4th down fumble and EZ

[TXMike]

Fourth and One on B4.  On a QB sneak, A1 fumbles at the B4 and the ball rolls to the B1 where A2 muffs the ball into the end zone.  A5 recovers the ball in the end zone with his arm touching the end line pylon. RULING?

[ElvisLives]

Fourth and One on B4.  On a QB sneak, A1 fumbles at the B4 and the ball rolls to the B1 where A2 muffs the ball into the end zone.  A5 recovers the ball in the end zone with his arm touching the end line pylon. RULING?

If A5 was truly touching the pylon before he fully secured the recovery of the ball, then, officially, the ball was still loose, and is dead behind B’s goal line.  A2’s muff of the ball is inconsequential.  The impetus on the ball is from A1’s fumble. So, the result of the down is just a touchback.
B, 1/10, B-20, snap (25).

The 4th down fumble rule only applies to a catch or recovery of a fumble by Team A.  There was no recovery, since the ball was dead before the recovery was complete.

Now, had A5 managed to complete the recovery before he touched the pylon, then the 4th down fumble rule would apply, and the ball would be returned the the spot of the fumble.  Since that spot is behind the LTG, team B is awarded a first down. B, 1/10, B-4, snap (25).

[TxBJ]

What about the forward fumble out of bounds returning to the spot of the fumble?

[TXMike]

The fumble forward OOB rule only applies if goes OOB between the goal lines

[Punter]

I don’t think that I would ever think the 4th down fumble rule did not apply. This is just a got cha’ play. So what you are saying is that anytime A recovers the ball with Any part of his body out of bounds the 4th down fumble rule does not apply (but if between the goal lines the forward fumble OOB would apply)  I am just trying to understand.

[TXMike]

Apparently so. According to how they wrote it in the book

[ElvisLives]

I don’t think that I would ever think the 4th down fumble rule did not apply. This is just a got cha’ play. So what you are saying is that anytime A recovers the ball with Any part of his body out of bounds the 4th down fumble rule does not apply (but if between the goal lines the forward fumble OOB would apply)  I am just trying to understand.

Yes.  The '4th Down/Try fumble' rule only applies if the ball is caught or recovered by a player of Team A other than the fumbler, and the ball can only be caught or recovered if the catch/recovery is completed inbounds. When the ball is dead because it goes OB, or touches something OB, then the 'forward fumble OB' rule applies (all downs), unless the ball is dead behind a goal line.  If dead behind a goal line, then you have either a touchback or a safety, depending on impetus.

Both rules are intended to discourage attempts to 'deliberately' fumble the ball forward to gain advantage.  The risk/reward for a BC to fumble the ball forward in the field of play or end zone on any down other than 4th is simply too great to justify a rule on those downs.  But, on 4th down, especially late in a game, the BC may be desperate, and willing to try to fumble it forward to a teammate beyond him.  This was prompted by an NFL situation many years ago when Ken Stabler fumbled the ball forward (deliberately?  we may never know) into the end zone where Dave Casper recovered for a game winning TD as time ran out. I'm not sure the NCAA ever had a similar incident, but they certainly saw the potential, and followed the NFL's suit by developing a rule to prevent this potentially unfair advantage.

The forward fumble OB rule is similar.  Before this rule, a BC could 'fumble' the ball forward out of bounds to gain additional yardage, as well as get the game clock stopped.  This rule put a stop to that. And, if the ball goes OB at the sideline in the end zone or end line, then the fumbling team isn't allowed the benefit of this rule (which would allow them to retain the ball at the spot of the fumble) - touchback.