Play: K1 punts from his 40 yardline. On RÂ’s 30 yardline, R1 catches the ball and is hit and downed immediately.

Flag or No Flag?



Play: K1 punts from his 40 yardline. On RÂ’s 30 yardline, R1 is hit (under the same circumstance as in the example above) R1 does not catch the ball.

Flag or No Flag?

Define Immediately.

(NCAA) If R had the opportunity to catch - no foul on either. If R didn't - kick catch interference.

Mr Crowder has asked exactly what I was going to ask because is really can make a difference. Just because he caught it does not mean the kicking team gets off the hook.

Well under the Fed rules, K only has to obstruct R's path to the ball to have kick catch interference. If R caught the ball and is tackled, I dont see where you would have a foul. However, if R signals for a fair catch, then we have a whole other ball of wax.

For some reason I have become an expert on this rule, since I had a Kick catch interference call two weeks in a row.

[Edited by bjudge on Sep 17th, 2004 at 03:52 PM]

If there was a video of the play and everyone had the same view, immediately would be defined, but we donÂ’t.

The example has to do with two situations that are the same with different results that has to be ruled on by the covering official.

If R1 catches the ball, the covering official could rule, he caught the ball (R1 had an opportunity to make the catch) no Flag.

If R1 did not catch the ball, the covering official could rule (R1 didnÂ’t have an opportunity to catch the ball) a Flag.

I know that I would not rule differently in the two situations. If I felt K interfered with R's catch, it's interference, regardless of whether such interference actually prevented a catch.

Canadian Ruling
 

1: Flag for No Yards and Unnecessary Roughness. 30 yards total, R 1D/10 @ K-50.

2: Flag for Unnecessary Roughness. 15 from UR POA... which are many, we'd have to know what happened after that.