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514 Questions

Last Answer on January 23, 2021

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

Asked by Royal Chiou almost 9 years ago

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

773 Votes

So if a kickoff is kept in bounds but the player who received it is our of bound when touched is that a penalty on the kick off team??

Asked by Dylan over 9 years ago

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..

769 Votes

Runner fumbles but ref blows whistle saying down before fumble. Should play stop? If after whistle defender recovers, and review shows was a fumble, why is def team given the ball? It rewards continued play after whistle.

Asked by bridgbum over 9 years ago

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.

769 Votes

Why doesn't the Miami/Bulls game have any pink ribbon on field or on themselves?

Asked by Ka over 9 years ago

That is,a league/ team issue, not officiating.

769 Votes

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Team A punts from the 50, at the B-1 yard line player A-33 stops the ball and half his body slides across B's goal line. B's ball on B-1 or Touchback.

Asked by Compujok over 9 years ago

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.

768 Votes

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

Asked by kevin over 9 years ago

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

767 Votes

In nfl when a team punts the ball and time runs out while the ball is in the air what options do the receiving team have. Rule section.

Asked by Mikary52nh over 9 years ago

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.

765 Votes

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Football Official

Ask me anything!

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So if a kickoff is kept in bounds but the player who received it is our of bound when touched is that a penalty on the kick off team??

Runner fumbles but ref blows whistle saying down before fumble. Should play stop? If after whistle defender recovers, and review shows was a fumble, why is def team given the ball? It rewards continued play after whistle.

Why doesn't the Miami/Bulls game have any pink ribbon on field or on themselves?

Also on Jobstr...

Team A punts from the 50, at the B-1 yard line player A-33 stops the ball and half his body slides across B's goal line. B's ball on B-1 or Touchback.

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

In nfl when a team punts the ball and time runs out while the ball is in the air what options do the receiving team have. Rule section.

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

So if a kickoff is kept in bounds but the player who received it is our of bound when touched is that a penalty on the kick off team??

Runner fumbles but ref blows whistle saying down before fumble. Should play stop? If after whistle defender recovers, and review shows was a fumble, why is def team given the ball? It rewards continued play after whistle.

Why doesn't the Miami/Bulls game have any pink ribbon on field or on themselves?

Also on Jobstr...

Team A punts from the 50, at the B-1 yard line player A-33 stops the ball and half his body slides across B's goal line. B's ball on B-1 or Touchback.

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

In nfl when a team punts the ball and time runs out while the ball is in the air what options do the receiving team have. Rule section.

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