Football Official

Football Official

Zebra

Somewhere in, NJ

Male, 62

I've officiated football for over 30 years, now in my 26th on the college level. I've worked NCAA playoffs at the Division II and III level. In addition, I've coached at the scholastic level and have been an educator for over 35 years. I have no interest whatsoever in being an NFL official! Ever!

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514 Questions

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Last Answer on January 23, 2021

Best Rated

Is it illegal to put twin receivers both on the line if the inside receiver doesn't go out for a pass

Asked by jai over 9 years ago

Talk college and HS first. You can cover a receiver, but he then is no longer eligible to go out for a pass by his position (he isn't an end or back). You still need five players numbered between 50 and 79 on the line.

In the NFL, I believe that is illegal. You cannot have an ineligible number on the end of the line, which you would with a receiver inside. The ineligible player on the end could report in to the referee and be announced as eligible (you'll hear the ref announce "Number 79 is reporting in as eligible.") Then you'd be good.

Under NCAA rules, if a receiver is forced out of bounds by a defender at what point is the receiver allowed to touch the ball on a forward pass? Does the receiver first need to re-establish himself in-bounds? If the receiver has yet to set foot in-bounds, he first touches the ball while both feet are in the air, he gets both feet in bounds while reeling in the ball and then controls the ball to the ground, is this a completion? Here’s an example to see exactly what happened (38-second mark): https://youtu.be/JvckMTak2Y4?t=38s Here’s another angle (2 minutes, 50 seconds): https://youtu.be/jjZRFng-6nI?t=2m50s This was ruled a touchdown. Thanks!

Asked by Bass over 9 years ago

If a receiver is forced out of bounds he must return immediately to regain eligibility. If he goes out on his own, then a defender must first touch the ball before the receiver can. He must re-establish himself (on the ground) so catching in the air after going out of bounds makes the ball dead when he hits the ground. Sorry, but I couldn't access the video.

On a kickoff, the ball flys into the endzone and the receiving player muffs the ball but the ball never leaves the endzone and another player from the receiving team recovers the ball in the endzone but his feet are outside the endzone. Safety or T.B

Asked by Nathan ward almost 9 years ago

Touchback. It is still a kick since possession wasn't gained until/as the receiver was out of bounds.

Ala - Aub. The kickoff touched in field of play by Ala player rolls into end zone. If not brought out by other player, that would have been a safety, right?

Asked by skub over 9 years ago

I'm reading an Auburn KO. If it is touched by Ala in the field of play it is still a kick. If it goes into the endzone and is covered by Alabama, it is a touchback. It was the kick that put the ball in the endzone.

I play semi pro football and we use standard college rules in a recent game i was on defense and we blocked the extra point the offense then advanced the blocked kick and was awarded a 2pt conversion. Is this legal i have never seen this happen.

Asked by Dtackle #42 almost 9 years ago

It's good. Rule 6-3-1 says: ARTICLE 1. a. A scrimmage kick that fails to cross the neutral zone continues in play. All players may catch or recover the ball behind the neutral zone andadvance it.

The ball was still alive.

I saw a touchdown called today where the receiver went out of bounds but whip one foot around and hit the goal marker. The ball didn't "Break the plane". Righteous call or miss.

Asked by John Morris about 9 years ago

There are a lot of possibilities here, so let's look at what you're saying. If the player stepped out of bounds before the ball crossed the plane of the goal line, then yes, it was called a TD in error. However, if the player was outside of the pylon (out of bounds) but the ball stayed inside the pylon when crossing the plane, it is a TD. In your description, the player was out of bounds but he clipped the pylon with a foot - where was the ball? If the player dove at the pylon and struck it with his body even with the ball outside the pylon (the goal line extended), it is a TD.

Is there a different set of rules for the Superbowl game? It looked to me like defensive holding and illegal contact was allowed all game long for the Denver DB's? I'm happy that Denver won but was there a decision by the refs to swallow theirwhistle

Asked by Kevin Kerrigan almost 9 years ago

The rules are the rules. There are philosophies that should carry throughout the season. There are, however, times when supervisors may alter or redefine expectations. It is possible, and I have no specific knowledge, that there was a directive to loosen up calls and let things go. But the rules don't change.