosse official because he didn't play the game. The reason: he had to work at it more.
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It's a simple identification process. Granted, the NFL has a pretty limited number of officials, but the idea is to accurately identify who is making the call. It isn't done on the college level or the high school level. There are numbers used in other sports, e.g. In New Jersey, high school wrestling officials have identifying numbers.
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In the NFL, as well as all the major college conferences, officials are evaluated on every game. They are graded on good calls, poor calls, good no-calls, and bad no-calls. Those evaluations go into their ranking and, ultimately, into their promotion, retention, or release. In the case of egregious mistakes (e.g. giving a team a fifth down, blatantly mis-enforcing or interpreting a rule) an official -- or even an entire crew -- could be suspended or lose game assignments. Since that means no paycheck, I guess you could say they do get "fined".
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Everything is dependent on where the foul occurs. In this scenario, the hold is at the 10, behind the basic spot (where the run ended). Enforcement is from the ten if the penalty is accepted. So if it is accepted, it is 2nd and goal at the 20.
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Different rules in high school and college, so let's first look at that. NCAA changed the rule this year to take out any reference to pushing the runner. NCAA Rule 9-3-2 says no teammate of the ball carrier "shall grasp, pull, or lift him to assist him in forward progress". So you can push him or the pile. The high school rule (9-1) states, "An offensive player shall not push, pull or lift the runner to assist his forward progress". So technically the push is illegal in high school football.
Without having seen the play I would tend to agree with your referee. In my many years of officiating I have NEVER seen helping the runner called. And I dont want to. Especially in close line play, how do you really determine that? Most of my colleagues would avoid the call. Obviously if a player lifts his teammate and literally tosses him over the pile, that's different. Generally speaking, progress was stopped - no foul. Don't be too technical. Next down!
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Does the phrase "drag them off kicking and screaming" sound familiar? To answer the second question first, I worked with a guy who was 72 when he left the field. He was still doing Division 2 and 3 college ball. He was sharp, in great shape, and he was just plain good. But it was time. And I guess that's the best answer; each official knows when it is time to step down. It is very much like retiring from your regular job - when is the right time? But doing this is a labor of love...and a little glory and ego. And I would say that in a lot of cases it is the camaraderie and bonding with fellow officials that keeps people on the field. And you don't want to give that up easily. On average, I would say that most high school and college officials step down in their late 50's up to their mid 60's. Guys are in better shape these days and work hard at it -- they aren't leaving without making sure it is the right thing for them.
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There's an old saying: A kick is a kick is a kick. What you're describing is a kick. The kick is what put the ball in the endzone (since there was no possession by the receiver). And a kick in the endzone is a touchback.
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Unlike in college where there must be at least four on each side of the kicker, there is no such rule in high school football. The NFHS Rules Book shows no references for that under any of the pertinent rules, specifically Rule 6 - Kicking.
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Pushing can move the pile. But at some point you have forward progress stopped. In close line play it is a massive scrum; you aren't calling helping the runner. The wing officials - head linesman and line judge, the two on the line of scrimmage - are going to rule on that.
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I'm sorry, but I don't understand this question.
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Touchback. There is an old saying in officiating: a kick is a kick is a kick. A kick remains that until it is possessed, and what you describe has no possession until the receiving team recovers it in the endzone. Had the first receiver controlled the ball (possession) and then fumbled it into the endzone, then we have a safety.
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You've hit it - they're telling each other the foul. It is done in the NFL and in college to save time and move the game along. On something like a false start, it is pretty straight forward. Rather than come in to conference, the calling official (the one who threw the flag) will signal and call out (or with indicate fingers) the number of the offending player. You'll see officials come together on more complex plays or when there could be a question. For example, there might be movement by offensive and defensive linemen; who committed the foul? The two line of scrimmage officials (and sometimes the umpire) will come in to discuss it; did the defense cause the offense to jump or vice versa?
I'm editing my response as I re-read your question. You wrote before the snap. I was responding to officials giving that signal after a flag is thrown. The "rolling hands" - in college - among officials is given prior to 4th down, and it is a reminder that there are specific 4th down rules in effect for the upcoming play. If you're writing about the NFL, I'm not sure, but I'll check on that. Sorry for my mistake in responding the first time.
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Sorry, but I don't know what you're writing about. Officials have nothing to do with standings and team selections, anyway.
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Well, KFA, I know very little about rugby, but as you can see from your first question above, the answer is no. Since you raise "live ball" vs. "dead ball", in American football, the ball is not live until it is kicked. It isn't in play until foot hits ball.
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If there's an NCAA rule about bands, it isn't coverd in the NCAA Football Rules book (thankfully - one less thing to worry about!). There might be some rules that universities and their bands follow, but it isn't a concern for officials. The only reference to bands in the football rules is in the timing rule, Rule 3-4-1-b, regarding making sure half time is over as scheduled and getting the second half started on time. But even that rule states that bands "are under the jurisdiction of home management." My sense is that the rule of thumb is that the band stops as the offense (home or visitor) comes to the line.
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Generally, no. A lot of times the official responsible for working with the kicker (the Back Judge) will come over, but the kicker will set it up. If it blows over a second time, the kicking team has to have someone hold it.
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I cannot believe the number of questions about helping the runner. In a long career of officiating at the high school and college level, I have never - honestly, never - seen it called. Your son's coach needs to speak with the league and there needs to be clarification on the rule. In college the rule was changed this year (as I previously wrote) to make it only pulling the runner creating the foul. No one wants to make that call - really, they don't. I obviously didn't see your son's game, nor did I see the Oregon-Washington game. And based on what I just wrote, there probably wasn't a foul in that college game.
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Well, it isn't illegal as far as I can find. You aren't grabbing the facemask or the helmet opening. You aren't horsecollaring him (although I would think the effect is the same). I saw it happen a few years ago in a college game. The player was asked later, on a scale of 1-10, what was the pain. He said eleven.
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Based on what you're writing now, the Ref will give these options to the defense:
2nd and goal from the 25 (declining the penalty, take the result of the play - the sack) OR
1st and goal at the 19 (accept the 10 yard holding penalty from the previous spot - College rule)
I'm not sure I can explain it any other way.
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I have no idea what you're talking about. If you're an unhappy fan, that's the way it goes. If you're a bettor - assuming, of course, that you made a legal sports bet in Nevada or Delaware - that's why they call it gambling. Beyond that, I don't know what you're getting at. How do I get justice for an entire Congress that's lost its mind?
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Any rule - in the appropriate spot - can and should be called. The situations that have been described, while possibly helping the runner, just aren't so clear cut as to be fouls (e.g. pushing the pile). Now, that being said, there may be situations (which I cannot nor do I choose to think of at this time) when a player might be "helped" and that should be called. To your point about coaching it, I'm not sure what you're going to tell your players to do. And if you coach them to do something and it gets called, that's on you. I'm not sure what is going on that it is being called and is generating such angst. But it really isn't worth continuing; you're right - the horse is dead; it's time to dismount.
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I'm assuming the ball is in player possession when it crosses the goal. If a runner puts the ball in his possession over the line, it is a touchdown; play is over and the "recovery" is irrelevant. You use the concept of a "pane of glass"; if you break the glass, it's a TD. If a receiver catches the ball in the air over the endzone, he must come down to the ground with possession. So if a reception is made in the air, and the ball is knocked out of the receiver's hands before he establishes contact with the ground, it's incomplete.
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You're correct. That penalty should have been tacked on at the end of the play. Pass play plus penalty: that should have been a 35-yard total for the offense.
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First, you don't indicate the yards to go, so I can't know if there was a first down made. The penalty in this play would be marked off from the spot of the foul since it was beyond the line of scrimmage and behind the end of the run (with me so far?). It is likely at least 2nd down because if the penalty is accepted, you replay the down.
Your third point: you could make a first down, have a penalty by the offense at the end of the run, and be pushed back with the penalty enforcement but still have first down.
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Yes...more or less. If there is illegal touching by A, it's going to be B's ball at the end of the play. Unless B fouls. But basically your point is correct. If B should fumble, the ball would be returned to the point of the illegal touch.
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This was mentioned a few questions ago. If you intercept a pass inside the 5 (at least in college, probably NFL, too) and then go into the endzone where you're tackled, it comes back out to the spot of the interception. That is momentum. If it is intercepted at the ten, as you describe, and you take it into the endzone, it is your fault the ball is there, and that will be a safety.
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There's a saying among officials: Don't make it the call of the game. Your calls should be solid, clear, obvious. If it's there, call it. Pushing the runner in a pile of bodies? Not obvious, not clear. Why is it never called? It just isn't a solid call. And I don't want to make the next week's training film as the guy who called helping the runner.
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The ref is correct. Most youth programs that I'm familiar with use high school rules, with appropriate modifications for the age of the younger and smaller players. The National Federation (that's high school) rules book has two points on this. Rule 9, Section 3, Article 2b: A player shall not block an opponent below the waist except to tackle a runner or player pretending to be a runner. And specifically on tripping, there's Rule 9, Section 3, Article 7: A player shall not trip an opponent who is not a runner. These are safety issues. The theory, I would guess, is that a runner is expecting to be hit at any time and from, literaly, any angle. Blocking below the waist can be very dangerous. You're hearing a lot about it now with the NFL restricting hits above the shoulder; analysts - many of them former players - are now saying tacklers are going to go low to avoid the head shots, and that can be a very dangerous hit. Tripping is also legal against the runner only in college.
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I'm not sure why you reference the 3rd and 4th down interval. In college, and as far as I know in the NFL, when the play ends (in this case the pass is incomplete) the 40 second clock starts. If it expires, it's a delay on the offense.
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I am not a member of the fashion police and, thankfully, it is not a part of the rules.
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The guy answering is still alive. Does that help?
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Regardless of level, offensive pass interference (OPI) rules begin at the snap. So what you describe, technically, is OPI and illegal. I went to bed early so I didn't see all of the game. Is there contact downfield on many, if not all, plays? Yes. Is it always called? No. Depending on the situation, contact initiated by the receiver might be ignored if the QB was looking the other way the whole time and the play (pass) was thrown away from the contact. Same goes for defensive pass interference. But technically, contact initiated by the offensive player is interference.
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The three deep officials (defenseive secondary area) are the side judge, back judge (in the middle) and the field judge. Most of the time we like to play with only 11 players on each side -- so we count. And the three deep guys are counting the defense. That thumbs up you see says they each have eleven. If somebody doesn't have eleven, there's no thumbs up. The back judge will hold two hands out signaling each sideline.
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Didn't see that game and don't know what the ref said. But....
It isn't that the offense has to let the defense get "set"; the defense has to be allowed to "match up" if the offense makes changes late in the 40 second count. For example, if the offense is running a hurry up offense (or no huddle) and they do not substitute, there's no action taken. But the citation is Rule 3-5-2-e: "....Team A [offense] is prohibited from rushing quickly to the line of scrimmage with the obvious attempt of creating a defensive disadvantage. If the ball is ready for play, the game officials will not permit the ball to be snapped until Team B [defense] has placed substitutes in position and replaced players have left the field of play. Team B must react promptly with its substututes." The Referee and other officials will hold their arms out to the side ("iron cross") and the Umpire will stand over the ball preventing a snap.
There's a good deal of interpretation and judgment by the officials on such plays. And it is used often, but most times the defense makes its substitutions and the play goes off normally. Most games, fans don't even know it's happening. Obviously that wasn't the case here.
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That is not a college or high school rule ad I'm not certain of the NFL rule. And I really can't respond to the philosophy that the NFL Competition Committee uses in creating rules.
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Good point to raise. Officials try to maintain a steady pace, regardless of how fast the offense is going (no huddle, hurry up). However, as time is getting ready to expire in a half, officials will use one ball, the same one that was in the previous play, rather than substitute a new ball. There still has to be an opportunity for the defense to "match up", which means if the offense is subbing (even in a hurry up), the defense has to be given the opportunity to match subs (at least in college rules).
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That's an illegal kick by the defensive lineman. College rules call for a ten yard penalty against the offending team - in this case the defense. So, no TD and, after accepting the penalty, it's still the offense's ball.
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In high school and college, a pass would have to be backwards to be legal. Behind the LOS isn't a factor there. A forward pass to an originally ineligible player (by position or number) is illegal.
In the NFL, the rules are more restrictive. To be eligible to receive a forward pass, an ineligible (lineman's number - between 50 and 79) player must report in to the referee and be announced. In that case, the player can receive a forward pass.
Any backward pass can be caught legally by anyone - that's why those end of game multiple "laterals" are legal.
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From what you stated, "had the ball knocked or of his hands", that is a fumble. We are taking the position that he had possession, so there is no muff. A fumble by the offensive team that is recovered by the offense in the end zone, and the recovering player (Lacy) remains on the ground in the end zone, results in a safety. Even it was a muff, if the offense put the ball into the end zone and it remains there in their possession, it is a safety.
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I can't answer definitively for the NFL, but in college the answer would be no. In college there is a momentum rule (and a fellow official says he's pretty sure it exists in the NFL, too). It's to prevenrt cheap safeties on good efensive plays like the one you describe. Inside the five, if a player intercepts or receives a punt, then goes into the end zone where he is downed, the ball would come out to the spot of the interception/kick reception. That's why you see officials toss a bean bag at that spot. It would be the defense's ball - in this case Seattle - 1/10 at the 2.
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No. Although I undrstand your idea. On a kickoff, only the kicker may (technically) be in front of the restrainig line. Especially with "soccer sdtyle" kickers, they often approach from the side. In this case, the generally accepted practice is to pretty much call a do over, which is what they did. No kick, no play.
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If it is ruled a forward pass (unlike the Patriots' play in the playoffs), it's an incomplete pass. On the other hand, if it is ruled a fumble -- as it was against the Pats -- then you have a safety. If anyone legally throws a forward pass - a punter, kick holder, a halfback - and it's incomplete, then it's, well, incomplete. The fact that it rolled out of the endzone is irrelevent.
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There are fouls that can be tacked on to the end of the run. A defensive hold is not one. In college, for example, roughing the passer can be tacked on, even on a completed pass. And on kick plays (punt), if the defense was offsides, rather than rekick - if the team wouldn't get a first down with the penalty - that can be added to the end of the play. The idea there is to speed up play and also avoid additional fouls - and injuries - that can occur on kicks.
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There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with this. Not much different than the times when a punter takes a snap and runs around in the endzone (I think this was in last yeat's Super Bowl) to kill time before running out of bounds. Defensive teams have allowed offenses to score in order to get the ball back quickly. It isn't a "mockery" of te game, it's a strategy. As long as the ball carrier isn't taunting (e.g. waving it in the face of the opponent) it seems to be a legal and a smart move.
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yes
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That's a statistical issue, which officials don't really deal with. My personal understanding is that sacks are rushing attempts.
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You're talking NFL illegal contact beyond 5 yards. Offensive pass interference (OPI) rules begin with the snap. If a receiver makes contact - not just brushing past a defender or trying to get away - it is OPI. Defensive pass iterference begins once the ball is thriown.
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Don't know. From a "source", the replay people had no qualms about saying no catch once they saw the ball on the ground. On the field, it was ruled differently by the two officials on that sideline. It was "interesting".
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You had a yes answer until you threw in that last line. I'm going to deal with NCAA rules. Rule 1-4-2-e reads: Two players playing the same position may not wear the same number during the game. [Italics added] The obvious reason is deception and unsportsmanlike activity. You could, in theory, have a #80 playing WR and also have an 80 at defensive end. To take it one step further, if you do have two 80's, for example, they cannot be in the gane at the same time.
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Technically, you can decline any penalty. Running into is a five yard penalty. I've seen that often. If you don't get a first down with five yards and it was a great punt, flip the field and decline the penalty.
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In college or hs, the ball is dead when player hits ground so that is a touchback. In NFL, a player can get up and run. It would appear that we have a fumble.
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If the ball isn't set for some reason by the time the play clock reaches 20 seconds, the referee will pump one hand in the air to reset the play clock to 25. That's to give the offense a fair opportunity to run their offense. But 8 seconds? Something else must have happened - was there a timeout or some clock malfunction or an injury? The 25 count is "sacrosanct" and generally you don't interrupt it.
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I have to tell you, the play situations that come up here are so strange. I just don't see this stuff. Anyway, if it's first down - the team is going under center fior the first time - you change it. If the QB says somnething and the officials respond. But if the center picks up the ball to show the ref, you have a foul on the offense.
College rules: Legally snapping the ball (a snap) is handing or passing it
backward from its position on the ground with a quick and continuous motion
of the hand or hands, the ball actually leaving the hand or hands in this motion
(Rule 4-1-4).
b. The snap starts when the ball is moved legally and ends when the ball leaves
the snapper’s hands (A.R. 7-1-5-I-II).
In addition:
Rule 7, ARTICLE 3. Each of the following is a dead-ball foul. Officials should
blow the whistle and not allow the play to continue. After the ball is ready for
play and before it is snapped:
a. Snapper. The snapper:
2. May not lift the ball, move it beyond the neutral zone or simulate the
start of a play
From my perspective, the play you describe should not happen. If it does, it's a foul. And if all else fails, use Rule 9-2-3-d: An obviously unfair act not specifically covered by the rules occurs during the game since the action is intended to deceive and abuse the rules of the game.
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The kick is still a kick - it was never possessed by anyone. In college, the player is out of bounds once he steps out, and if he touches the ball in play, it is dead. But go back to the kick: in HS and college, a grounded scrimmage kick (punt) in the endzone is dead - it's touchback. Sounds like they got it right.
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No foul. The kicker is the only player who can be in advance of the ball on a free kick. Interesting how so many people have asked this for this pkay, yet it happens on virtually every onside kick. A lot of anti-Bama fans out there.
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A kick for an extra point is worth 1 point. At least in HS and college. Declaring isn't necessary. For example, if a team lines up for a PAT kick, they can still fake it and run for 2.
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Most youth leagues use the rules that the state's high schools use. For most starws, that is the National Federation. If the ball carrier crosses the line, he cannot legallythrow the ball forward. The ball carrier can throw a backwards pass. If that occurs, there is nothing that I can find that would prevent the runner from catching his own backward pass. But, as you describe it, and I'm readingf into it, it sounds as if the ball is thrown ahead of the runner to get past the defender. That is an illegal pass.
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I'm sorry, but I do not understand what you're asking.
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You can't enforce two live ball fouls against the same team as you describe it. In this case, you decline the off side foul and accept the more serious/significant DPI.
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First thought: why? You have heated benches and, believe me. it's hard enough leaving them to go on the field if it's cold. There is nothing in the NCAA rule book prohibiting it. But I'm imagining Bud Grant, the old-time coach of the Vikings, spinning in his grave. When the Vikings played outdoors, he didn't allow heated benches. Dugouts or soccer type enclosures? It just ain't football.
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Th defenseless player call is a live ball foul, that is, during the play. The unsportsmanlike would probably have been a dead ball foul. after the play is over. You can enforce a live ball and a dead ball foul.
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In the NFL, there cannot be choreographed celebrations. Having your non-players (off the sideline) on the field likely falls into that category. In college it is specific: Rule 9-2-1 says no one - including the mascot - is allowed on the field during any period without the permission of the referee.
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That's too broad a question - can you narrow it or clarify it?
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It's a penalty for anyone to lead with their helmet. Why it's not called is a tough and good question. Almost every runner in an attempt to get more yardage "lowers shoulders" which, of course, lowers his head. It also is usually when they are about to get hit and they are slowing a bit. My sense is that most officials tend to see it as lowering the shoulders and not using the head as a weapon. It probably is more common to see defensive players attack the runner, creating a more forceful impact. But you're right - it should go both ways.
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A couple of things. First, if the throw back to the QB is forward, then the QB can't throw it forward regardless of the situation. That would be a second forward pass and that is illegal. Second, the only person who has the right to throw the ball away legally is the person who controls the snap, the initial snap or backward pass. The QB no longer has the right to throw it away. So, yes.
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You look at the result of the play, not the intent. It's the same as a fake; the result, if successful, is two points for the run/pass play.
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Unless I'm really screwing this up - always a possibility - it's a touchback. The status of the ball is that it is still a kick, even though it touched a receiver. In high school and college, a grounded kick in he endzone is a touchback. If it was receovered by the kickers in the field of play (between the goal lines), then it would be K's ball.
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The NFL can't determine what a catch is; how can they get this right? I really don't know what they do in that case. I like Newton as a player, but he does get a bit over the top on a lot of the antics.
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If a pass is caught behind the line of scrimmage, there can't be OPI. So a WR blocking ahead of that screen is legal.
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This varies by conference. As an example, the Big Ten pays around $2600 per game. The official, as I understand it, is responsible for all his expenses out of that, including travel, hotel (they have to be there the night before), and meals. At the Division 2 level, one eastern conference that shall remain nameless, pays $235, again a flat fee regardless of travel. One Division 3 eastern conference I know of pays $190, while another in the same general geographic area pays $175.
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Everybody grabs the opponent's jersey. It's what you do after that that makes a difference. If you pull the player down with a handful of jersey, or you grab and turn the player, you're holding. Grabbing a jersey and driving the man straight ahead? No issue. Two men doing grabbing? Philosophically the offense has committed two players to block one -- who is really at a disadvantage?
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I don't think anyone is looser. The rules are the rules, and at both levels officials are graded. There are officiating philosophies that most fans aren't aware of, and that might lend itself to people thinking someone is letting a player "get away" with something. Officials are following the directives of their supervisors. I suppose if a supervisor had the attitude of "let'em play", there might be a more loose game. But I don't know of any like that.
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Ball can't be moved more than half the distance so.....
4th and 1 1/2 from the 2
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Good question. I don't have the NFL rule. But using college as a guide, you can't draw excessive attention to yourself (e.g. a choreographed dance, or taking a marker from the goalpost padding and "signing" the ball). My best guess is that the Lambeau Leap pre-dated the rulings about excessive celebration and it is more a sharing/bonding moment with the fans than highlighting the player. If I'm not mistaken, other players have interacted with fans without a penalty.
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Based on what you describe, the player and the ball are still in the field of play. That is not a touchback. To add to the fun, at least in college, if a player intercepts at the one - as you describe - and his momentum carries him into the endzone where he is then downed, the ball is placed at the one.
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The holder may come up and become a passer. He can also rise up to get a high snap and return to the ground to be the holder - that would not be a downing of the runner.
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More and more people are more and more concerned about injuries in fooball. The recent rule changes - at all levels - reflects that. The kickoff is the ultimate collision. Line up 11 guys on each side and give them a running start at each other. Yes, the flying wedge was incredibly dangerous and recent changes on kickoffs - even preventing players from holding hands in a line - are intended to prevent injury.
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I can't answer that - I did not see it. Sorry
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The runner can't grab and twist. He can push off the facemask. Hands to the facemask usually involves pushing up under the mask, putting pressure on the opponent's neck and head. It's a judgment call.
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A RB stiff arming usually is pushing away the defender. It is not the upward stretching/straining motion that you're talking about with OLs. If a RB were to grab the facemask and twist or hold onto it, then you have a foul.
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As I answered in another question about this play....Legal. If he went up to catch a high snap, he can still return to hold the snap. He could also throw as you describe. If he stands (for no other reason than he wants to) and then returns to the ground, he is down. Dead ball.
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I didn't see the game or play and I'm not sure of the NFL rule. That isn't the rule in HS or college. The hair is just a part of the body. Based on hw you describe it, I agree with you.
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There are several scenarios to what you ask. If a ball carrier's helmet comes off, the play is dead immediately. That's a safety issue. If anyone else's helmet comes off, they have an opportunity to step away and not participate; the play goes on. If a player's helmet comes off and he is already engaged (making a play on the runner, in process of making a block) he may continue. If a player's helmet comes off, he may not continue to play (beyond a step or two) or it is a personal foul.
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Because the rules say he can. And he's the only one. A holder can go up off his knee to get a high snap and bring it down for the hold. Likewise, the fact that he's on the ground when he gets the snap would normally make the ball dead. The holder has special rules (college).
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Uhhh, yes! You pick him up? That's holding even without a rulebook. And tossing him like that? Could easily be called a personal foul or unnecessary roughness. Shows you what TV guys know.
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No. It is still a kick - by definition - and K cannot advance it.
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I'm guessing you're talking about the wideout on the left side of the formation, though you don't say. I'm also not sure if this is a high school or college game. There was nothing that I could see on the runner. The wideout on the left cuts low on the defender. It is, in my opinion, a hit on what could be considered a defenseless player - the play is over when the block is made so that would cause the penalty.
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That depends. I've had a player talk to me and put a hand on my arm as you might to someone in conversation. That's communicating. I've see players say "Nice call" and tap an official's shoulder or back. That's ok. Intentionally contacting an official - pushing, shoving, bumping - that will draw a flag.
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Generally speaking, in HS and college yes. In the NFL, the player needs to be "down by contact", so if a player is running free and slips or trips in the NFL, he can still get up and continue. In HS and college, the player is down.
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The coach is ignored - no timeout is granted. It is not lije hoops where a tech is called.
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Really?
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Yup. Using college rule 2-23-1-g: The snap need not be between the snapper's legs; but to be legal, it must be a quick and continuous backward motion.
And don't use "lateral". The term "lateral" is not used; it's a backward pass.
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You gave the answer: "On a pass two feet are required". And that's two different feet, otherwise it's one foot.
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It could be. It is a matter of interpretation and judgment by the official. A push off is likely okay. A grab and twist? Then it is no different than any other face mask call.
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NFL rules are different but generally, if the foul is behind the "basic spot" (the end of the run) it's marked off from the spot of the foul.
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A kick is a kick is a kick. Until it is possessed, it is still a kick. You have a grounded kick in the endzone, touched by R in the field of play. The receiving team must cover it there or bring it out. If it is possessed in the endzone by the receivers and they "take a knee" there, it is a touchback.
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Technically, no. But the foul would be enforced as a dead ball after the play. In that case (Duke-FSU), the game was over when the foul would be enforced.
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You are so right. That is strange. And after I finish throwing up, I'd say it is a fumble since the runner no longer has possession....of the ball or his arm. Where did you come up with that!?
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You'd think that, wouldn't you? What happened here, though, is the "line to gain" had not been set; the chains weren't set yet. So under that circumstance (Rule 5-2-7) the penalty is enforced and then the chains are set. It reads: The penalty for any dead ball foul....that occurs after a series ends [they made the line to gain] and before the ball is ready for play shall be completed before the line to gain is established.
1st and 10 from the 16,
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Yes. Within limits. He cannot be moving forward at the time of the snap. Everyone must have come to a complete stop before he starts to move sideways. But, the basic answer is, yes.
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If it's during the play, it is a live ball foul. The penalty is enforced from the previous spot. No score.
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Odd question. Most of our equipment is simply clothing. Good shoes help. But the most important thing you take onto the field is your brain.
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If a member of the kicking team is the first to touch a grounded punt, it is "illegal touching"; the receivers would have the right to take the ball at that spot if nothing else happens. But it is still a kick because...well, because the kickers gave up the ball when they punted. If K touches it and it keeps rolling, and than a receiver scoops it up and runs it for a TD, it's a score. That "illegal touch" is ignored.
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Intentionally kicking the ball is a foul. If a receiver kicks the ball into his own endzone we have a foul and safety.
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If he starts jogging downfield, you could consider it a delay of game foul. But that's sort of a stretch. Unless there's some exigent circumstance that I can't figure out, the receiver is creating a false start. That also assumes that the team is pretty much ready to snap the ball - he's on the wrong side of the ball. If a receiver is too far up, an official - the linesman or line judge - might tell him to "watch the ball" and let him correct himself. But the receiver doesn't seem too sharp.
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That doesn't sound too right. Usually a foul like that is tacked on from the end of the run with an automatic first down. Based on what you wrote, it should have gone from the Jags 45 to the Ravens 40. Unless there's something in the NFL rules - which are not always the same as college and HS - that marks it from another spot.
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Why, in soccer, is the sideline inbounds? It's the definition. The pylons are not out of bounds; they are part of the goal line "extended". When the ball, while being carried, hits one, it is breaking the plane of the goal. Like wise, if the ball is carried outside the pylon but the player touches the pylon, it is a touchdown since the ball has crossed the goal line "extended".
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Stats are not in the purview of field officials. The official box score from the game does not show Ginn with any rushes so my guess it's a pass for both QB and receiver.
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To the best of my knowledge, only in college can you run back a missed 2 pt conversion as you describe. In college, that is a safety.
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No. And I didn't know they were.
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If you're talking about the low block by the wide receiver to the lower left of the screen, it looks okay for college.
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"I ran out of bounds". And anything you then touch is also out of bounds. The penalty, I'm thinking, is for illegal touching.
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Until the sticks are set, you're still in that interval period. So the penalty is enforced, then thesticks are set 1 & 10. If a dead ball foul occurs after they're set, you then have 1 & 25.
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It's pretty easy to get in - staying is the hard part. Everybody working high school, college, or even the NFL has another job. When you start out, you may need an understanding boss because there may be JV or freshmen games in the afternoon.
Getting started: you can contact your state's high school athletic governing body and get contact information for the football officials group. That group does the training and registers you with the state so that you are "certified" as a HS official. If you aren't sure what the state body is, contact your local high school athletic director for a phone number.
By the way, it's a good thing you don't want to do it for the money. Even guys working every week in one of the P5 NCAA conferences might make $25,000, before expenses. You don't get rich doing this.
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Initiating contact isn't the issue. Any PI call is based on advantage/disadvantage. Did the receiver create separation? did he gain an advantage with the contact? Likewise, did the defender impede the receiver from making a play on the ball. The initial contact by Rudolph may not have impacted the play. The contact by Chancellor was deemed to have been interference.
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It's good. Rule 6-3-1 says: ARTICLE 1. a. A scrimmage kick that fails to cross the neutral zone continues in play. All players may catch or recover the ball behind the neutral zone andadvance it.
The ball was still alive.
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Uruguay! Wow!
Based on what I can see, the runner holds the ball over his head prior to getting to the endzone. The foul occurs at that spot and it is a live ball foul. Points come off he board, 15 yards from that spot.
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That's a TD for B. A2 gets disqualified for the swing - contact isn't necessary. Enforce penalty on the try.
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No. This was asked recently. Kicker is the only player who can be in advance of the line.
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No restrictions in NCAA rules. If the coach doesn't like his punter, he can have all ten other players take off.
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Dead ball. Might even be consider unsportsmanlike. The beginning of the slide is where the ball gets spotted next, not where the QB ends up. So, in essence the ball and the QB are down at the start of the slide.
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Touchback. It is still a kick since possession wasn't gained until/as the receiver was out of bounds.
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Talk college and HS first. You can cover a receiver, but he then is no longer eligible to go out for a pass by his position (he isn't an end or back). You still need five players numbered between 50 and 79 on the line.
In the NFL, I believe that is illegal. You cannot have an ineligible number on the end of the line, which you would with a receiver inside. The ineligible player on the end could report in to the referee and be announced as eligible (you'll hear the ref announce "Number 79 is reporting in as eligible.") Then you'd be good.
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There are a lot of possibilities here, so let's look at what you're saying. If the player stepped out of bounds before the ball crossed the plane of the goal line, then yes, it was called a TD in error. However, if the player was outside of the pylon (out of bounds) but the ball stayed inside the pylon when crossing the plane, it is a TD. In your description, the player was out of bounds but he clipped the pylon with a foot - where was the ball? If the player dove at the pylon and struck it with his body even with the ball outside the pylon (the goal line extended), it is a TD.
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I'm reading an Auburn KO. If it is touched by Ala in the field of play it is still a kick. If it goes into the endzone and is covered by Alabama, it is a touchback. It was the kick that put the ball in the endzone.
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Too many. It will vary based on the size of staffs, number of media. You're talking easily 150 and likely way more. At least 50 players on each team, a dozen coaches for each team, staffs of maybe 20 or more. It goes on.....
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If a receiver is forced out of bounds he must return immediately to regain eligibility. If he goes out on his own, then a defender must first touch the ball before the receiver can. He must re-establish himself (on the ground) so catching in the air after going out of bounds makes the ball dead when he hits the ground. Sorry, but I couldn't access the video.
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The rules are the rules. There are philosophies that should carry throughout the season. There are, however, times when supervisors may alter or redefine expectations. It is possible, and I have no specific knowledge, that there was a directive to loosen up calls and let things go. But the rules don't change.
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We'll keep it simple and give you the basics. For college play, it is post-scrimmage kick enforcement, Rule 10-2-3. It is B's (receiver's) ball as long as they have possession of the ball at the end of the play.
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Nope. If he went up to catch a high snap, he can still return to hold the snap. He could also throw as you describe. If he stands (for no other reason than he wants to) and then returns to the ground, he is down. Dead ball.
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see above
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A kick after a safety - whether a punt or placed on ground - is a free kick. Any free kick can be recovered by either team. So, it isn't like any punt, it's like a "kickoff". An "onside" punt would probably not be a good idea.
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That's not really an official's issue, it's stats. But my guess is that he does receive credit. He caught it and gained the yards. That's hoe the ball got to where it was.
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If the whistle sounds during a loose ball play (before touch - ball still in air) you either replay the down or take the result of the play. K would have the choice. At instant of touch, it is still a loose ball - no possession. Same options.
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Yes. Officials are "part of the field". Same as if a player tipped it and it went through. But that's gotta sting!
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A lot depends on your location. Once upon a time, you didn't become a college official unless you had a good number of years (5-10) of working high school. Today, it's not that difficult t get seen, although it may cost you some money. There are a number of clinics that you pay to attend and get trained; you can Google that. They are run by individuals who have their connections (to the NFL and P5 conferences) and can get you "seen". You could also contact a local D3 or D2 college and ask the AD who assigns his games and try going through that person or group. I'm also guessing from your info that you're in your mid 30's - that's not a bad age to start but when I started in college at 37, I had ten years of HS ball. I hope this helps; good luck.
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I did not see the play, and I don't know that anyone knows what a catch is in the NFL. But I'll guess. It's the ball, not the player, that needs to be in the endzone. If the ball is in control in the endzone, it's a score.
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If I'm understanding correctly what you're saying, you have an illegal touch by the kicking team ('touched the ball in mid air on a bounce but never possessed it."). The receiving team has the right to take the ball at that spot. Which they did. I think they got that right.
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Once the forward pass - off the block - hits the ground, it is an incomplete pass. Not sure what was seen by crew.
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No. This keeps coming up. Why?
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My feelings about the stupidity of the look aside, my guess is that it is legal. A horsecollar is when the inside of the shoulder pads is grabbed. A number of years ago, I saw a college player's dreds grabbed and pulled out. No foul. On a side note, he said that on a scale of 1 to 10, the hair removal was an eleven.
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Wrong football.
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It isn't the lieman's action, it's the runner. If the runner is stopped - even if the lineman is pushing - that's forward progress and the play ends. The runner very well could be upright, but if his legs aren't moving, or if his feet come off the ground, that's or ward progress and the play is over.
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See Matt's question above. No foul
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Unless the youth league has some special rule against it, there's nothing illegal with that play on any level I've ever worked...or watched.
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There is no reporting as there is in the NFL. An ineligible number on the end of the line is just that, and only that. The formation is not illegal. You need five on the line numbered 50-79, and in this scenario you have that. They are ineligible to catch a pass regardless of where they are. But if one of them is on the end of the line, it also means that an eligible receiver is likely covered somewhere else.
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I'm guessing it was a punt. As with NCAA rules, touch backs on kickoffs (free kicks) come out to the 25. All other touch backs go to the 20.
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This is a pass play; even though there was a formation for a scrimmage kick, it was never attempted. Assuming there was a receiver "in the area", and there's no other foul, it's third down.
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Touchdown.
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A clip is blocking from behind below the knee. That is viewed as a dangerous play and is a personal foul. A block in the back is contact from behind generally above the waist. Not a personal foul.
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Hmmm, wrong football. Sorry, can't help.
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That has nothing to do with officiating. You asked that of me....why?
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Thoughts? I think the officials made a mistake. You're right. They were using something out of the NFL.
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He can back up, but if he kneels or is tackled there it's a safety.
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The goal post is out of bounds. By touching the goal post before touching the ground in bounds, the receiver is out of bounds. Incomplete pass.
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You can have illegals use of hands on both sides of the ball. I didn't see the play but:A) if a defensive lineman grabs the offensive lineman (say at the shoulders outside his frame) and directs him so the defender can get open route to ball carrier - Def holdB) if defensive lineman pulls offensive lineman so another defender can shoot through the gap (pull and shoot) - Def hold
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Technically as you describe it, the defender is still moving forward and is not playing the ball. They both have a right to the ball and - again - as you describe it the receiver turns to play the ball. If the defender continues going through the receiver, that defensive pass interference.
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As long as the passer is behind the line of scrimmage then yes.
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If I'm reading you right, the runner goes down in bounds on the one. He is reaching the ball forward but the ball goes outside the pylon. The ball is placed where it crossed the sideline.
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What is the intent of the act? While officials can't always determine intent, in the case you cite, if a player is trying to strip the ball and something else happens, you look at intent. Throwing a punch is quite different.
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A player who touches anything or anyone that is out if bounds makes that player out of bounds. So yes.
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With one exception the answer is yes. If a receiver catches the ball while on the ground then no time comes off - touching and being down are at the same moment. In all other scenarios- whether it's K or R - some time comes off. The clock starts with legal touching in the field of play. K cannot advance it so the clock would wind and then be stopped.
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You'll have to contact Fox Sports for that answer.
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Yes. In that case it's the "goal line extended". The player is in bounds as he crosses; the ball also is considered to have crossed the GL.
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Yes. It is disparaging and considered - at the minimum - taunting. Unsportsmanlike conduct.
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In college, the goal line is a plane: if the ball breaks the plane it is a touch back. In the NFL, I'm pretty sure the player cannot be in the endzone but he can reach in and bat the ball back into the field of play.
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This is a site dealing with officiating. Find the one dealing with being a quarterback.
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In college, technically the answer is yes. Rule 9-1-4 Note 2: "Leading with helmet, shoulder, forearm, fist, hand or elbow to attack with forcible contact at the head or neck area". Would it be called? Maybe, mabe not. It is a bang-bang play and when there isn't a launch or a crouch and upward drive by the tacker, it's a bit tougher to call. But if it's on film - and it is - and a supervisor sees that you didn't call it, you've got a problem. At the very least, you have a personal foul.
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But to the Rules Committee and the officials, it is not. Rule 6-1-7-a states: "When a free kick untouched by Team B (receivers) touches the ground on or behind Team B's goal line, the ball becomes dead and belongs to Team B." In the NFL it is still alive.
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When you say "cover", if you mean can they defend them, yes. If you mean be in front of them at the LOS, yes. Any defender can "cover" a receiver.
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It wouldn't be after the kickoff, it would be on the kickoff. The penalty is assessed before the ball is kicked off.
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In college the ball is placed where the player- usually the QB - begins his slide. That is where he gives himself up and where, technically, he stopped participating.
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A defensive hold is only an automatic first down if it is against an eligible receiver. If it isn't that, then like any othert penalrty, the down is repeated after the 10 yard mark off.
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If there was no receiver in the area who could catch it, it belongs to the kicking team.
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I didn't see it but in all likelihood it was since all scoring plays are automatically reviewed. It may not have been announced - usually aren't if there's no issue.
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Like, yeah, maybe. It depends on the conference or supervisor. In the NFL there is no specific restriction. The Big Ten allows alums from a school to work their games. But others may have restrictions. It varies.
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It's illegal on two counts. One, it isn't a snap since a legal snap leaves the snapper's hands. It's a snap infraction Two, it is a "planned loose ball" play in the vicinity of the snapper. In other words a "fumblerooski". That's a 5 yard penalty plus loss of down.
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I cannot comment on your mental state but I have never heard of that as a rule. It seems very odd. There are rules in high school and college that allow a referee to award a penalty - including a score - for situations not specifically covered by rule. For example, a runner is going down the opposition's sideline waaaaaay ahead of any defender when an opposing team staff member runs out and tackles him. Referee could award a score.
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No. Goalposts is out of bounds. Touching something out of bounds makes the ball dead.
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Because that is the foul: illegal block in the back. Is there a "legal" block? Technically you could say yes; in close line play, at the snap, you can block low and in the back.
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Well,since it happened, yes. The receiver did not signal for a fair catch so he can block. And he did, preventing the kicking team player from catching the ball. All good.
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The foul is roughing the passer, not quarterback. NCAA rule defines the passer as: The passer is the player who throws a forward pass. He is a passer from the time he releases the ball until the pass is complete, incomplete or intercepted or until he moves to participate in the play.
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That's a good question. Simply put, the tackler is responsible - period. And don't assume any whistle; as is often said, the play kills itself, not the whistle. For example, if a player is down and there's no immediate whistle, and the player gets hit, it's a foul, whistle or not.
Back to out of bounds: in your example A, you can envision the tackler right there as the runner hits OOB. You probably don't flag that because it's happening so quickly at the sideline. In B, you have a foul; that's pretty obvious. Cases in between? There really isn't an in-between. If the runner steps out, he's out and can't be hit. If the contact begins while the runner is in bounds, then it's not a foul unless there is unnecessary continuing contact out of bounds.
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I'm going to say no. The question above addresses that, too. The clock starts on the legal touch in the field of play. If there is one second left, as soon as the MSU player touches it legally, the clock starts. And with one second left - and K not being able to advance the kick - the clock goes to zero and the game is over.
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The easy part is if it's a targeting (in college) the player is ejected. A roughing the QB is an automatic first down (NCAA). Same for targeting. If there was no score on the play, that would create 1 & goal at the 5 1/2 yard line.
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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.
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That is,a league/ team issue, not officiating.
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I list you after the first sentence.
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When the whistle blows, the play/action stops. If the ball is loose, as in your example, and an official blows the whistle - likely "inadvertently - then the play/action still stops. There are rules that cover those situations, including a loose ball.
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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".
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No. If you accept the DH, then you go from the enforcement spot (previous spot ), Mark off 10vyards, repeat down.
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It can't be that famous - I never heard of it. But I did look it up. And from what I can see here, it looks as if both 19 and 87 are on the line. To your specific point, it's ok to have eight on the line. The rule states, No more than four players may be backs There aren't. So that isn't a foul. It looks as if the play is legal. Don't throw the flag!
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Well, if they fall on the ball, the implication is that the ball is on the ground. That's an incomplete pass and the game is over. If they intercept it and fall on the grounds, the game is over.
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Line can go down one yard. Beyond that is illegal. A pass behind the line is, I believe, the same - no more than one yard.
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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.
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Well, you're asking me to explain the NFL's catch rule which is inexplicable. I saw it, got excited because i root for anyone playing the Pats, then realized that it was being reviewed. Meaning logic went out the window. James was not a runner. He was a pass receiver who had not yet become a runner. With me still? As a result, he had to "survive tbe ground", even though the NFL's Al Riveron actually said in his explanation that Ben completed a pass to James. Had James been a runner, then breaking the plane scores the TD, as you state. But he was not a runner, he was still a receiver. Still with me now? Had he pulled the ball in to his body, he probably catches it and the Steelers set up for the next play on the 1 1/2. Had gecstill been in college, it's likely a catch, too. Or as Tony Dungy said, anywhere but the NFL, that's a touchdown.
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The rule doesn't change. Forward progress is....well, forward progress. If the QB pulls out from under center and gets stepped on and falls, the ball is marked where progress ended. Now, since he "retreated" from the center and went down, that's where he's down. It's like when a receiver catches a ball in advance of the line to gain but circles back hoping to get a lane to run in. If he is tackled behind where he caught the ball, that is where it's marked. He had progress but he gave it up of his own accord; he went back on his own.
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While there are some exceptions to this, the folks offset. If there is a found that results in a dusqualuficaton, even with an offset, be player is still ejected.
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I saw the play, heard Pereira. Wasn't quite sure what he meant. It can't be forward progress - which I think was still short - because Jordan on his own went backwards. Had he been hit and pushed back by the defender, then you have forward progress,
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With one second remaining, a "recovery" sort of implies the receiver was either catching it and goibg to tbe ground or on the ground at the recovery. On a legal touch, the clock winds. So if the foul occured after the reception, it happened after the clock expired. The period (game?) is over.
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As far as i understand, it's the same as any other play when time runs out. You continue play until the whistle. The ball is alive and in play until the play ends.
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I don't know what the NFL allows in that regard. The "Lambeau Leap" has been accepted for quite a while. That mat play into the decision.
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Hmmm, pick up game? I'm giving that to the defense. He had the ball; you said clearly. If he was on the ground - on his feet - he has pissrssion.
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Hmm. I'm trying to envision your play. If the ball carrier is still inside the pylon as he crosses the goal, then the ball touching the pylon makes it "in bounds" and you have a TD. But if the ball crosses the sideline before it reaches the pylon, say at the one or two yard line, then it's out of bounds and even if the player hits the pylon, with his body, the ball is out of bounds where it crossed the sideline.
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It's a great, smart play by the receiving team. If the player is out of bounds and he touches the kick, then the kick is out of bounds. That is a free kick out of bounds and a foul by the kickers. One option on enforcement is placing the ball 25 yards in advance of the kick. Lions, 1st and 10.
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Nice try. If you pulled that, you might find an official willing to throw a second flag for a personal foul (you shouldn't have been there!) or unsportsmanlike conduct. First, if they catch 12 on the field, they should shut it down and not let the play go off. That's the proper mechanic, despite TV announcers saying the QB is trying to catch them. If they don;t catch it early enough, it isn't real a "free play". They need to shut it down.
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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.
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A try is,a special period of play. Six points can only be awarded on a touchdown, not a try. Two points.
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What you describe is certainly not a "tackle". Wgat you describe is unnecessary. That's a foul.
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Didn't see this nor hear anything about it. You're saying it was "clearly back"; maybe not.
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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.
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Your question is a little confusing but let me try.
When a runner goes out of bounds, the ball is spotted where the ball crosses the OOB line, not the runner. It's pretty straight forward and not that difficult to officiate.
I'm not quite sure what the second part of your question means, but here goes. The ball isn't out of bounds until it touches something out of bounds. A player in the field of play is not OOB. So if a player reaches out and catches a ball that has crossed the sideline - and he is still in bounds - the ball is still in play and it's a catch.
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Indeed it is. If the ball touches out of bounds - or anything or anybody who is out of bounds- it is out of bounds. I've actually recently heard of a coach who teaches his receivers to straddle the line (one for out) and catch the ball; that's a kick out of bounds and a foul on the kicking team..
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Depends on what game you're watching. As i understand it, in the NFL your scenario is a touchback. In college, if the ball is touched at the B1 and it stays there, it's at the one. If the ball is touched at the 1 and goes into the end zone, touchback.
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I answered this one above but.....
If the ball touches anything that's out of bounds, the ball is out of bounds. Therefore if the player is out of bounds - or straddling the line - then the ball is a kick out of bounds and a foul against the kicking team.
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Officials don't deal with statistics so I can't answer definitively. If it was,a "dezigned" run from thecstaff, then he's a runner, not a passer, hence no sack (?).
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Caveat: i have not worked games using replay. Rule 12,Art. 3: I replay has indisputable evidence of a fumble, "it belongs to the recovering team at the spot of recovery. " Without replay, the down is replayed.
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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.
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Sorry, this isn't a trivia or history site.
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No one would decline the opportunity to score points. But in the case of the SupervBowl, the PAT score wasn't needed. The game had been decided. It's similar cat other levels. If the score might make a difference (e.g. as a tie breaker in league play or seeding) you have the try. If not, you can walk away...or decline.
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Where are you backs? They would likely give you strength based on their position (slot, split (
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Good question. Are you an Ohio State or Michigan fan? The philosophy officials often use is "advantage/disadvantage". Did the action have a material impact on the play? Having an arm around a receiver isn't automatically a foul. Did the arm actually hook or grab the receiver and turn him away from the ball, or prevent him from reaching for the ball? Or was the arm being there just a good play, timed right? The rules today at virtually all levels - but especially the NFL - favor offense. So I return to the earlier point: Did the action have a material impact on the play? If yes, then we have a foul. And that's why those deep officials get the big bucks - for their judgment on that play.
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I have answered this question - or a variation of it - three times. No more!
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Yes. The touch by K is - depending on the level - first touching or illegal touching. The ball is,still alive, but R can take the ball at the spot of the touch.
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I'm guessing the NFL rule is the same (similar) to the NCAA. In order for a 10-secind runoff to occur, the foul must cause the clock to stop immediately, such as a false start. If it was a hold, then the play went off and the infraction didn't cause the clock to stop; the play ended and the clock was stopped.
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The ball is snapped based on where it ends up after the previous play. If the play ends outside the hash (between hash and sideline) it is brought back to the hash for the next snap. If it is incomplete, it is returned to where it was last snapped. If it ends between the hashes, it is snapped at the spit where the play ended. You don't table a choice of where to place the ball.
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Once the punter has kicked and recovers and goes to be involved in the play (going after/tackling a runner) he's a player and is no different than any other player. Same with a QB after an interception. If the QB goes to tackle and participates in the play, he's fair game. If he just stands there, then you can't hit him.
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Well, based on what we saw on the Giants-Packers game, no. My understanding on other levels is if a player (ball carrier) comes on contact with something or someone out of bounds, then he is out of bounds. But...
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Let's correct a term first. The punter can't muff the kick. What I think you're saying is the punter kicked the ball straight up in the air. If the ball was still in the endzone, that means the kick never crossed the line of scrimmage. And that means you can't call for a fair catch. If the receiving team has possession in that endzone, you have a touchdown.
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While I didn't see the game, this is probably what happened. It's the same as in college football where if there is a foul, in this case a personal foul, between downs and before the chains have been set with the new line to gain, the penalty is enforced and then the chains are set. So it is, in fact, first and 10.
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The simple answer is no. Not by "rule". By rule you can't grasp, pull, or hook an opponent. But the reality is that players do grasp and it is "allowed" (and I use that term carefully) as long as the block (it is still blocking) is inside the frame of the opponent. If the "grasping" is in desperation because the defender got away and the blocker just grabs and pulls on the shirt and you see it stretch, you have holding. If the blocker grabs the defender's arms but doesn't take him down or turn him away from the play, it is likely going to be allowed.
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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.
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If a pass does not cross the line of scrimmage (screen) then a) you can't have ineligibles down field and b) you can't have pass interference (offense or defense). In the NFL, they are tighter with lineman, only giving them a yard downfield to block on passes behind the LOS. So, yes, receivers downfield can block before the pass is thrown as long as the pass was caught behind the LOS.
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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.
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The rules allow the player who "first controls the snap" to immediately throw it to the ground without being called for grounding.
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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.
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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.
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It doesn't always happen and it's because their coaches decided they aren't gong to run another play. It can't be the last minute, though, because there may be a play clock involved. Beyond that, you'd have to ask a coach why.
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If the offense has substituted, the defense has to be given an opportunity to "match up". There are limits in time, but the D has to have the chance. If the defense doesn't sub immediately, the official moves off the ball. When you see an official with his arms out to the side ("iron cross") they are in that time frame allowing the defense to sub.
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No. It's an accepted part of the game.
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Yup. Or technically, a backward pass which is still alive. This is the end of the JMU - South Dakota State game that someone just called me about. He thought the whistle had blown and if so, the ref may have felt the QB had "given himself up" knowing what the purpose of the running around was. In truth, the QB should have killed the clock running around and then gone to a knee to end the game.
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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.
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This play will never never happen, even in a Pop Warner game.
Here is my take: Too many men on the field and yes 15 yds for unsportsmanship and replay after 15 yds back.
Also, if QB threw up ball, would this be intentional grounding? If yes, that is a spot foul, 5 yds from spot and loss of down. LOD on 4th down with no time left means that we do not extend so game would be over and B loses if they accept this foul (which they would not).
The QB would take the snap and run backwards for 4 seconds and then take a knee. Period.
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If you're looking for a safety, you wont find it. The foul occurs in the field of play and should be a previous spot foul.
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Really good question and my first thought was NO, but the unsportsmanlike set off bells. I decided to check anyway and I was wrong.
In the rule book, pg 76, 10-2-4, " When a team commits a non-player or unsportsmanlike foulduring that same down, it is administered from the succeeding spot as established by the acceptance or declination of the penalty for the other foul."
In the case book: pg 101, 10.4.5, situation A, B, and D.
It should be noted that the dead ball fouls they talk about are "coach coming onto the field to criticize an official, player swearing."
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Yo? Really?
No. What you describe is a foul. Intentionally kicking a ball - not a scrimmage kick - is a foul.
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I'm not sure what you mean.
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While unusual, it's the right thing to do. It may be that the official, possibly getting to it late or the offense ran the play quickly, was in the process of counting when the play went off. Yes, the official should be counting "faster" but the idea is to get it right. He did. If the official thought he had 12, a less than perfect solution could be to stop play if he thinks he has 12, count, then flag it. If there are 11, play on.
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Couple of possibilities. First, if you see the 12, you want to shut it down before the play goes off. That's the proper mechanic and the better situation. But, they simply may have still been counting (late sub, e.g.) and the ball was snapped. It's possible the player was trying to get off the field but didn't make it and the play went off. You could still shut it down but they didn't. Sometimes stuff just happens and itisn't the ideal.
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It's based on the offensive formation, not where the defense is. The DE's position is irrelevant.
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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.
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Can someone help me? I'm guessing you're a college coach since low blocks are prohibited in high school. The rules have changed a number of times over the last several years and each time they do, there's a new "wrinkle"....or crease.
Can't possibly do it justice or be complete here, but blocks need to be in the "10 to 2" (o'clock) range as viewed by the blocker. But this year it was interpreted that the initial contact has to be from that direction. In other words, even if the hit is in the 10-2 area, the "attack" by the blocker has to be within that arc when initiated. Clear? Yeah, me neither. With wide receivers, they must - since they are initially outside the tackle box - either block above the waist or attack the 10-2 zone and initiate the attack from that direction. It's challenging to explain without visuals. That may be as good as I can get it - sorry.
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Yes and yes. A PAT is a scrimmage play and, as with any play from scrimmage, you can call any play you want. A PAT is a scrimmage kick and, as on a punt (another scrimmage kick) you can change your mind after s penalty.
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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.
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Let's change some terminology. Offense is A and defense is B. A has 3rd and 3 on the B4, so the line to brain is the B1. B commits a foul with a 5 yard penalty. But you're in an area where you can only go half the distance. Half the distance from the B4 is the B2. It's now 3rd and 1.
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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.
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I don't know....what are they?
And what does that have to do with officiating?
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If a player "gives himself up" (clearly indicates he is not running it out), the referee will whistle the play dead. Tossing it to the ball boy likely occurred after the whistle blew.
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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.
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Probably because no one saw it.
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He wasn't touched by an opponent until he was in EZ. It looked like as he was recovering, he rolled into the endzone where he was downed. I didn't think he had control/possession until the endzone. Yes, I agree that was the right call.
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Yes. Unless something else happens that isn't described here, it was the offense that put the ball in its own end zone. If it goes out, it's their responsibility. If they recover it there, it's a safety. And if the defense recovers, it's a touchdown
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Yes. As long as he doesn't impede the rrceiver's opportunity to catch.
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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.
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I have no idea what that means. Sorry, can't help.
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I'm anot official, not a football historian.
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The defense had a problem. The offense will accept the penalty for offside and the down will be replayed. Tough luck.
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Sometimes you folks ask a question that makes me think. This one, though, is too easy. As with any time in the game, when one team fumbles and the other recovers, it belongs to the recovering team. Here, it's 1st and 10 for A.
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I believe all levels of football rules are pretty much in agreement on this. The NCAA rule book states: "Forward progress is a term indicating the end of advancement by the ball carrier or airborne pass receiver of either team and applies to the position of the ball when it becomes dead by rule."
The ball was held out and then the whistle blew. The ball was at a certain position - where Elliott had held it out - and that was where it was determined to have been when the runner's progress ended. It isn't much different from a ball carrier extending the ball over the goal line and then being pushed back; touchdown. Position of the ball.
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Can't help you. That isnt a part of the playing rules, which on-field officials address. That's a stat question.
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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.
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You don't say whether this is a free kick or a scrimmage kick. If it's a scrimmage kick, the officials dd it right. Kickers can't touch a scrimmage kick that has crossed the line of scrimmage until it touches a receiver player. By touching it at the 25 you have first (high school) or illegal (NCAA) touching. That gives the ball to the receiving team at the spit of first touching. Possible additional fun: you say your player "hit" the ball from the 25 to the 5. That could be considered an illegal bat by the kickers.
If this is a free kick, your player could have recovered the untouched kick and it would be your ball at the spot of recovery -- of course, without an illegal bat.
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Good question. In high school, no kick can be run out of the endzone. In college a grounded kick (one that has touched the ground) in the endzone, is also dead. If a receiver catches the ball in the endzone in college, it is still alive and can be run out.
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Depends what you're watching. In high school, the play us dead and defense offsides us enforced. In NCAA and NFL the defender can get back before the snap. There are times when even when the player isn't threatening the QB the play is stopped. Rule of thumb: if the defender is past the shoulder of an offensive player, they'll blow it dead.
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You You have a live ball foul, roughing the kicker, and a dead ball foul come the late hit. And we're going to enforce both. A is going to keep the ball because B got the ball with "dirty hands". So we enforce the 15 yd penalty for roughing first. which gives A the first down. But then we enforce the late hit against A and bring it back 15 yd. So therefore we have A 1/10 @ A20. We're enforcing both fouls.
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Uuuuh, that's strange. Why didn't they just give you the ball.
I think what you're describing is forward handing. That is a foul since the ball was handed (or "snatched") forward. It's like a hand off by the receivers on a punt or kickoff The ball usually is handed to the player running behind, not to the player in front to avoid the penalty.
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Everyone goes home. Unlike in college or high school OT, in the NFL both teams don't have to have a possession if the first score is a touchdown.
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I can't think of a time it's not, so yes. But by asking the question, you obviously heard of, or saw, something that didn't go that way.
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Nope. The player is ineligible by number and that is always the case on a pass that crosses the line of scrimmage.
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Because that's the rule. When you wrote the original question I wasn't considering the holder as a grounded player. Holder can also allowed to rise up to get a bad snap and come back without it being dead.
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You're asking questions of philosophy, something that isn't in the rule book. First, it depends who is calling the timeout, offense or defense. The defense often waits to the last second to call it in order to "ice" the kicker. But if the snap is in the process of going off, it is possible for the timeout to not be granted. You ask about the whistle blowing "very slightly" after the snap; that probably means it was asked for prior to the snap. When you see the snap go and the kick made as whistles are being blown, the timeout was granted prior to the snap - the kick will not count. Usually, for the offense the timeout is granted.
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On field fame officials are not responsible for statistics. Can't help.
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Yeah, that was interesting. Even former NFL ref and now-rules expert Terry McCauley was thrown a bit and had to dig into the rule book and case book.
The NFL sometimes has very different rules from college and high school. I'm more familiar with the latter and if there's a loose ball - and no one recovers it - it belongs to the team last in possession. So in the case you describe, it would belong to the team that was on offense and made the catch.
And all those guys on defense who didn't jump on a loose ball would be fired!
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No. The offense put the ball in the endzone, so that can't be a safety. Now, if he left the endzone and then went back in - on his own - and then was tackled, yes, that's a safety, because the ball was put in the endzone by the defense.
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Not rare at all. You are describing a post scrimmage kick enforcement (PSK). Under PSK, if B - the receivers - commits a foul during the kick and they are the team to next put the ball in play, then PSK rules apply. So, in your situation, B holds behind where the kick ends (at the 30); the foul is administered from the spot of the hold at the 25. B 1/10 at the 15.
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No. Only a player - someone in the game/on the field - or a substitute - someone coming on to the field to replace a player - can call tmieout.
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By rule, that is not a touchdown. And that's the case at any level of football
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Goid question, and you're correct up to where you may gave stopped reading. Rule 16 (OT) Sction 1, Article 4 (covering preseason and regular season) states: There shall be a maximum of one 10-minute period, even if the second team has not had an opportunity to possess the ball or if its initial possession has not ended. If the score is tied at the end of the period, the game shall end in a tie.
That sounds like it's over, but they seem to be saying the first team didn't score. But I'd go with, game over.
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Wrong football. No idea
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It's pretty similar at all levels of play. The big difference in the NFL and at the higher levels of college ball is the "O2O" (official-to-official) communication - the headsets. The official who threw the flag has to communicate to the referee what the foul is. Most times, the coach knows what it is, but the nearest official - one on the sideline - will try to get him the information if it isn't clear. The penalty also should be communicated so the coach understands his options. You'll often see the referee look to the sideline and signal the foul and possibly the decline signal if it seems appropriate) with a questioning look; he's communicating with the coach - the head coach. Any official who takes a response from an assistant in that situation is....uhh, not very smart.
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Oooh, good question. First, if a defender intercepts a pass from the five yard line in to the goal, he gets momentum, meaning if he ends up in the end zone it was his momentum that put him there so he isn't penalized. It will be his team's ball at the spot of the interception - btw, you'll see an official drop a bean bag at that spot to mark it. However, that isn't what you asked. You wrote "he runs back into the endzone ", meaning he put himself in the endzone. If he falls or is tackled there, it's a safety.
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Hmmm, history question! Honestly not sure. I've been doing this for over 30 years....there were those who might have mistakenly called ug offsides but it was always. as far as I recall, illegal procedure. That's a fslse start.
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As noted above, on a running play, a foul behind the basic spot (in this case the end of the run) is enforced from the spot of the foul. It may or may not be a first down. In the play above, there was a gain well beyond the line to gain, so in enforcing the foul, you had a first down. But if the hold was, say, only five yards beyond the line of scrimmage, that is from where the penalty is enforced. So if there was more than five yards to go, a ten yard penalty is an issue. Enforcing from five yards beyond takes it to five yards behind. No first down.
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Blocking downfield seems to indicate you're looking at offensive pass interference. In college, pass interference only occurs when a legal forward pass crosses the line of scrimmage. If a pass is caught behind the line, it obviously hasn't crossed the line of scrimmage. If it's a backward pass (no such thing as a lateral) then it isn't forward and you can't have OPI.
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At least in college, it is illegal. For safety reasons. A trainer needs to be able to see a player's eyes if they are hurt. If a helmet can't be removed (e.g. possible neck injury) the eyes will help determine consciousness.
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First, minor correction: B receives the kick. The foul by A is a previous spot, meaning a rekick after penalty enforcement.
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We have a wording issue with your question. If the receiver caught the kick and then intentionally stepped back into the endzone and took a knee then, yes, it is a safety. But what you likely saw was momentum in play. If a player intercepts a pass or catches/recovers a kick between the five yard line and the goal line and his momentum carries him into the endzone, then the team gets the ball at the spot of the catch/interception. This is to prevent a cheap safety on what is otherwise a good defensive play. If the receiver caught the ball at the two and it was ruled momentum, then the Irish get the ball at their own two.
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A fumble is a fumble, not a backwards pass. That being said, they're both still alive for a defensive score.
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I really dont kni the absolute answer. Structure? Organization? To avoid chaos? I dont speak for those who wrote the rules, but if the offense could move constantly you'd have a very chaotic scene. When would the ball get snapped? How many could be on the line or in the backfield? You'd pretty much have rugby.
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I am not aware of that. I tried to do some research but couldn't come up with anything.
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I can only imagine what happened that generated THIS question!
Lots here so one step at a time. The whistle blows, play is supposed to stop. In theory, the "play kills itself", meaning that even if a whistle didn't sound,if a player, for example, jumped on the pile, that is still a foul. "But I didn't hear a whistle!" says over-zealous player. You jumped on a pile of players!
You ask if there is an explicit rulebook exception for when the ball is loose; I'm guessing you mean what happens if the ball is loose - or not in possession, such as a pass in the air - and the whistle sounds. Yes, there is a rule for that. It is termed an "inadvertant whistle"; the official screwed up and, yes, I've done it. As have most officials, whether they admit to it or not. Depending on the result, different things happen. Too much to cover here.
Next, penalty for not stopping? Hmm, yes, but there's some judgmenf involved. Example A: player calls for a fair catch, whistle blows, he takes off. Technically, that is a delay of game. Careful throwing that one. The most obvious is Example B: Whistle blows and player continues to block or tackle. It could be a personal foul; not for not "stopping" but for the forceful action (contact) when it should be stopped.
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Not a clue. That's not in my area of expertise.
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Hi Ben -Good question. I want to follow up with a friend who is in the NFL, but....
CORRECTION - I WAS WRONG!!
If a team drives the fieldctakingvupbsllvten minutes and then kicks field goal: gsne over. The FG wins it.
What is below is WRONG.
I don't think we have a winner. NFL Rule 16 states:ARTICLE 3. EXTRA PERIODFollowing an intermission of no more than three minutes after the end of the regular game, the extra period shall commence.Both teams must have the opportunity to possess the ball once during the extra period, unless the team that receives the opening kickoff scores a touchdown on its initial possession, in which case it is the winner, or if the team kicking off to start the overtime period scores a safety on the receiving team’s initial possession, in which case the team that kicked off is the winner. I
It seems that if a team tries a field goal, it would not matter - a touchdown was not scored and both teams have not had an opportunity to possess the ball.
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Yes
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That isn't a "football" question. It's either a league action to decide what to do and/or an ethhcs question. Lots to review - not here, though.
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These are all line if scrimmage fouls. In some cases your confusion may simply be the terminology the referee used in making the announcement.
Most of what you list are defensive fouls. If the offense lines up "in the neutral zone" the play never goes off, similar to a false start; often that's referred to as offside. If the defense lines up in the zone, that's the famous "free play " foul; the play goes off but it won't be adjudicated til thd play is over. It's also a "neutral zone infraction", similar to the defense jumping into the neutral zone before the snap. Aa s point of information, in college and NFL, defense offside/neutral zone/encroachment us a "live ball goul"; the play continues. In high school, the defense being offside shuts down the play.
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Hmmm. Maybe.....
An offensive player cannot simulate the start of the play, e.g. a lineman flinching or coming out of a three-point stance. In the normal course of yelling signals, a QB might move his head. Is that simulating the start of the play? Not necessarily. If a QB has bobbed his head throughout the game and no one has moved, we have nothing. But if late(r) in the game he suddenly changes his actions at a critical time (e.g. 3rd and two, driving for the go ahead score) in an attempt to draw the defense, then we have a foul.
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Pretty much the same way as when you misspell the word "feel".
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It isn't a wave but because it can be misconstrued, the "safe" sign isn't a fair catch but does kill the play.
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Didn't see the play but....
The ball must break the plane of the goal line....or the goal line extended. If the runner is completely inside the pylon when he crosses the goal, then the goal line is extended beyond the pylon and the plane is broken by the ball. Out there.
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Happens to us all. I needed glasses for distance since I was 17. Used to wear glasses on field but it wasn't so bad so I stopped. In my later years my reading needs are worse...like you. I go know a fellow official who brings a pair of "cheaters " on the field. Keros them in his shirt pocket to write on his game card. I squint. Have you tried progressives, or bifocals? You can wear glasses on the field. Not sure I've helped. Hey thing? Be comfortable on the field.
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There are a few moving parts in your question. You say he gets out to the one; if he is stopped there and pushed back, then the QB gets forward progress at the one. No safety. If he gets out to the one and the returns on his own to the endzone and then is tackled, he put himself there. That's a safety.
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You can request, but it can also be denied if it's obvious that it is - or isn't - the down you cite. Usually the first down is marked on a tick (hash) to simplify the process. You go, in essence, from line to line. A five yard penalty is clear and the next down is clear, too. In that way, you don't have to measure on every close situation.
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This is a very popular question. My sense is that in theory, a defender getting stiff armed a) could pull away easier than a lineman getting pushed under the chin, b) the hands to the face is a safety issue in close line play, and c) a stiff arm by a ball carrier is generally not "continuous" as it is in close line play.
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Didnt see it. But he obviously said or did something that was considered unsportsman-like. You can't flaunt it in your opponent's face.
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Can a qb wear 79? Yes. But there is no "reoortibgvas eligible" in high school or college. The qb wearing 79 can play the libe and ho back. But 79 cannot catch a pass - that's an ineligible number.
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Are you talking about the Steelers? I think I saw that one and I tilted my head on it when I first saw it..
From what you wrote I'm not sure that is physically possible - to hit with a foot and have that same foot slide out. And what you describe sounds incomplete - because the first foot is out of bounds when the second hits.
That being said, what I saw was the first foot still in as the second one touched.
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It is and it should be. But it is, to a degree, judgement. It may be far easier to say runner was going OOB so lay off. Running towards the EZ you're still trying to make a play.
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Me, too. I thought the rulings last year were extreme - a fairly light contact - that even QBs didn't complain about - were fouls. I didn't see the Foles hit so I can't comment.
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Was Taylor running (not scrambling)? If so, then he wasn't a passer so no sack.
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I don't know. That is an NFL policy or regulation dealing with the structure of the league. I have a hard enough time understanding the playing rules. Sorry.
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Well, Ricky, I was going to be snarky and say something appropriately mean spirited, but I decided to just answer the question.
No.
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Until the chains are set, it is still the interval between the last play and the next snap. So you mark off the penalty before you technically declared the first down. Therefore you set the chains after you mark off the penalty.
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Lots of stuff now can be adjusted via replay. It seems that the replay folks can initiate a penalty (usually an egregious oversight or miss) if it needs to be called. There are similar situations in the college ranks re: targeting, for example.
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You put in a bunch of good stuff in this question. I have to make a few inferences. You say there isn't enough time [to spike and kick]. That likely means it is the end of a quarter. If it's the end of the second or fourth quarter, we have some special rules. First, if the clock is running (ref marked it ready so it is) and a penalty (the false start) causes the clock to stop, then the offended team (defense here) has the option of a ten second runoff. Here, you say there isn't enough time to spike it and then get your FG team on for a kick. With a ten second runoff, the period might be over. Also, in college, if there are less than three seconds left, you can't spike it and get another play in. Timing is everything.
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In all likelihood, that is a question to be decided by the state athletic association. If you play, the rules apply to you unless someone at a higher pay grade says otherwise.
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Loose ball - replay the down.
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I think they erred on that enforcement. They got the yardage on the PAT in order to go for two. There should not have been yardage on the KO.
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No. Even if the pushed player ends up "blocking" a defender in the back, it isn't a foul.
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Spot of the foul - the 40
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Run ended in the endzone, foul occured behind the spot. Mark off from the spot of the foul - the 20 yard line.
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Don't know the play but...
OLs can be beyond the LOS. They can't be more than three yards downfield when the ball is thrown. So it may not be a foul at all.
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There is no "uncatchable" in high school. So, no.
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I'm not sure what the touching of a player has to do with this. Yes, a play has to end in order to call time out. If a player isn't touched - downing him in the NFL - but he doesn't get up, he's in essence giving himself - and the play - up (like a QB sliding). So, not specifically knowing the NFL philosophy, the play has ended if the receiver doesn't get up and the Saints could call TO as soon as the officials blow it dead.
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Not sure of specifics of this game (I really don't recall it) but that would come under rules covering unfair acts, in which case a referee could take any action he considers equitable (NCAA Rule 9-2-3). I don't see how you could ignore the fouls.
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Personal fouls don't offset. Dead ball fouls all get enforced in the order of occurence. They would not offset since, by "definition", they are fouls that occurred after a play - they should not have happened.
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You'll have to ask someone who knows that answer.
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That's interlocked interference. In college, the rule states, "Teammates of the ball carrier or passer may interfere for him by blocking but shall not use interlocked interference by grasping or encircling one another in any manner while contacting an opponent." Besides the fact that their hands or arms might get broken!
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I didn't see this play so I'm not sure what to rule. If a ball carrier (QB or other) extends the ball and he isn't yet down (or forward progress ruled), then the ball is still alive. If Peterson is also on the Bears (sorry, don't know) and he recovers behind the line, then that is where the succeeding spot (next snap) takes place. If Peterson is on the other team, it's their ball if the loose ball (Keenum's fumble) is still alive. As I said, simply because the ball crossed the line to gain, if the play is still alive, then we don't have a first down.
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You're looking at NFHS Rule 7-2-5. On downs 1, 2, and 3, you need five lineman numbered 50-79. Exception: if the team shifts into a scrimmage kick formation, only the center can be a numbering exception. On fourth down, or a kick try, you can have numbering exceptions on the line, players other than 50-79.
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First, the series by the team on offense (your team B) is over. Since the defense (your team A) is winning, that indicates that they were already on offense in this period of OT. So, yes, game over and Team A wins.
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The rules analyst on the game, John Parry, explained that since the ball carrier had possession in bounds, the ball was alive with the runner in bounds. That despite the fact that the defender had a foot out of bounds. Since the strip of the ball occurred in the field of play, at least according to what Parry said, the ball was still alive.
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Personally no. From the folks I know and work with in high school and college, never. I some officisls who have worked semi-pro with a lot less organization and mostly no security; they've had some scary moments but never stuff thrown on the field.
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Steve, you're asking the same question. I can't answer it any differently. There is consistency in the fact that when the offense puts the ball into their opponents endzone (e.g. punt) it's a touchback. Same here.
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No, it's illegal. An onside kick is a free kick which must be from a tee or by dropkick. A dropkick, by definition, is a ball kicked immediately after hitting the ground, not 3, 4, or 5 feet in the air. A similar mistake was made in a college game a few weeks ago.
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There was no "illegal touch"; the foul was for illegally kicking the ball. The result of the play - the ball going over the endline because of the kicking - was a safety. You can't have the result of the play and the penalty.
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Long hair is on the player. He is not being pulled down by the facemask or a helmet opening nor is he being pulled down by grabbing inside the collar (horse collar tackle). There is no foul.
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They're correct. Ball is inbounds and is still a live ball.
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I'm not trying to be snarky here, but that's the rule. I may not agree with some, but the writers of the rules are the ones that put them in place....with the approval of teams in the NFL or the rules committee of the NCAA.
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The NFL us very tight in ruling on uniforms and equipment. I'm not sure how a glove can he confused with an official's flag. And a flag does not stop s play so its unlikely anyone would be letting up ifctheyvsaw a flag...or a glove.
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I was speaking with an NFL team official a few weeks ago (yeah, that sounds pretty cool) and he brought that up. If I recall correctly, the answer is yes. The receiving team has an opportunity to possess the ball...and they failed by not recovering. So both teams, in fact, would have had an opportunity to possess. A FG wins it.
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Yes, fouls happen...after the play they "shouldn't" happen because the play is over. The player screwed up by going after an opponent after the play.
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Yiu write there isxa strip as they go to the ground. Meaning no one is down. So if possession changes before they go to the ground and the defender has control once on the ground, you have an INT.
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They can hold him up, but can't "hold". Is there grabbing? Yes. But the restriction has to be more than "chicken fighting" down the field. And if it's a double team, it is less likely to be called since the receivers are giving up an extra player in the blocking.
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I wish I knew. Lots of conversations at high levels. And with a lot of moving parts. Medicine, economics, training, facilities. And will people attend? Hockey and NBA are, I think, at greatest risk. Followed by college football. For what it's worth, I think MLB plays but when, where, for how long is anyone's guess. The NFL (IMO) is about the money- they'll play but again how long? My 2 cents.
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He has to sit out one play, unless his team uses a timeout to keep him in. If there is a foul and the play never goes off (e.g. false start) he can't re-enter since a play hasn't occurred. If a play is run and there is a foul during that play, then yes, he can then return.
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By definition, what you have there is a touchback. And it isn't so much that the defense is rewarded as it is awarded the ball. It was the offense that put the ball into and through the end zone and that's a touchback.
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Thank you
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Grounded kick in the endzone untouched by R is dead.
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If the foul for illegal contact was called, it would be, in that situation, from the previous spot- where the ball was snapped.
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The rotating hands - at least in college - reminds everyone it is a 4th down and certain rules apply (e.g. only the ball carrier can advance a fumble, the clock will stop at the end of the play). The brushing the front of the shirt in the NFL signals there is an normally ineligible number (O lineman) who has reported as eligible. In other situations it may be an ask for a number (who fouled).
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That is specifically allowed in the rules. With "soccer style" kickers, the plant foot us always in front of the ball.
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No
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