Last night I was helping out a crew in my area by working a junior high football game for them.
With a minute left to go in the game, them home team was up 20-16. The visiting team had 4th down and 10 yards to go running a sweep left to try to obtain the first down.
As the play rounded the corner, the ball carrier(visiting team) fumbles the ball, and the home team recovers.
The coach of the home team realizing that all they need is to run the clock out is take a knee a couple of times.
On first down, QB of home team takes a knee. Visiting team calls time out. After meeting his team half way between the spot of the football and the visiting team's sideline, the visiting coach yells at the home coach to play football. Stating that taking a knee in junior high football is not football.
The visiting coach instructs is defensive linemen that as soon as the ball is snapped, "To hit somebody and knock them down." I told the umpire of our crew, that if this happens, we were going to hit somebody with a personal foul penalty.
The next snap, the left defensive tackle comes across the line and just bulls over the right offensive tackle, and which I immediately threw my flag for a 15 yard personal foul penalty.
Did I do this right? Would any of you done any thing differently then what I did?
Here was my thought process:
1. The home team secured the victory with the fumble recovery.
2. The visiting coach had NO right to yell at the home coach for the quarterback taking a knee to end the game.
3. The visiting coach had NO right instructing his defensive linemen to come across at the snap and intentionally knock somebody down.
4. This game was played very well by teams and the kids gave a GREAT effort, why allow the game to end on such a poor note due to a poor decision by one coach(visiting coach)
[Edited by johnSandlin on Oct 23rd, 2003 at 02:28 PM]
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