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514 Questions

Last Answer on January 23, 2021

If I ran a slip screen in the NFL, can the O-Line go downfield before a forward pass is caught, if it is caught behind the LOS? Or does the pass have to be backwards?

Asked by Thunder23 about 9 years ago

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.

621 Votes

Why is a runner/receiver ruled out of bounds when/where the ball crosses the imaginary plane of the boundary. But a ball can be caught after it crosses the same plane? The first is difficult to officiate and get the spot right even in replay.

Asked by Stuart.a.tomlinson@gmail.com over 7 years ago

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.

621 Votes

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 about 8 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.

621 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 8 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.

620 Votes

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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??

Asked by Dylan almost 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..

620 Votes

If a team is going for 2 and throws an interception and the intercepting player eh s the ball out of the end zone but then fumbles and the origin al team recovers and returns it to the end zone. Would that be 2 points or six because of change of poss

Asked by Rick R almost 9 years ago

A try is,a special period of play. Six points can only be awarded on a touchdown, not a try. Two points.

620 Votes

Ky high school football- isn't it an unnecessary roughness penalty if the defender picks up the offensive ball carrier and slams him to the ground?

Asked by Bill almost 8 years ago

What you describe is certainly not a "tackle". Wgat you describe is unnecessary. That's a foul.

620 Votes

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Football Official

Ask me anything!

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If I ran a slip screen in the NFL, can the O-Line go downfield before a forward pass is caught, if it is caught behind the LOS? Or does the pass have to be backwards?

Why is a runner/receiver ruled out of bounds when/where the ball crosses the imaginary plane of the boundary. But a ball can be caught after it crosses the same plane? The first is difficult to officiate and get the spot right even in replay.

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.

Also on Jobstr...

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??

If a team is going for 2 and throws an interception and the intercepting player eh s the ball out of the end zone but then fumbles and the origin al team recovers and returns it to the end zone. Would that be 2 points or six because of change of poss

Ky high school football- isn't it an unnecessary roughness penalty if the defender picks up the offensive ball carrier and slams him to the ground?

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

If I ran a slip screen in the NFL, can the O-Line go downfield before a forward pass is caught, if it is caught behind the LOS? Or does the pass have to be backwards?

Why is a runner/receiver ruled out of bounds when/where the ball crosses the imaginary plane of the boundary. But a ball can be caught after it crosses the same plane? The first is difficult to officiate and get the spot right even in replay.

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.

Also on Jobstr...

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??

If a team is going for 2 and throws an interception and the intercepting player eh s the ball out of the end zone but then fumbles and the origin al team recovers and returns it to the end zone. Would that be 2 points or six because of change of poss

Ky high school football- isn't it an unnecessary roughness penalty if the defender picks up the offensive ball carrier and slams him to the ground?

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