Taunting\Celebration

[NDref]

All,

This is taken off of an FCS fan message board called AnyGivenSaturday (AGS).  This is normally a very civil message board, and actually this topic is actually pretty civil with opinions going back and forth.  I am curious as to what those of you who work NCAA rules think.  I don't know if the link below is properly embedded, but you can always cut and paste into a browser.  If interested you can find the entire thread at www.anygivensaturday.com--General FCS\FCS Discussion path.  Thanks in advance and I apologize for lack of technical expertise.


Dear Doug---Big Sky Officiating is a Problem
Calls go both ways...this is not meant to be a whining post. With that said, the officiating in in the Big Sky is horrible, awful and needs to be addressed. I've seen it as casual fan for years but now that Cal Poly is in the Big Sky I see it every week. I'm sure fans of every team can share their list of bad calls. I've read the rule about showboating and I really don't think this fits the definition?

With the score tied (14-14) at the end of the 1st half Cal Poly goes on 4th and short..a pitch to Kori Garcia who scores the TD. The TD was taken away for "showboating". This results in minus 15 yards from the point of the "foul". Instead of the TD (21-14) Cal Poly gets the ball 4th and 18, they fail to convert and MSU goes down and kicks the FG as time expires (14-17).

I don't like showboating/taunting, especially from players who represent my school but I saw nothing egregious in what Garcia did....

Is there anyone here (even MSU fans) who think this should result in 7 points being taken off the board?

You tell me

http://www.ksby.com/news/cal-poly-earns-fifth-straight-victory-with-35-27-upset-of-no-8-9-montana-state/

[Kalle]

Textbook high stepping. A clear flag, and the player really should have known this. Bad coaching, this has been a foul for ages.

[Wingmanbp]

I agree with Kalle, Easy Call. Also the complainant was a little of on how the game finished. Also Why complain about missing out on points when you chose to go for it when its 4-10 at your 20. Kick the dang field goal and take the lead lol

[Magician]

Here is the link to the actual thread:

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?163588-Dear-Doug-Big-Sky-Officiating-is-a-Problem

It is actually a pretty civil conversation other than people who are obviously not officials trying to explain rules they don't know or understand. It's hard to tell if the high stepping was an attempt to change stride to beat the defender or if he was showboating. My initial feel is this wasn't enough to flag. Let this go and nobody probably says anything. But the covering official is right there and may have a completely different feel.

The offsides discussion in the thread is comical. One guy tried to explain how receivers are off the line because they are a yard from the line he drew.

[Wingmanbp]

Hi stepping altering stride are both listed in the rules as UNC and should always be flagged

[Wingmanbp]

(e) An unopposed ball carrier obviously altering stride as he approaches the opponent’s goal line or diving into the end zone.
Havent seen the high stepping but I know I have seen it listed as an automatic

[clearwall]

I got shellacked by a coach in his eval this week because I threw a flag for taunting at the 10 yl...player raised his hand in the air and made this gesture as he ran into the EZ:



Multiple officials have told me this was in error. I feel the high stepping in this video is even less than what I had, so I would have to say no foul. Runners make this kind of move(slowing down, high stepping) in an attempt to throw off the timing of an oncoming tackler.

[Kalle]

If the runner is being chased, then yes, high stepping might be legal. In the video it is not. And your case is also very clearcut taunting, flag for 15 and take points off the board.

If the coaches don't like it, they can always change the rules. We just enforce what the coaches want.

[mishatx]

(e) An unopposed ball carrier obviously altering stride as he approaches the opponent’s goal line or diving into the end zone.
Havent seen the high stepping but I know I have seen it listed as an automatic

He's not unopposed though.  There's a defender at the goalline who has an angle on him.  The stride altering is very conceivably an attempt to freeze the defender.

[BrendanP]

No flag.

[TxSkyBolt]

Easy call that, I'm sure, would be supported by the conference and RR.


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[Joe Stack]

Correct call.

[Andrew McCarthy]

Correct call.

That ball carrier is not unopposed as he goes for the goal line and the defender has an angle on him. No flag from me on this one.

The rule is intended for a Deion Sanders-type altering of stride, not this.

[Etref]

That ball carrier is not unopposed as he goes for the goal line and the defender has an angle on him. No flag from me on this one.

The rule is intended for a Deion Sanders-type altering of stride, not this.

I would have passed on this one!

[Joe Stack]

Exactly when do you see a runner who is either clearly being chased closely by a defender or THINKS he is pop his toes into the ground to help him get to the end zone faster?

The answer is never. If you don't call this, you aren't calling what the spirit and intent, not to mention the wording, of the rule calls for.

[Welpe]

I wouldn't flag this but I'm also a Cal Poly graduate....

In all reality, I don't have a problem with the call. I don't think I've ever seen a ball carrier high stepping to throw off a defender.

[Wingmanbp]

This is a clear stride alteration and your not going to alter your stride to outrun anyone. You continue to sprint to outrun an opponent. This is clearly a foul and specifically listed in the rules

[SD_Casey]

I would flag this.

Sometimes a runner will slow down or alter stride in a similar way when preparing to make a move on a defender but it is pretty clear that is not what is happening here.

[texref]

I think he is showing off....plain & simple. He has been playing football long enough to know it is going to draw a flag.