Author Topic: Down by contact  (Read 4674 times)

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Offline yarnnelg

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Down by contact
« on: October 18, 2015, 11:03:56 AM »
This came about from the LSU field goal fake. Question about the exception for the holder's knee on the ground. Then a curious question emerged.

NFL rules. What prevents the QB from taking a snap with his knee on the ground? Direct snap vs. shotgun? Bad snap QB knee touches, he can get back up if no contact by the defense. Or is there a section I'm missing?

Offline yarnnelg

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Re: Down by contact
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2015, 11:14:31 AM »
I need to clarify a part of this. If he takes the snap with his knee intentionally on the ground. Deception?

Offline Kalle

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Re: Down by contact
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2015, 01:49:45 PM »
Why would the QB want to take the snap with a knee on the ground? As I understand the NFL rules, the ball would remain live.

Offline yarnnelg

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Re: Down by contact
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2015, 03:22:14 PM »
There is no reason logically. But it got me thinking, if a QB intentionally took a direct snap with his knee on the ground does that enter the realm of deception? Or does the defense still need to touch him?

Offline Eastshire

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Re: Down by contact
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2015, 09:57:26 AM »
There is no reason logically. But it got me thinking, if a QB intentionally took a direct snap with his knee on the ground does that enter the realm of deception? Or does the defense still need to touch him?

The NFL rules allow a player to give himself up by taking a knee, right? That's what this would seem to be to me.

Offline Kalle

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Re: Down by contact
« Reply #5 on: October 21, 2015, 11:47:52 AM »
The rules say (2010 book but I doubt that this has changed at all):

"a runner declares himself down by falling to the ground and makes no effort to advance."

"any time a quarterback immediately drops to his knee (or simulates dropping his knee to the ground) behind the line of scrimmage during the last two minutes of a half."

So, I'd say that outside the two minutes the ball remains live and inside two minutes it becomes dead.

Offline yarnnelg

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Re: Down by contact
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2015, 04:24:45 PM »
If it were for the purpose of running out the clock, the White Hat and QB usually converse to make sure there is some form of protection on taking the knee.

But our discussion was, is there anything that would prohibit him from taking the snap with his knee already on the ground and is he down or still eligible to get up and run?

Offline Kalle

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Re: Down by contact
« Reply #7 on: October 27, 2015, 03:52:13 AM »
But our discussion was, is there anything that would prohibit him from taking the snap with his knee already on the ground and is he down or still eligible to get up and run?

I don't think he is declaring himself down (outside two minutes), so the play should still continue.