Illegal pick play?

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

I think the pick play is a mechanical hole in both the NCAA and NFL systems.

What does "mechanical hole" mean? That the officials' mechanics are such as to make it too difficult a call? Gap in coverage? Even with as many officials as they have?

Try it in the games I'm used to, with 3-official crews. The only saving grace there is that there's not much passing in most divisions. The past couple seasons in the Warriors they were doing it on scrimmage plays w U & L on the wings, R in the O backfield.

[bigjohn]

VI. Before the ball is thrown, wide receiver A88 slants to the inside
where linebacker B1 attempts to block him. A88 uses his hands to
shove B1 away. RULING: Team A foul, offensive pass interference, if
the legal forward pass crosses the neutral zone. If B1’s initial contact
was below the waist and beyond the neutral zone, Team B also has
fouled and the live-ball fouls offset

[bigjohn]

V.. Before the ball is thrown, wide receiver A88 moves four yards
downfield directly toward and in front of the defender, B1. At
this spot, B1 pushes A88, who then uses his hands to contact B1.
RULING: Team A foul, offensive pass interference, if the legal
forward pass is beyond the neutral zone. Penalty—15 yards from the
previous spot

[Rich]

Nice try, but neither of these things happened on the last TD.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

What does "mechanical hole" mean? That the officials' mechanics are such as to make it too difficult a call? Gap in coverage? Even with as many officials as they have?

Try it in the games I'm used to, with 3-official crews. The only saving grace there is that there's not much passing in most divisions. The past couple seasons in the Warriors they were doing it on scrimmage plays w U & L on the wings, R in the O backfield.

Hire a 4th official. Even 4th grade games here are played with 4 now.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Rich

Hire a 4th official. Even 4th grade games here are played with 4 now.

Heck hire 5 if it is "all about the kids." Then you have everything covered and not much ambiguousness at that level.

Peace

[bigjohn]

7.3.8.b says it is the responsibility of the offensive player to avoid contact.

[Rich]

Hard to tell if he avoids it when the defender initiates it and pulls the receiver to the ground.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Rich

Hard to tell if he avoids it when the defender initiates it and pulls the receiver to the ground.

Yep.

And if I have to guess, I am not making that call.

Peace

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Rich

Hire a 4th official. Even 4th grade games here are played with 4 now.

Sure, with the rich kids.

But I'd still like to know what MD Longhorn meant by "mechanical hole".