COLLEGE FOOTBALL OFFICIATING, LLC
2011 PLAY INTERPRETATIONS BULLETIN NO. 4
Fumble in End Zone Following Interception
1. Third and five at the B-20. Defensive back B44 intercepts a forward pass at the B-3 and his momentum carries him into his end zone. While still in the end zone he fumbles the ball. It rolls forward, goes into the field of play, and hits the sideline at the B-5.
RULING: First and 10 for Team B at the B-3. Under the rule for a fumble going forward and out of bounds, the ball belongs to the fumbling team at the spot of the fumble. Effectively the ball has never left the end zone, so the momentum exception applies. (7-2-4, 8-5-1-a-Exc.)
Fumble in End Zone Following Interception
2. Third and five at the B-20. Defensive back B44 intercepts a forward pass at the B-3 and his momentum carries him into his end zone. While still in the end zone he fumbles the ball. It rolls forward, goes into the field of play, and in the scramble the ball goes back into the end zone (a) where B44 recovers. He is tackled in the end zone; (b) and over the end line.
RULING: Safety, two points for Team A, in both (a) and (b). The impetus for the ball returning to the end zone following the interception and the fumble is B44’s fumble. The scramble to recover the ball does not add new impetus. The momentum rule does not apply because the ball did not remain in the end zone. (8-5-1, 8-7)
Fumble in End Zone Following Interception; Illegally Kicking the Ball
3. Third and five at the B-20. Defensive back B44 intercepts a forward pass at the B-3 and his momentum carries him into his end zone. While still in the end zone he fumbles the ball. It rolls forward, goes into the field of play, and in the scramble A33 kicks the ball into the end zone and over the end line.
RULING: First and 10 for Team B at the B-30. The result of the play is a touchback, and therefore the basic spot for enforcement of the 10-yard penalty for illegally kicking the ball is the B-20. The touchback results because of the new impetus given by A33 kicking the ball. (2-16-1-a, 8-5-1, 8-6-1, 8-7, 10-2-2-d-2(a))
2
Possible Interference with the Opportunity to Catch a Kick: Targeting
4. Fourth and five at the A-30. Punt receiver B22 is in position to catch the kick at the B-30. He does not signal. Just before the ball gets to B22, A88 launches and targets B22, making initial contact at the neck with his shoulder. B34 recovers the kick at the B-25 and is tackled at the 50.
RULING: First and 10 for Team B at the A-35. While the action by A88 interferes with B22’s opportunity to catch the kick, A88 is guilty of an infraction of the rule for targeting a defenseless player at the head/neck area. The 15-yard penalty for A88’s personal foul is enforced at the spot where the dead ball belongs to Team A. (9-1-4, 6-3-13)
Possible Interference with the Opportunity to Catch a Kick
5. Fourth and five at the A-30. Punt receiver B22 is in position to catch the kick at the B-30. He does not signal. A88 is very close to but does not make contact with B22 when he catches the kick at the B-30. B22 is tackled at the B-32. The presence of A88 does not cause B22 to make any adjustment to his position or his manner of catching the ball.
RULING: Legal play; no kick-catch interference by A88. First and 10 for Team B at the B-32. (6-4-1)
Possible Interference with the Opportunity to Catch a Kick
6. Fourth and five at the A-30. Punt receiver B22 is in position to catch the kick at the B-30. He does not signal. A88 is very close to but does not make contact with B22 when he catches the kick. B22 must move to one side because of the presence of A88 to make the catch. B22 is tackled at the B-32.
RULING: Foul by A88 for interference with the opportunity to catch the kick. Fifteen-yard penalty at the B-30. (6-4-1)
Possible Interference with the Opportunity to Catch a Kick
7. Fourth and five at the A-30. Punt receiver B22 is in position to catch the kick at the B-30. He does not signal. A88 makes contact with B22 such that in the judgment of the officials the contact and the arrival of the ball are virtually simultaneous. B22 then muffs the ball, and A55 recovers at the B-35. RULING: Foul by A88 for interference with the opportunity to catch the kick. First and 10 for Team B at the B-45 following the 15-yard penalty from the spot of the foul. (6-4-1-c)
Possible Interference with the Opportunity to Catch a Kick
8. Fourth and five at the A-30. Punt receiver B22 is in position to catch the kick at the B-30. He does not signal. A88 is very close to but does not make contact with B22 who muffs the ball. A88 recovers the ball at the B-35. The Back Judge rules that the presence of A88 caused B22 to muff the ball.
RULING: Foul by A88 for interference with the opportunity to catch the kick. First and 10 for Team B at the B-45. (6-4-1)
3
Aiding the Ball Carrier
9. In trying to gain yardage, ball carrier A44 is slowed by defensive players attempting to make the tackle. Back A22 (a) puts his hands on the buttocks of A44 and pushes him forward; (b) pushes the pile of teammates who begin to surround A44; (c) grabs the arm of A44 and tries to pull him forward for more yardage.
RULING: (a) and (c) Foul for assisting the runner. 5-yard penalty with three-and-one enforcement. (b) Legal play. It is not clear that A22 is directly assisting A44. (9-3-2-b)
Instant Replay: Clock Adjustment
10. First and 10 at the B-40, late in the fourth quarter. Team A trails 35-31. Ball carrier A23 runs out of bounds at the B-35 and the game clock goes to 0:00 before the official can give the timeout signal.
RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether time remained on the clock at the time the ball carrier went out of bounds. If video evidence shows conclusively that the clock had not expired when the ball carrier went out of bounds, then the game clock is reset to the appropriate time and starts on the snap. Second and five at the B-35. (12-3-5-c)
Instant Replay: Clock Adjustment
11. First and 10 at the B-40. Late in the fourth quarter, Team A trails 35-31. Ball carrier A23 is downed inbounds at the B-35. When the ball is dead the head coach rushes to the line judge to request a timeout. The line judge gives the timeout signal and the game clock goes to 0:00 shortly thereafter.
RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether there was time remaining on the clock when the official gave the timeout signal. By rule, time will be restored only if video evidence shows conclusively that the official gave the timeout signal with time remaining on the clock. If so, then the clock is reset to the appropriate time and starts on the snap. If not, then the game is over. (12-3-5-c-4)
Instant Replay: Clock Adjustment
12. Second and 10 on the B-30. With 15 seconds remaining in the game, Team A is behind by three points and has one timeout remaining. Receiver A80 catches a pass and runs to the B-23 where he fumbles with seven seconds left on the clock. B34 picks up the loose ball and returns it to the 50 as time on the game clock expires.
RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether A80 fumbled or was down. If the video evidence shows that A80’s left knee was down before he lost control of the ball, then Team A will have third and three at the B-23. Team A is charged its final timeout, and the game clock is reset to 0:07. Game clock will start on the snap. (12-3-3-c and 12-3-5-b). NOTE: If A has no timeouts remaining, the game is over.
Rogers Redding
Secretary-Rules Editor
November 14, 2011
