[cmathews]

if the receiver is untouched by a defender, then normally the forward progress spot is where they first touch. However if there is no contact with a defender then normally they catch the ball and move up field and it is a mute point. If there is contact with a defender, then the spot depends on how the receiver lands. If they land on their feet then the same rules as above apply, especially when we are talking about the goal line being in play. If they land on their behind or are otherwise considered down from the contact then the progress is where the contact occured with respect to in the field of play and again where the goal line is concerned. In NCAA the sidelines have their own sets of philosophies.

With respect to taking the ball to the ground. The catch is technically completed when anything touches the ground with respect to progress, however in order for it to stay a catch, the receiver has to maintain control throughout hitting the ground.

I also saw the play you are talking about. I will preface my statements with the fact that I am a bronco fan, however being an official, I leave my bias at the door. When Stokely gains control, his foot is on the ground, we have a catch with progress whereever progress is there. He maintains control to the ground, so his progress is where the ball is when he contacted the ground with is foot/knee. I never saw an angle that gave a good shot of where the ball was located in relation to the goal line at that point in time. I could be pretty easily persuaded either way. My gut tells me that the ball was just barely crossing the plane at that time....however the official appears to rule the touchdown based on what you said about rolling/squirming into the endzone. With that being said, it is my belief that when the White hat goes under the hood, he can review everything that happened in relation to catch/control/forward progress etc...so he may have had a better camera angle and determined that Stokely met all the criteria for control, and the ball was breaking the plane, therefore the touching in the field of play was no longer a factor...but unless we can talk to the whitehat, we really don't know....