Quote:
Originally Posted by Adam
It seems to me the confusion lies with where to draw the line on ignoring dead ball contact.
Examples (for my own clarification as a rookie FB official):
1. The ball is snapped, but the HL has an encroachment foul on the defense. The whistle is late, and immediately after the whistle, A67 holds B99. Ignore the DB contact?
I think so.
2. The ball is snapped, but the U has a snap infraction. Immediately after the whistle, B97 grabs the facemask of an offensive lineman. Ignore the DB contact?
I doubt it.
3. The ball is snapped in a punt formation, but the LJ has a false start on the wing. Immediately after the snap and before the whistle, the B99 roughs the snapper. Ignore the DB contact?
I don't know.
In basketball, DB contact is ignored if it's not intentional or flagrant, and I think I'm trying in vain to apply that standard to football.
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1. We ignore holding in general unless it occurs at the point of attack and affects the play (or becomes a PF).
2. Yep, flag that. It's a PF, and it would be a foul even if the ball were live. No excuse!
3. Probably a PF here, since again the contact would have been illegal even with a live ball. But it can't be roughing the snapper because the ball was dead (no snap = no snapper). So no auto 1st down.
I ignore some DB contact, but generally not PF's. The situation is not quite comparable to basketball, since the amount and intensity of "normal" contact is quite different.