Great discussion...
Our crew of 6 was divided 3-3 on this one. Well actually it was 3-2-1 at first.
The one odd-ball opinion was that the intercepting player abandoned play (much like a scrimmage kick receiver who thinks he signalled fair catch and doesn't run). So he wanted to call it a touchback and then administer a dead ball USC penalty. 1st and 10 at the 10.
3 of us, myself included want to apply that new rule from a couple years ago (I can't remember the number and I don't have any books handy) the one previously quoted that says something along the lines of the basic spot is the 20 when the team in possession commits a foul in the end zone and the opponents are responsible for the force...etc. Now I know that this foul should be enforced from the spot of the foul since it is behind the basic spot. I was however reluctant to call it a safety since the force which propelled the ball into the end zone (not what caused it to become dead there) was the original legal pass. But I am almost convinced that force does not matter in this play since the ball was 'brought' out of the end zone.
The other 2 were safety from the beginning one of them saying, "He's an idiot and deserves to give up 2 points."
I'm still not quite so sure...if it happened tonight I would call it a safety, and look for the police escort.
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