COLLEGE FOOTBALL OFFICIATING, LLC
2011 INSTANT REPLAY: PLAY SITUATIONS
Thanks to the CFO Instant Replay Committee and Dean Blandino for working to generate these plays. Committee members are: Bill Carollo (Big 10/MAC/MVC) (Chair), Walt Anderson (Big 12), and Jim Blackwood (WAC).
Free Kick Out of Bounds
1. Team A kicks off and the ball lands near the sideline at the B-15, and then bounces back towards the middle of the field where A20 falls on it. Officials rule that the ball hit the sideline at the B-15, making it an untouched free kick out of bounds.
RULING: Reviewable play, reverse to A 1-10 on B-15. (12-3-3-i)
Fumble touching a sideline
2. First and 10 on the Team A-20. A22 runs to the A-28 and fumbles. The ball hits near the sideline at the A-30 and bounces back toward the middle of the field, where B45 recovers at Team A 30-yard line. Officials rule the ball hit the sideline at the A-30. Replays showed that it did not touch the sideline.
RULING: Reviewable play, reverse to B 1-10 on A-30. (12-3-3-i)
Receiver stepping out of bounds
3. First and 10 on the A-20. A10 throws a pass to A80 at the A-40 near the sideline. A80 catches the ball and runs to the 50 where he is tackled. Replays show that A-80 stepped out of bounds on his own at the A35 before coming back inbounds to catch the pass.
RULING: Reviewable play. Reverse to illegal touching of a pass. A 2-10 on A-20 (Rule 12-3-2-b).
Fumble/Out of bounds
4. First and 10 on the A-20. A2 runs to the A-30 where he is hit and loses the ball. B40 falls on the loose ball at the A-32. The Line Judge ruled that A2 stepped out of bounds at the 30 before he lost the ball. Replays show he did not step out prior to losing the ball.
RULING: Reviewable play. Reverse to fumble with a clear recovery. B 1-10 on A-32 (Rule 12-3-3-d).
Kicking team player out of bounds
5. Fourth and 3 at the A-27. Team A’s punt is muffed by B21 at the B-30 and recovered by A23. A23 is flagged for going out of bounds voluntarily and coming back into the field of play to recover the loose ball. Replays show that A23 never stepped out of bounds.
RULING: Reviewable play. Reverse to A 1-10 on B-30. We can review whether a player stepped out of bounds or not. (12-3-3-h).
Out of Bounds
6. Third and 1 on the B-35. Ball carrier A22 runs down the sideline and the Line Judge rules that he stepped out of bounds at the B-7. In the immediate continuing action A22 runs across the goal line. Replays show that A22 did not step out of bounds during his run.
RULING: Reviewable play. Reverse to TD A, PAT B-3, reset clock if wound after play (Rule 12-3-1-a).
***COMMENT: This would be reviewable under the assumption that players in pursuit of the ball carrier and close enough to catch him did not “stop playing” when the LJ made his ruling of out of bounds. However, if players react to the dead-ball signal, then the play is not reviewable.
Recovery of a fumble in the field of play
7. First and 10 on the A-20. Runner A22 fumbles when hit. B45 jumps on the loose ball and possesses it on the ground, but A22 knocks the ball out of B45’s hands and A10 recovers the loose ball at the A-25. Officials rule Team A recovered.
RULING: Not reviewable. A 2-5 on A-25.
8. Third and 5 on the B-45. Shotgun QBA1 muffs the snap and dives on the ball at the 50. The ball rolls underneath A1 as he slides on the ground and the referee blows the play dead, ruling an A1 recovery at the 50. Replays show that A1 never controlled the ball and B2 recovered it in the immediate continuing action at the A48.
RULING: Not Reviewable. The dead-ball ruling stands.
Runner’s helmet coming off
9. Second and 10 on 40. A2 runs to the B-43 where he gets hit and while he is still upright the ball comes loose. B77 recovers the loose ball at the B-40 inbounds. Officials award B possession. Replays show that A2’s helmet came off of his head before he lost control of the ball.
RULING: Reviewable play regarding whether the ball came loose before the helmet came off. Reverse to no fumble, A 1-10 on B-43. The helmet coming off is treated just like a player being down. The helmet must completely separate from the player’s head to kill the play (Rule 12-3-3-c).
Fumble at a goal line
10. First and goal on the B-5. A22 runs to B’s goal line, loses the ball prior to it breaking the plane of the goal line, and the officials rule touchdown. The ball comes to rest in the end zone with no player attempting to recover it.
RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether A22 scored a touchdown before he lost the ball. Reverse to no score, A 2-Goal on B-1. If the ball becomes dead in the end zone with no team possessing it then we put the ball at the spot of the fumble. If the ball is dead in the field of play then we will put the ball at that spot (Rule 12-3-1-a and 12-3-3-d).
QB spike to stop clock
11. First and 10 on the B-20. With time running out in the second quarter, A10 receives the snap and immediately attempts to spike the ball. Before his arm starts forward, the ball pops out and lands at the B-23 where B77 recovers. The referee rules incomplete pass.
RULING: Reviewable play, B 1-10 on B-23. This is only reviewable if there is a recovery in the immediate continuing action (Rule 12-3-3-b).
Challenge after review
12. Second and 8 on the A-34. B34 intercepts a low pass at the A-48 and returns it for a TD. The replay official shuts the game down to review whether the pass was intercepted. After further review there is not enough evidence to determine if the pass hit the ground. As Team B is lining up for the PAT the Team A head coach attempts to challenge the play as he thinks B34 stepped out of bounds during the return.
RULING: A coach cannot challenge a ruling after the game has been stopped and a decision has already been made by the replay official. Call stands, TD B, PAT A-3. Once the play is shut down the replay official is responsible for looking at all reviewable aspects it (Rule 12-5-1-b-4)
Referee’s Announcement
13. Second and 8 on the A-34. B34 intercepts a low pass at the A-48 and returns it for a TD. The replay official shuts the game down to review whether the pass was intercepted. After further review there is not enough evidence to determine if the pass hit the ground. As Team B is lining up for the PAT another replay comes up that shows that the ball hit the ground.
RULING: Once a replay official makes a decision and the referee has made his announcement there can be no further review of the play. Call stands, TD B, PAT A-3. Once the play is shut down the replay official is responsible for looking at all reviewable aspects it (Rule 12-5-1-b-4).
Illegal Substitution
14. Third and 10 on A-35. B37 intercepts a forward pass at the 50 and returns it to the A13. Prior to the snap B75 thinks he is the 12th player on the field and attempts to get to his sideline. He is one yard from the sideline and his next step takes him out of bounds
when the ball is snapped. A flag is thrown for illegal substitution. Upon further review it is determined that B75 was the 11th defensive player on the field.
RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether the player leaving the field was the 11th or 12th player on the field. Reverse to B 1-10 on A-13 (Rule 12-3-5-a).
Illegal Substitution
15. Third and 10 on the B-22. Before the snap B23 realizes he is the 12th man on the field and runs towards his bench. He is one yard from the sideline and his next step takes him out of bounds when the ball is snapped. B45 intercepts the pass and returns it for a TD. There are no flags on the play.
RULING: Not reviewable. Illegal substitution is not reviewable unless there are more than 11 players in the formation or if a flag is thrown and there are fewer than 12 players on the field at the snap. TD B, KO B-30.
Possession of a Kick
16. On an onside kick attempt at the A-30, A20 leaps and grasps the ball in the air at the A-43. He comes to the ground and loses the ball, possibly after his knee touches the ground. B45 recovers the loose ball and the officials award the ball to Team B.
RULING: The Instant Replay Official may review whether A20 was down before the ball came loose. However, if the IRO determines that A20 was not down then the recovery is not reviewable.
Rogers Redding
Secretary-Rules Editor
NCAA Football Rules Committee
August 10, 2011
