You Make the Call, Personal Foul ?

[TXMike]

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[TxSkyBolt]

Nope.  Ball carrier was about as low to the ground as he could be and still be on his feet.  Defender initiated contact with his shoulder pad, effecting the tackle.  I can sympathize with the calling official with all the attention helmet contact fouls have gotten.  Err on side of caution, but if calling the foul is intended to teach proper tackling techniques, what did this defender learn?

Best regards,

Brad

[RBase2]

I think the hit was clean...however, maybe he should have picked up another 15 for pulling the head gear off...I think I saw this a couple of times this weekend.

[NCAA-SJ]

Technically, I think you have a foul here; but not for contact above the shoulders.  To me, it looks that he ducked his head at the last minute and led with the crown of his helmet (which is a foul from head to toe....technically).  I agree that it looks that the shoulder pad made 1st contact, but when his face went into the dirt, you could argue 'crown of the helmet'.

Now, having said that, I'd like to hold my flag on this one.

[Etref]

 

[MJT]

Tough one. I think you would get supported on the call either way by your supervisors. I can definitely see both points, but I'm pretty sure you'd get supported if you did have a flag down.

[Birddog]

Suprising call for Pac 10 officials.  My un-scientific observations is they are not as prone to call these type of targeting hits as some of the other conferences. 

[Etref]

Another thought is the U may have been dinged the week before for missing a helmet to helmet and was not going to let it happen again.

[The Ref Thats Lef]

Should we read anything into this by how he throws the flag. Seems like he felt the spot was not important. Of course on a defensive penalty it is not but how many of us throw our flags differently on a live ball penalty?

[cougar729]

If the style of the flag throwing is anyway connected with the certainty of a foul occuring, I would say he was 100% sure it was a foul   

[110]

Good gravy, no. This isn't a foul, imho. Not even close.

[todd.gundlach@norwoodligh]

I had a similar penalty this year, as an Umpire. The method of throwing the flag indicates dead ball as many have commented. IF he thought the progress had stopped and this hit came in, then I understand the penalty. In my case the runner was down, progress stopped and someone came in to 'clean up' and hit the runner in the head with his leading forearm (although quickly after the play ended).

I took some heat on that call; it was 3rd and long, now first down and the team eventually scored on the drive. On the ensuing KO, I purposely sought out the HC of the offending team and made sure he had ample opportunity to give me the business (I believe I could see his fingerprints and know I felt his DNA on my face) as I brought the ball up his sideline to K's restraining line.

I then casually explained to him my intrepretation of a blatant hit to a defenseless player's head after the play was dead, all of which could have warranted a DQ which we are strongly encouraged not to do.

[Curious]

No way I see a foul here...(an IW maybe)

The runner was not down and the hit was with the shoulder.

Question: should the tackler been penalized for removing his helmet?  Boy, that might have REALLY made the Arizona coach crazy!

[allen]

In my honest umpire opinion, this is not a foul. Not even close.

[TxGrayhat]

Not a foul ....   lead with shoulder. head was down because the tackle was down ... contact was at the shoulder.

[With_Two_Flakes]

Just my 2 cents worth to play Devils Advocate.

From Points of Emphasis
Intentional helmet to helmet contact is never legal, nor is any other blow directed toward an opponents head.

[scottv]

One more for paassing on this call

[Arbitrator]

 

Looked like shoulder pad to helmet to me! Perfectly legal in my book!