Just before halftime, Team A lines up tight, apparently getting ready to take a knee. QB takes the snap and takes a slight dip, knee never touches. He then throws a spot pass to receiver for a TD. QB was not down by rule. Legal? If illegal, what rule appllies?

Well, if the QB or anyone from A told us they were taking a knee, I'm blowing it dead and they won't get away with this one. If they do this all on their own with no verbal indication to me or my crew that they are planning to take a knee, other then the formation may indicate it, we're lining up for the try.

NCAA rules specifically state that this action causes the ball to become dead.

So you can't fake taking a knee in college?

REPLY: Correct. NCAA rules say the ball is dead "when a runner simulates placing his knee on the ground." Not a foul...just a dead ball

NCAA you can't do it but nothing in the NFHS say that...

The inadvertant whistle I plan on blowing. :)

Two weeks ago, we had a team 'take a knee' at the end of the first half, even though we thought they had a scoring opportunity. They did not mention to our crew that they would be doing this. The QB dipped quickly but did not quite hit the ground. Their linemen nor backs blocked or moved. The defense shot the gaps and were headed right for a free shot on the QB.

By rule, I guess we should have just let this play go. Perhaps they were even trying a 'fake' like you mentioned. I have no qualms about blowing the whistle on this. I think our duty is more toward safety.

This is clearly trying to deceive. Isn't there a rule covering this in fed rules?

isnt football a game of deceit? Let the play stand.

International spying is a game of deceit. Football is a game of power, speed, and finesse. Faking a knee down is as dishonest as waving for a fair catch and then taking off with the ball after it is caught.

It occurs to me this was in the case book severl years ago, and it said to blow it dead, but I don't know what rule is used to do that.

I agree with TXMike on the interp, but not the opinion of dishonesty. How is faking a knee any different than faking a handoff? A draw play?

When you fake a handoff you are not trying to make the defense think the play is dead so they let up. You are just fooling them about who will get the ball or what kind of play it might be. Do you think they should be allowed to wave like it will be a fair catch and then take off with the ball??? Same concept. This is a violent game and we permit people to do things that are unthinkable on the street. In order to have some semblance of control we have to have some standards of decency. Faking a kneel down is violating that.

[Edited by TXMike on Oct 2nd, 2005 at 07:28 AM]

It should be an illegal act for NFHS, but alas it's not. Rule site in the FRD manual is 4-2-2-a.
It's in this manual as for NCAA the play is over as soon as you see this fake knee attempt.

Personally, I think it stinks (the NF ruling).

I agree with whaddayouknow,

this is a perfect situation where an inadvertant whistle isn't a bad thing. In fact, I'd have an intentional inadvertant whistle.