Referee Catches Snap

[skybackjudge]

Check out the video link below showing the referee catching the snap. Happened in a third round playoff game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGVoxPDq9Jo

[MadCityRef]

Do over!
Love how the qb hands R the ball and he just drops it for the new spot - oh, sure now you don't want to touch it.

They'll be in the finals for sure.

[Forksref]

There is no rationale for doing it over. The ball touching an official in the field of play does not become dead. It's certainly a mistake which probably cost them getting a safety.

I was expecting some fancy footwork by the R instead of catching it.

I was R in a game many years ago. 4th down and A is lined up in punt formation except there is no punter. I mean NO one deep to receive the long snap. The snap is made and the ball goes about 20 yds behind the LOS. B recovers the ball. It was very strange to see. Fortunately, I was in my normal position so I didn't get hit by the snap. Funny how neither the snapper, and everyone else, failed to see that the backfield was VERY empty.

[ljudge]

My question is why the heck is the R directly behind the QB?

[Sonofanump]

Originally Posted by Forksref

There is no rationale for doing it over.

looks like he killed the play right away with his hands almost immediately as the QB jumped on it. Did he kill it with his whistle prior to that?

[Mark Dexter]

QB was moving forward at the snap. Why wasn't A flagged for illegal motion?

Also (it's been a few years since I've reffed football), if the offense commits a penalty on an IW play, what's the ruling?

[ljudge]

Originally Posted by Mark Dexter

QB was moving forward at the snap. Why wasn't A flagged for illegal motion?

Also (it's been a few years since I've reffed football), if the offense commits a penalty on an IW play, what's the ruling?

It doesn't matter who commits a foul. What matters is if the foul is ACCEPTED on a play where there's an IW (by either team) is where the IW is disregarded.

[Ed Hickland]

Originally Posted by ljudge

It doesn't matter who commits a foul. What matters is if the foul is ACCEPTED on a play where there's an IW (by either team) is where the IW is disregarded.

What a set of circumstances. First, why was the R lined up directly behind the snapper?

Then, why did the R make a move to catch the ball?

He then kind of hot potatoes the ball when the QB handed it to him, why now does he not want to touch the ball?

Don't believe there was an inadvertent since the R can be seen giving the time out signal after the QB kills the play.

Could R have thought there was a false start?

At this point it becomes whatever the R deems acceptable and he decides a do-over is the most favorable outcome. It does favor the offense taking away their mistake of the bad snap.