Wild things can happen on the kicking game...(Chapter IV)

[Ralph Damren]

This occurred in a game of mine several years ago : (1) K1 free kicks from K's 40 ; (2) R1 fields kick @ R's 5; (3) R2 levels K2 @ 50 for PF; (4) R1 fumbles @ R's 20; (5) R3 scoops up fumble @ R's 25 & runs for TD. You make the call.......

[mardunn]

Assuming the action in (3) happened after R1 fielded the kick and started running:

15 yard personal foul occurred during R1's run.  Since R1's run ended at the 20 when he fumbled and the foul occurred during that running play, the enforcement spot is the spot where the run ended.  Enforce half-the distance.

R's ball 1st and 10 at R's 10.

[Ralph Damren]

Excellent job, Mardunn, you nailed it. In the "4 Ws" of penalty enforcement (Who, What, Where & WHEN), this is a good illustration of the importance of the official knowing WHEN the foul occurred.There's the potential of 3 enforcement spots - (1) if it was still a kick = previous spot, re-kick from R's 45; (2) during R1's run = spot of fumble,that's where our beanbags come in ; (3) during the TD run = under the "all-but-one" @ the 50. We conferenced and the flagging official was adamant that the foul occurred after the kick ended but before the fumble. Like Mardunn correctly answered, we gave the ball to R @ R's 10. R's coach responded : "That seems like a mighty long penalty ."

[Bob M.]

R's coach responded : "That seems like a mighty long penalty ."

REPLY: Did you want to tell him, "If your runner hadn't fumbled at the 10, it wouldn't have been."  ??

[Ralph Damren]

My explanation was sorta' like :"It all depends on timing ,coach, and your Big Ole' Bubba leveled the other poor kid way back before your runner fumbled." The coach grunted - I don't think that meant he understood . PS: The descriptive adverb used by the coach in the question wasn't really "mighty" !