A no win situation

[schwinn]

I had a toughie as white hat and I'm looking for comments. The game started off with the clock not working for the first half. That should have been a clue.

The visiting team is rated 7th, Home team 4th. Visitors QB is a stud but quite often when he'd hand the ball off the home's DE would wrap him up and stick him because the QB was carrying out a fake. Play after play this would happen. I know that some allowance needs to be made for the fake but that doesn't give them a free shot either. It appears that the home team (great team, great coaches, first class all the way) it hitting the QB for the purpose of wearing him down. Nothing cheap at all but the same DE is really not too concerned about where the ball is, his mission is to wrap up the QB and drop him.

As the game progresses, the visitors are screaming about this and the home team is arguing they need allowances for the fake but to my eye the DE is becoming oblivious to where the ball is. When the visitors break a long play up the middle (down 1 TD, late in the game, break a 50 yarder straight up the middle) and again the DE has no idea where the ball is, he's once again taking out the QB, I throw a personal foul due to the fact that the ball is 50 yards downfield and the DE's only mission is to plant the QB.

Anyway, I've had a running debate with myself ever since. I know that I can't throw a flag for cumulative acts but I guess if there was a time to throw it it's when the ball is nowhere in sight and the DE doesn't have a clue, he's heading straight to the QB to plant him. Truly a no win situation but if I'm going to err, it's going to be on the side of player safety and I felt then it was time. Anyone been in a similar situation or anyone have any comments on my actions. BTW, the visitors were stopped short after that but forced the home team to punt out of the endzone. Game went OT and home won because they converted the try.

[buckrog64]

I'd give B the benefit of the doubt. If someone is pretending to be a runner, then they invite getting smacked. If you know the ball is long gone, and something happens unnecessarily, like the QB getting drilled into the ground by the DE, then you might have a roughness penalty.

[BoBo]

COMMUNICATION!!!!!

As the white hat in our crew i find it my responsibilty to take care of the backfield. Whether it be the quarterback or a halfback. It seems the first time it occurs during the game it always catches you off guard alittle. But if in my eyes the defense is trying to get a little extra hit i go to their huddle between plays. Not in obvious way but i say "Defense if you are going to hit the qb/hb you better be doing so because you have been faked and not trying to get a free hit on them. I am watching so play smart!" Now they know I am aware of the play and so far knock on wood I have not had one problem in 12 yrs.

[BktBallRef]

The flag 50 yards behind the play is well deserved. Problem is, it's a yard and a half penalty. Not really much of a deterrent.

Otherwise, if he's faking, the tackle is legal. As long as it's no excessively late, you can't penalize the defense for doing something that's legal.