Ask a Football Official anything

514 Questions

Last Answer on January 23, 2021

I was playing football for my school and my QB overthrew me and so I ran out of bouns before the ball went out of bounds and I jumped in the air and I hit the ball to my teammate who was behind me and then the reff called that a penalty. Why is that?

Asked by Hi my name is Jernard about 10 years ago

"I ran out of bounds". And anything you then touch is also out of bounds. The penalty, I'm thinking, is for illegal touching.

798 Votes

On a kick off. Receiving player misses the catch, touches the ball on the one yard line and the ball goes into but not out of the end zone. If the player covers it up and is touched by opposing player, is it a safety?

Asked by Steve almost 10 years ago

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.

798 Votes

Why in the Jacksonville-Baltimore game were the Jaguars awarded 20 yards when Dumervil grabbed Bortles face mask? He was taken down at the Jaguars 45 and they placed the ball at the Ravens 35 yard line for the next play.

Asked by Chris Barsano almost 10 years ago

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.

797 Votes

I've been a certified high school football referee for about 14 years. Please explain to me, as it relates to college football, who can leave and go down field when a snap for a punt is made. I always thought that only one gunner on each side and t

Asked by Rando almost 10 years ago

No restrictions in NCAA rules. If the coach doesn't like his punter, he can have all ten other players take off.

794 Votes

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During the Vikings - Seahawks game (4th Quarter), a play when Kyle Rudolph contacted Kam Chancellor and they flagged Chancellor for pass interference, please settle a minor debate, was this actually PI or since Rudolph initiated contact, not PI?

Asked by Justin N almost 10 years ago

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.

791 Votes

QB throws a backwards pass to a receiver who makes a clean catch. The receiver ends up running with the ball and makes it back to the line of scrimmage. For stat purposes, does the receiver get this recorded as a Rush attempt and if not, how is it recorded? This play happened in Super Bowl 50. Cam Newton threw backwards pass to Ted Ginn Jr. and he ended up running with the ball for no gain.

Asked by BB over 9 years ago

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.

790 Votes

RE: "Onside Punt". After a safety, the "punting" team kicks from the 20. However, if they want to "onside" punt, what rules apply? Is it like a normal punt, that the receiving team does not necessarily have to field?

Asked by Rollie about 10 years ago

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.

789 Votes

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Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

I was playing football for my school and my QB overthrew me and so I ran out of bouns before the ball went out of bounds and I jumped in the air and I hit the ball to my teammate who was behind me and then the reff called that a penalty. Why is that?

On a kick off. Receiving player misses the catch, touches the ball on the one yard line and the ball goes into but not out of the end zone. If the player covers it up and is touched by opposing player, is it a safety?

Why in the Jacksonville-Baltimore game were the Jaguars awarded 20 yards when Dumervil grabbed Bortles face mask? He was taken down at the Jaguars 45 and they placed the ball at the Ravens 35 yard line for the next play.

I've been a certified high school football referee for about 14 years. Please explain to me, as it relates to college football, who can leave and go down field when a snap for a punt is made. I always thought that only one gunner on each side and t

Also on Jobstr...

During the Vikings - Seahawks game (4th Quarter), a play when Kyle Rudolph contacted Kam Chancellor and they flagged Chancellor for pass interference, please settle a minor debate, was this actually PI or since Rudolph initiated contact, not PI?

RE: "Onside Punt". After a safety, the "punting" team kicks from the 20. However, if they want to "onside" punt, what rules apply? Is it like a normal punt, that the receiving team does not necessarily have to field?

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

I was playing football for my school and my QB overthrew me and so I ran out of bouns before the ball went out of bounds and I jumped in the air and I hit the ball to my teammate who was behind me and then the reff called that a penalty. Why is that?

On a kick off. Receiving player misses the catch, touches the ball on the one yard line and the ball goes into but not out of the end zone. If the player covers it up and is touched by opposing player, is it a safety?

Why in the Jacksonville-Baltimore game were the Jaguars awarded 20 yards when Dumervil grabbed Bortles face mask? He was taken down at the Jaguars 45 and they placed the ball at the Ravens 35 yard line for the next play.

I've been a certified high school football referee for about 14 years. Please explain to me, as it relates to college football, who can leave and go down field when a snap for a punt is made. I always thought that only one gunner on each side and t

Also on Jobstr...

During the Vikings - Seahawks game (4th Quarter), a play when Kyle Rudolph contacted Kam Chancellor and they flagged Chancellor for pass interference, please settle a minor debate, was this actually PI or since Rudolph initiated contact, not PI?

RE: "Onside Punt". After a safety, the "punting" team kicks from the 20. However, if they want to "onside" punt, what rules apply? Is it like a normal punt, that the receiving team does not necessarily have to field?

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