Florida-Vandy insane catch

[Osric Pureheart]

7:40 in the 4th, Florida throws to the corner of the end zone, the ball gets tipped a few hundred times and then the Florida receiver hauls it in.  L is signalling incomplete while the ball's still in the air, then changes his mind and goes up for a TD.  Replay decides not to touch it with a bargepole.  If someone could clip it there's a whole load of discussion there!

edit: someone's gifed it already:

[golfingref]

F was a little quick on his incomplete signal. Definitely caught him off guard.

[maven]

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=9953608


maven

[StudyingFutureZebra]

Unbelievable. That gets my vote for "Highlight of the Week."

[Kalle]

And technically this looks like an IW...

[maven]

And technically this looks like an IW...

That's what I thought: inadvertent signal killed it.

[Rulesman]

...inadvertent signal killed it.

How so

[Kalle]

How so

Because that is the rule. See rule 4-1-2-b. This is the same situation as if an official signals (but does not whistle) a touchdown when the runner crosses the B-5 line.

Basically F ruled and signaled (incorrectly) that the ball became dead when it seemed to hit the ground.

[Joe Stack]

Both ARs to the rule you referenced deal with inadvertent whistles. I don't think the intent of "otherwise signals the ball dead" is for situations like this but rather situations like false starts where the official kills the play due to the foul. I don't think you can read this rule literally.

[maven]

Both ARs to the rule you referenced deal with inadvertent whistles. I don't think the intent of "otherwise signals the ball dead" is for situations like this but rather situations like false starts where the official kills the play due to the foul. I don't think you can read this rule literally.

Rules are meant to be read literally. Or are you thinking that "otherwise signals the ball dead" is a metaphor?

Here's a recent thread on the topic: http://www.refstripes.com/forum/index.php?topic=9823.msg94934#msg94934. There are a couple others.

And the accompanying video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwtX3SWAqzo

[Kalle]

See also NCAA Play Situations Bulletin 3/2010, play #5. http://romgilbert.us/nbul1003.pdf

[Kalle]

Interestingly this type of situation results in a very different outcome if you have IR or not. With IR you can have the IRO rule a catch, without IR you have to rule incomplete, no matter what the opinion of the F is.

[Magician]

Rules are meant to be read literally. Or are you thinking that "otherwise signals the ball dead" is a metaphor?

Here's a recent thread on the topic: http://www.refstripes.com/forum/index.php?topic=9823.msg94934#msg94934. There are a couple others.

And the accompanying video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwtX3SWAqzo

Not all rules are meant to be read literally (see holding, block in the back).  There is a lot of philosophy and interpretation applied as well.  But in this case you are right.  Anyone who has worked just a couple seasons of college football should be aware of inadvertent signals.  The most common is the TD signal when the runner drops the ball before crossing the goal line.  An umpire raising his hand could be another one.  Any signal that rules the play dead (i.e. incomplete pass, stop block, dead ball) is an inadvertent signal if not before the ball is actually dead.

In this specific example, you could hang your hat on the fact the F never did a complete signal.  But it's awfully close!