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Football Officiating => NCAA Discussion => Topic started by: El Macman on March 10, 2012, 01:34:57 PM
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Fourth-and-Five on B22. Team A attempts a field goal from the B29 which goes wide outside the right upright. At the snap Tackle A78 was not on the line of scrimmage. Immediately after the snap, Nose Guard B55 pulled Center A65 down by the face mask.
This is an example of ambiguity, but it can serve to examine the various possibilities.
Just because A78 isn't on the line doesn't tell us enough. Does team A have 11 players? How many A players are in the backfield? Was Team A in a scrimmage kick formation?
Let's make some assumptions. Let's assume team A has 11 players (six linemen, a kicker, a holder, two wingbacks, and A78) and they are in a scrimmage kick formation. If A78 is not on the line, then A is in an illegal formation, because either A78 is in "no man's land," or they have too many in the backfield.
If those assumptions are correct, then there were fouls by both teams on the play. The field goal attempt was unsuccessful, so the ball belongs to B at the end of the down, and PSK can apply. However, B's foul was less than three yards from the PS, so it is not a PSK enforcement. Thus, there is no possibility of the "clean hands" exception. So, the illegal formation and the facemask fouls offset, and the down is replayed.
But, if A doesn't have more than four in the backfield, then no foul by A. In that case, A would accept the FMM penalty at the PS, and get a new series by the automatic first down.