NCAA: PSK Holding
 

During the WSU/OSU game, the white hat waved off a holding during the kick saying "There was no holding during the kick since the kick was fair caught."

Never heard of this. Are other PSK enforcements also waved off if there's a fair catch?

There is a thought that you should not have a hold on a fair catch or touchback as neither can affect the play in those situations (at the NCAA level). The White Hat just said it out loud, but we have been doing it that way for some time now. I got dinged a few years ago for calling just that on a punt when we were evaluated.

Peace

+1 to Rut's answer.

Holding (and IBB) are those calls where, philosophically, it has to have a material affect on the play for it to be considered a foul.

So, on a punt that's fair-caught, there's no way that a hold by the receiving team could've had an effect on the play, because the restriction couldn't have taken away the kicking team's ability to make a tackle.

Thanks. Had the kick been muffed, even with the fair catch signal, the foul would be enforced?

No, but it could've had an effect on the R player's decision to field the ball at all. Allowing team K players to get into the vicinity of the receiver's play on the ball could be consequential if he muffs it. Even after making the fair catch signal, the player could decide that having to scramble in competition w nearby opponents for the loose ball if he muffs it is not a good enough bet, & decide to get away from the ball's flight instead.