Fed goaltending penalty enforcement

[Robert Goodman]

This came out in a thread at Coach Huey's. I know that in Federation rules, a player of the receiving team jumping to deflect a field goal attempt, where the jumping occurs in proximity to the goal rather than the neutral zone, is illegal batting, the ball being allowed to stay alive only as long as it still has a chance to score. What I can't figure out is the enforcement. I've pored over the provisions and can't figure out the priorities in resolution between post scrimmage kick and fouls behind the receiving team's goal line. My guess is that it's half the distance from the 20 yard line, team R getting a first down.

[flaghappy]

This is not illegal batting. The result of the play is a touchback. The receivers will get the ball on the 20 yard line. Rule 6-3-1b and 2016 casebook page 47 6-3-1 situation B.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by flaghappy

This is not illegal batting. The result of the play is a touchback. The receivers will get the ball on the 20 yard line. Rule 6-3-1b and 2016 casebook page 47 6-3-1 situation B.

Interesting! So the ball's touching the player supersedes the player's batting of the ball, as per 2-44, and the player doesn't have to succeed in deflecting the ball away from the goal.

[flaghappy]

If the ball is deflected away from the goalposts it is considered a dead ball and a touchback. If it is deflected between the goalposts and above the crossbar it is a field goal.

[flaghappy]

meant to say if it is deflected between the uprights and above the crossbar it is a field goal

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by flaghappy

If the ball is deflected away from the goalposts it is considered a dead ball and a touchback. If it is deflected between the goalposts and above the crossbar it is a field goal.

Why doesn't 6-3-1(b) produce a touchback no matter the subsequent flight of the ball? What would be the point of the phrase "or in flight touches a K player in R's end zone" in 6-3-1(b) if the touchback weren't automatic? After all, if the ball were deflected away, then the part "after breaking the play of R's goal line is unsuccessful" alone would produce the result you claim.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Why doesn't 6-3-1(b) produce a touchback no matter the subsequent flight of the ball?

Because that's the Federation interpretation. I'm not trying to be flip but that's pretty much what we have to go on.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by flaghappy

This is not illegal batting. The result of the play is a touchback. The receivers will get the ball on the 20 yard line. Rule 6-3-1b and 2016 casebook page 47 6-3-1 situation B.

That's a good case book find.

I believe this is a difference from NCAA which would regard this as an illegal batting foul.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Welpe

That's a good case book find.

I believe this is a difference from NCAA which would regard this as an illegal batting foul.

Yes, by their 9-4-1(c). 2-11-5 & 6-3-1(b) combine to say this is not "blocking a scrimmage kick" (because of where it occurs relative to the neutral zone) so 9-4-1(b) doesn't apply.

In NFL this is treated as an unfair act. Their provision was adopted ~50 years ago.

So in NFL & NCAA, better go up with both hands, and then you're trying to catch the ball, not bat it, and if you muff it away from the goal in the process, that doesn't appear to be illegal.

In rugby if the ball's still rising as it approaches the bar, I think it's treated in both Union & League as "charging down" or "rebound" of an opponent's kick, and is not a knock-on if the ball is deflected forward (relative to the player doing it). If the ball's descending, then the knock-on laws apply.

In Canadian football, amateur & pro, goaltending like this is not illegal, but if the ball is deflected forward to an offside teammate I think it's an offside pass.