[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by Drizzle

Sorry nobody has answered your good questions, but this thread has basically been hijacked. Also, someone should please correct me if I'm wrong, since I don't have my books with me to confirm my answer, which is:

In both of your situations, the offensive player would not have control of the ball which means the time/space criteria applies, which means it is a block in both of your situations. Fumbles by definition mean no control, so you cannot call a player control foul.

Time and distance does not apply to a player in control of the ball and is not airborne. The player in the original post had control of the ball and was not airborne when the defensive player obtained/established a legal guarding position. More the fifty years ago the Rules Committee affimred that an offensive player should expect to be guarded from the instant he ganed control of the ball. It was this expectation of being guarded is the foundation for how the guarding/screening rules are written.

MTD, Sr.