Oakland vs Youngstown State (video and article)

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

First, full disclosure: Everybody knows I am a graduate of Youngstown State University.

Second: While I wish that YSU had won, they have lost too many close games this year to be worthy of going to the NCAA.

Third: I would have called an illegal screen on OU-2 because he did not give Time and Distance.

Fourth: Let us assume that OU-2 did achieve Time and Distance against YSU-2. If there is contact between YSU-2 and OU-2 and OU is knocked down, there is no foul as long as YSU-2 stops upon contact and does not continue running through OU-2.

The words above in red are the key to setting screens (offensive or defensive) against a moving player. Physics tell us that when we have a completely elastic collision that the momentum (P) of the system must be the same before and after the collision. Collisions between human bodies are not elastic but can be considered inelastic. That means it is very difficult for the screened player to stop instantly upon contact. I cannot remember that last time I saw a screened player in this circumstances stopping the instant he made contact with the screener.

MTD, Sr.