LSU - Alabama Play

[Fan10]

I am a huge Alabama fan, so understand that I am a little biased here. But, for those who saw our receiver make what first was ruled a catch but was then overturned, I have a question. Our WR appeared to me (through my crimson colored glasses) that he had firm possession of the ball before any part of the ball touched the ground and maintained that firm possession as part of the ball touched the ground.

What is the rule here regarding a pass? I looked in the NCAA rulebook online and could find nothing definite about this play--only that it is incomplete when a pass strikes the ground. Does the WR have to keep the ball from touching the ground--even if he has firm possession before it touches the ground and maintains firm possession as it hits the ground?

Thanks in advance.

[TXMike]

Originally Posted by Fan10

I am a huge Alabama fan, so understand that I am a little biased here. But, for those who saw our receiver make what first was ruled a catch but was then overturned, I have a question. Our WR appeared to me (through my crimson colored glasses) that he had firm possession of the ball before any part of the ball touched the ground and maintained that firm possession as part of the ball touched the ground.

What is the rule here regarding a pass? I looked in the NCAA rulebook online and could find nothing definite about this play--only that it is incomplete when a pass strikes the ground. Does the WR have to keep the ball from touching the ground--even if he has firm possession before it touches the ground and maintains firm possession as it hits the ground?

Thanks in advance.

For some reason, the rulemakers threw some approved rulings in this year that appear to be designed to make it much more difficult to have a completed pass. In some cases now, the receiver has to maintain possession even after he lands out of bounds, even if he touched in bounds first. I do not believe the actual rules as written require that tight an interpretation but that appears to be what they want.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Fan10

What is the rule here regarding a pass? I looked in the NCAA rulebook online and could find nothing definite about this play--only that it is incomplete when a pass strikes the ground. Does the WR have to keep the ball from touching the ground--even if he has firm possession before it touches the ground and maintains firm possession as it hits the ground?

A forward pass can end one of 2 ways: complete or incomplete. If a player has possession of the ball, it's no longer a pass, so whether the ball then touches the ground would be immaterial.

Robert

[TXMike]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

A forward pass can end one of 2 ways: complete or incomplete. If a player has possession of the ball, it's no longer a pass, so whether the ball then touches the ground would be immaterial.

Robert

It may seem like semantics but the NCAA interps regarding possession say otherwise, unfortunately

[jjrye22]

Then there is the definition of possession as well. If he was airborne, and the ball is the first to touch - incomplete. It's definately not as cut and dry as Robert has written.

James

[Robert Goodman]

Then try this one (NCAA): A1 throws a legal forward pass which is simultaneously caught by eligible A2 and B1, but A2 is off the ground while B2 has some body part on the ground and in bounds. Then B2 steps or slides out of bounds, and then A1 comes down in bounds, each still with hands on the ball. Team possession?

Robert

[TXMike]

B's ball.

[JasonTX]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Then try this one (NCAA): A1 throws a legal forward pass which is simultaneously caught by eligible A2 and B1, but A2 is off the ground while B2 has some body part on the ground and in bounds. Then B2 steps or slides out of bounds, and then A1 comes down in bounds, each still with hands on the ball. Team possession?

Robert

This play would not be ruled a simultaneuous catch since A2 has not caught the ball. In order to rule simulaneous and team A to retain the ball, both player must have possession and both be on the ground at the exact time. B2 is the first play to complete the requirements of a catch first. Once B2 steps out of bounds the ball becomes dead. B's ball.

[tgav]

I attended 2 games this weekend, VT at GT and LSU at Bama

My only observation from the GT game was that the F was lazy, showed no energy - out hustled by the U! Got beat to the goal on a play and never creeped in to do some off the ball officiating after a play became dead outside his zone.

I also went to the LSU v Alabama game. For those of you who can find a weekend free, I strongly encourage you to go to Tuscaloosa to see a game - awesome. Been to Mich, ND, PSU, Ill, among others but nothing compared to the Bama atmosphere

As mentioned above, there were many stoppages in the game an it did slow the game down, but that's alright, it's more important to get it right (as Philly D, a fellow official once told me: Look good and get it right, and if you can't look good, get it right!)

While I know officials don't normally care what coaches do, so feel free to ignore my commentary, but it was obviously a case of over coaching. He was on the wrong side of the 50 to be pulling trick plays. There was plenty of time on the clock to punt this ball away and play defense. The ensuing run back was the fault of the coach and a knuckleheaded lineman who didn't have the good sense to keep his helmet on.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by JasonTX

This play would not be ruled a simultaneuous catch since A2 has not caught the ball. In order to rule simulaneous and team A to retain the ball, both player must have possession and both be on the ground at the exact time. B2 is the first play to complete the requirements of a catch first. Once B2 steps out of bounds the ball becomes dead. B's ball.

So if they both come down in bounds, and then step out, you have to rule on which one touched the ground 1st?

How about if one of them, in addition to having possession of the ball, manages to carry the opponent out of bounds without the latter's having touched in bounds?

Robert