2011 Season Week 9 Clips
TECHNICAL NOTE: For those not aware, when viewing these videos in the YouTube window, you can adjust the resolution for a sharper view. Notice in the lower right hand corner of the video player window a setting such as "240p". Click on that and you can adjust the setting up to 360p, 480p or even 720p in some cases. This will give you a sharper image.
Flagrant Kick Catch Interference Last weekend saw a punt play which resulted in an ejection to a kicking team player. His conference has taken further action, suspending him for his team's next game. While there is little doubt there was a foul on the play, some officials are in disagreement over what foul(s) occurred and what the enforcement should have been. It appears the crew judged there to have been a flagrant kick catch interference. Since this foul has a specified enforcement spot (spot of the foul), the penalty was declined as the receiving team managed to advance the ball more than 15 yards from the spot of the foul. However, there are some officials who believe there were actually two fouls on the play. In addition to the kick catch interference, they believe there was a personal foul-targeting (9-1-4). Those officials believe the kick catch interference should have been declined and the targeting foul enforced from the end of B's kick return (10-2-4). A statement from the conference office seems to support this. Perhaps the Rules Editor will eliminate any confusion in the near future. After you have viewed the video please take the poll below. (Be sure to click on DONE after selecting your choice so your vote is submitted)
Chop Block This does appear to be a chop block but perhaps the foul should be charged to the running back, not the lineman.
Onside Kickoff and Early Blocking A very, very tough play to officiate. 6-1-2-g prohibits Team A from blocking Team B players until Team A is eligible to touch the free-kicked ball. In this play, the ball was kicked into the ground and bounced high into the air. This act eliminates any possibility of a kick catch interference foul and gives Team A great freedom to make a play on the ball. However, they still cannot block their opponents before they (Team A) can touch the ball. In this play, we need to judge whether the ball went 10 yards before Team A players blocked Team B players. The viewer can make the call but remember, our camera angle in this video is not ideal. Crews should discuss plays like this in pregame to ensure they are prepared to cover it as best they can. Normally crews will assign the officials opposite where the ball is headed to rule on blocks while those on the side where ball is going will rule on touching of the ball.
Clock Management Good job by the crew to ensure correct clock status and operation. This play was the 1st play after a kickoff so the clock would be stopped until the snap. Although the play started, someone on the crew had noticed a false start. Therefore, after the penalty, the clock should remain stopped until the snap (3-3-2-d-8) The clock was apparently started on the ready for play and nearly 20 seconds ran off the clock before the alert S came in to advise the R of the error so it could be corrected. (And why is it when we "lesser" officials are going to the white hat we have to jog but he is allowed to saunter as he comes to us?)
Defensive Pass Interference
? When receiver and defender are running downfield and
"hand checking" each other, it becomes very difficult to judge pass interference
by one or the other. But even if there is contact you judge to be worthy
of a flag, the pass still must be catchable to have a foul. (7-3-8-b-3 and
7-3-8-c) You make the call. It might be difficult for the calling
official to know whether the pass was catchable. That's when another crew member
could help out. Bottom line, when in doubt, it's catchable.
Intentional Grounding ?
Is this intentional grounding? If you judge the passer threw the ball into
an area not occupied by an eligible Team A receiver and he was trying to
conserve yardage, there is a foul. Since the passer is not the player who
received the snap, he does not have the same "right" to throw the ball away that
the normal QB has. (7-3-2-h and Exception)
If a passer did NOT receive the snap, he is not granted immunity from an
intentional grounding foul if he is outside the tackle box and throws the ball
beyond the NZ. If so, the only way he can avoid the foul is to throw the ball
into an area where there is an eligible A receiver,
regardless of whether he was or was not outside the tackle box. Does the
determination for "into an area where an eligible A receiver" change if the pass
is thrown OB versus lands in the field of play?
Illegal Kick of a Loose Ball A very rarely seen foul that was correctly officiated here. The fact the penalty was correctly enforced makes up for the bean bag toss (although the flag was dropped quickly thereafter). This is a very rare foul, so a review of penalty enforcement aspects is appropriate. 1) Spot foul (not at previous spots like most Team A fouls behind the NZ. 2) 10-yard penalty (new this year). 3) Loss of down. (9-4-4)
Youthful Exuberance This may be a good example of youthful exuberance and certainly not what was envisioned by the rules regarding intentional contact of an official. This is not something we would like to see repeated during the game so a "talk to" is appropriate.
Questionable Act by Team B Observe the actions of B-3 near the end of the play. Is this a foul? The defense can block in the back when trying to get to the ball or the runner. (9-3-4-d) Was he trying to do that? This is also a good video to show an example of pylon coverage and how a runner is not given benefit of the extended goal line if he does not touch the pylon or the end zone.