TASO Mini Quiz 4

[dammitbobby]

They finally posted Quiz 4. 

1.  With 3 minutes remaining in the first period it is third and six at the A-34. A22 runs to the A-38 where B-55 attempts to make the tackle. A22 lowers his head and the contact from B55 causes his helmet to come completely off. His momentum carries A22 forward where he is down at the A-41.

RULING: A 1/10, 40 PC, game clock stops to reset chains then R winds.  From the information given, there is no foul for targeting by the ballcarrier.  However, if I felt he was intentionally trying to punish the defender, and it’s really obvious, I’m flagging it.  I believe there was a college play this past year where targeting was called on the ballcarrier, and it was absolutely warranted… has to be that level of flagrant.

2. Team A’s free kick from the A-40 bounces in the field of play at the B-20 and again at the B-17. B-38 is the first player to touch the kick and recovers it at the B-15 while he has one foot out of bounds.
RULING: Foul for illegal kick out of bounds.  B38 being OOB when he touches ball, means that the ball is dead, since a player by definition OOB cannot possess a ball.  Option to rekick, with five yards from the previous spot; or five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team
B; or the receiving team may put the ball in play 30 yards beyond Team A’s restraining line at the hash mark. (6-2-1)

3. After a touchback, Team A has first and 10 from the A-20. With both teams lined up and before the ready for play, A-55 snaps the ball.

RULING: DOG on offense.  If this is a lower level game, however, I’m whistling it dead, running in, and we’re resetting the down. For HS Varsity and beyond, I would expect players to know and be disciplined enough to wait for the RFP signal… but at lower levels, if they see their team ready, and the other team ready, but we’re not for some reason, IMO that’s on us (the crew) in most cases, and I’m not going to penalize them. That’s my hot take at least .

4. Third and 5 at the B-10. A-22 sweeps around the right end and is running down the sideline. At the B-3 he dives for the goal line, but loses possession at the B-2 and the ball bounces in the field of play at the B-1 and then strikes the goal line pylon.

 RULING: Beanbag at the 2, but the ultimately this is a touchback; B’s ball 1/10 at the 20.  This does seem like a really harsh consequence for what could theoretically be a 1" fumble, IMO.  But, it is what it is)

5. Third and eight at the A-32. A32 runs for 5 yards where he fumbles at the A-37. The ball rolls forward for 5 yards when the Head Line Judge blows his whistle before it is recovered by A-88.

RULING: The dreaded IW.  Beanbag at the A37.  A Team A can take the ball at the spot of the fumble, 4th and 3, or repeat the down, 3rd and 8 from the A32.

Only looked up one rule reference, so may be completely wrong...  As always, please correct me and help me learn.

[Legacy Zebra]

1. This question is phrased fairly vaguely and depends on whose helmet comes off. If B55's helmet comes off, you got it the spot. If A22's helmet comes off, the ball is dead immediately. So it would be 4/2 @ A-38. Either way, we need to stop the game clock for a player's helmet coming off, not just a possible first down. If B55's helmet came off, the PC will be at 40, if it was A22's helmet the PC will be 25. Either way, the PC and GC will both start on the RFP.

2. Correct. As a game management tip, make the coach outright tell you he wants to rekick before you offer that option. If I were on his sideline in this case, I would turn and say, "Coach, you want the ball at the 30, right?" If we wants to rekick he'll say so, but the fewer rekicks we have, the faster the game flows.

3. You got the right foul (and good game management sense for subvarsity games), but didn't all the way through the whole enforcement. Because this fouls occurs before the RFP, the line to gain has not been established. So when you mark off the 5 yards, it will still be 1st and 10.

4. Correct.

5. Correct.

[ElvisLives]

They finally posted Quiz 4. 

1.  With 3 minutes remaining in the first period it is third and six at the A-34. A22 runs to the A-38 where B-55 attempts to make the tackle. A22 lowers his head and the contact from B55 causes his helmet to come completely off. His momentum carries A22 forward where he is down at the A-41.

RULING: A 1/10, 40 PC, game clock stops to reset chains then R winds.  From the information given, there is no foul for targeting by the ballcarrier.  However, if I felt he was intentionally trying to punish the defender, and it’s really obvious, I’m flagging it.  I believe there was a college play this past year where targeting was called on the ballcarrier, and it was absolutely warranted… has to be that level of flagrant.

Legacy confirmed the result, depending upon whose helmet actually comes off. (FWIW, I would interpret the question to mean that the BC's helmet came off.)

To expound a bit on potential targeting, yes, it is possible for a BC to commit a 9-1-3 targeting (spearing) foul. When a BC lowers and leads with his head, and consciously rams an opponent with the crown of his helmet, that can be a targeting foul. We want to be careful about this, but, per direction from Shaw, if the BC is relatively "in the open" and could change his direction or not charge into the opponent  with his helmet, but he elects to charge into the opponent and ram him with the crown of his helmet, that's a targeting foul. Rare, but, yes, it has happened.
However, if he is closely surround by opponents and can't really develop a head of steam before contacting an opponent, we need to give him the benefit of any question, and leave that alone.