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Last Answer on January 23, 2021

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

Asked by Rick almost 10 years ago

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

803 Votes

Holding occurs at the offensive five yard line while the quarterback is in the endzone preparing to throw the ball. What is the penalty enforcement?

Asked by ReggieP almost 9 years ago

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.

802 Votes

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

Asked by Brian Jarrell almost 10 years ago

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

801 Votes

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

Asked by James Dean about 8 years ago

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

801 Votes

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Yo, if the quarterback fumbles the ball behind the line of scrimmage, then for some reason, instead of recovering it or picking it up, he kicks it off the ground through the uprights, is that a field goal?

Asked by Zach almost 9 years ago

Yo? Really?

No. What you describe is a foul. Intentionally kicking a ball - not a scrimmage kick - is a foul.

800 Votes

During the kickoff following the KC chiefs touchdown in the 1st quarter of the Thursday night game (October 19, 2017) . The returner didn’t down the ball, but toss it to a ball boy in the back of the end zone. Shouldn’t that be a safety?

Asked by Vance almost 9 years ago

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.

800 Votes

Grif Whalen calls a fair catch. The ball hits his facemask and bounces up. While the ball is in the air, is the defender allowed to grab it?

Asked by Rick almost 9 years ago

Yes. As long as he doesn't impede the rrceiver's opportunity to catch.

795 Votes

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

Holding occurs at the offensive five yard line while the quarterback is in the endzone preparing to throw the ball. What is the penalty enforcement?

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

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

Also on Jobstr...

Yo, if the quarterback fumbles the ball behind the line of scrimmage, then for some reason, instead of recovering it or picking it up, he kicks it off the ground through the uprights, is that a field goal?

During the kickoff following the KC chiefs touchdown in the 1st quarter of the Thursday night game (October 19, 2017) . The returner didn’t down the ball, but toss it to a ball boy in the back of the end zone. Shouldn’t that be a safety?

Grif Whalen calls a fair catch. The ball hits his facemask and bounces up. While the ball is in the air, is the defender allowed to grab it?

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

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

Holding occurs at the offensive five yard line while the quarterback is in the endzone preparing to throw the ball. What is the penalty enforcement?

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

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

Also on Jobstr...

Yo, if the quarterback fumbles the ball behind the line of scrimmage, then for some reason, instead of recovering it or picking it up, he kicks it off the ground through the uprights, is that a field goal?

During the kickoff following the KC chiefs touchdown in the 1st quarter of the Thursday night game (October 19, 2017) . The returner didn’t down the ball, but toss it to a ball boy in the back of the end zone. Shouldn’t that be a safety?

Grif Whalen calls a fair catch. The ball hits his facemask and bounces up. While the ball is in the air, is the defender allowed to grab it?

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