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514 Questions

Last Answer on January 23, 2021

My understanding is that by college football rules.. a player in possession and control of the ball, whose knee touches the ground is down at that spot and the play is dead. Is this true in absolutely every circumstance ?

Asked by mercury over 6 years ago

I can't think of a time it's not, so yes. But by asking the question, you obviously heard of, or saw, something that didn't go that way.

466 Votes

On Sunday the refs ruled the pass incomplete in the Bears/Eagles playoff game because there was "no clear recovery". If the refs had called it a catch & fumble - with no clear recovery - would the Bears have kept the ball at the 4 yard line?

Asked by Kaptain Kill over 6 years ago

Yeah, that was interesting. Even former NFL ref and now-rules expert Terry McCauley was thrown a bit and had to dig into the rule book and case book.

The NFL sometimes has very different rules from college and high school. I'm more familiar with the latter and if there's a loose ball - and no one recovers it - it belongs to the team last in possession. So in the case you describe, it would belong to the team that was on offense and made the catch.

And all those guys on defense who didn't jump on a loose ball would be fired!

461 Votes

Interception in the opponents end zone. Player runs sideways with in the end zone. If tackled is it a safety and 2 points. He doesn’t kneel down.

Asked by Steve OB over 6 years ago

No. The offense put the ball in the endzone, so that can't be a safety. Now, if he left the endzone and then went back in - on his own - and then was tackled, yes, that's a safety, because the ball was put in the endzone by the defense.

460 Votes

Probably rare... Team A punts. Team B catches ball on their own 30, but there is a penalty (let's say holding at Team B's 25) which is behind where the catch was made.

Where is the enforcement spot of the penalty and where is the ball then placed

Asked by statman24 over 6 years ago

Not rare at all. You are describing a post scrimmage kick enforcement (PSK). Under PSK, if B - the receivers - commits a foul during the kick and they are the team to next put the ball in play, then PSK rules apply. So, in your situation, B holds behind where the kick ends (at the 30); the foul is administered from the spot of the hold at the 25. B 1/10 at the 15.

460 Votes

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What happens in OT in the NFL if the first team possesses the ball for the full 10 minutes and kicks a FG as time expires? The Rulebook insists both teams “must possess the ball” (at least once) but it never covers the scenario I described.

Asked by Jeff in Tampa over 6 years ago

Goid question, and you're correct up to where you may gave stopped reading. Rule 16 (OT) Sction 1, Article 4 (covering preseason and regular season) states: There shall be a maximum of one 10-minute period, even if the second team has not had an opportunity to possess the ball or if its initial possession has not ended. If the score is tied at the end of the period, the game shall end in a tie.

That sounds like it's over, but they seem to be saying the first team didn't score. But I'd go with, game over.

459 Votes

Was a false start always called a false start? Seems like some 20-30 yrs ago it was also called off sides no matter offensive or defensive.

Asked by Sugarmama over 6 years ago

Hmmm, history question! Honestly not sure. I've been doing this for over 30 years....there were those who might have mistakenly called ug offsides but it was always. as far as I recall, illegal procedure. That's a fslse start.

459 Votes

If a starting QB leaves a game trailing and the backup brings the team back and wins, which QB is credited with the win? The starter or the backup.

Asked by Tim over 6 years ago

On field fame officials are not responsible for statistics. Can't help.

458 Votes

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Football Official

Ask me anything!

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My understanding is that by college football rules.. a player in possession and control of the ball, whose knee touches the ground is down at that spot and the play is dead. Is this true in absolutely every circumstance ?

On Sunday the refs ruled the pass incomplete in the Bears/Eagles playoff game because there was "no clear recovery". If the refs had called it a catch & fumble - with no clear recovery - would the Bears have kept the ball at the 4 yard line?

Interception in the opponents end zone. Player runs sideways with in the end zone. If tackled is it a safety and 2 points. He doesn’t kneel down.

Probably rare... Team A punts. Team B catches ball on their own 30, but there is a penalty (let's say holding at Team B's 25) which is behind where the catch was made.

Where is the enforcement spot of the penalty and where is the ball then placed

Also on Jobstr...

What happens in OT in the NFL if the first team possesses the ball for the full 10 minutes and kicks a FG as time expires? The Rulebook insists both teams “must possess the ball” (at least once) but it never covers the scenario I described.

Was a false start always called a false start? Seems like some 20-30 yrs ago it was also called off sides no matter offensive or defensive.

If a starting QB leaves a game trailing and the backup brings the team back and wins, which QB is credited with the win? The starter or the backup.

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

My understanding is that by college football rules.. a player in possession and control of the ball, whose knee touches the ground is down at that spot and the play is dead. Is this true in absolutely every circumstance ?

On Sunday the refs ruled the pass incomplete in the Bears/Eagles playoff game because there was "no clear recovery". If the refs had called it a catch & fumble - with no clear recovery - would the Bears have kept the ball at the 4 yard line?

Interception in the opponents end zone. Player runs sideways with in the end zone. If tackled is it a safety and 2 points. He doesn’t kneel down.

Probably rare... Team A punts. Team B catches ball on their own 30, but there is a penalty (let's say holding at Team B's 25) which is behind where the catch was made. Where is the enforcement spot of the penalty and where is the ball then placed

Also on Jobstr...

What happens in OT in the NFL if the first team possesses the ball for the full 10 minutes and kicks a FG as time expires? The Rulebook insists both teams “must possess the ball” (at least once) but it never covers the scenario I described.

Was a false start always called a false start? Seems like some 20-30 yrs ago it was also called off sides no matter offensive or defensive.

If a starting QB leaves a game trailing and the backup brings the team back and wins, which QB is credited with the win? The starter or the backup.

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Probably rare... Team A punts. Team B catches ball on their own 30, but there is a penalty (let's say holding at Team B's 25) which is behind where the catch was made.

Where is the enforcement spot of the penalty and where is the ball then placed