A Scrimmage Kick Play

[dcs07]

This was an interesting one that I saw on a scouting tape (Hudl file, who has tape anymore?). When a scrimmage kick never reaches the neutral zone, all players may catch or recover the ball and advance it (6-3-1). However, what do you do when no one is playing as if to advance? White is walking off as if its been downed and black (though not seen on the video) appears to be downing the ball and likely would have handed it to the official next rather he blew it dead or not.

I have no idea if there was any additional discussion at the game about this one, but I know some people at the involved schools and I think they would have mentioned it if there was more info. (Yes this is HS, but its Texas). The White team snapped it next at the 25 where the punt was "downed."

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPY7Hm9m5n8

[maven]

Belongs to B. 6-3-7

[Diablo]

White is walking off as if its been downed and black (though not seen on the video) appears to be downing the ball and likely would have handed it to the official next rather he blew it dead or not.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPY7Hm9m5n8

How did the play end?  Did an official blow his whistle before Team A (black) recovered the ball?

[JasonTX]

We had this happen earlier in the year.  The Team A player picked it up and had obviously "given up" as he didn't know he could have advanced it.  It seems like only the officials knew.  After a pause and no players continuing to play we blew the whistles.  B's ball 1st and 10.

[RunRickyRun]

Belongs to B. 6-3-7

Good rule to remember.  Had a coach (not HC) screaming at his players to pick up and advance the ball.  After a couple of seconds, when none appeared willing to comply, we blew the play dead.  Then a team A player ran over (we're not even sure if he was originally on the field), picked up the ball, and sprinted 80+ yards to the EZ.  All officials continued to blow the play dead.  We assessed DOG to put the ball at about the 10.

Coach (HC, this time) went berzerk and insisted that we had blown an IW and had to repeat the down.

[dcs07]

How did the play end?  Did an official blow his whistle before Team A (black) recovered the ball?

I wish I knew. I only have a video only copy. You can see the L at the bottom of the video starting to wave his arms, but Black clearly had no idea that an advance was possible. So I guess the question is how long would you wait after Black recovers to blow the whistle?

[Kalle]

So I guess the question is how long would you wait after Black recovers to blow the whistle?

I'd wait until one of these happens:

1. The A player realizes that the ball is live and advances.
2. The A player throws the ball to an official.
3. The A player takes the ball out of bounds.

This is a live ball and it is not up to the officials to decide to kill the play prematurely. Yes, there is the remote possibility of a team B player blowing out the A runner, but I doubt that. More likely there would be 9-2-3 fouls for substitutes interfering with the play.

[maven]

So I guess the question is how long would you wait after Black recovers to blow the whistle?

6-3-7 (and 4-1-3f) states that the ball is dead when the ball "comes to rest inbounds and no player attempts to secure it." So if players are standing over a motionless ball, I'd kill it pretty quickly to prevent goofiness.

No provision of 4-1-3 allows us to kill it when a player recovers that kick and just stands there. In lower-level games, I've simply told the player, "that's a live ball," and let them play on.

If you did blow it after a player recovered the kick, by rule you'd have an IW.