Can the ball be snapped from a spot exactly ON goalline?

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by ljdave

I don't have my books next to me, but there is a clause in the Fed. rules that says that in this situation, the referee shall place the ball so that the tail end of the ball is not penetrating the goal line.

As for your scenario where there is a turnover on downs, the ball is to be placed exactly where it was at the start of fourth down and the l.o.s. moves from one end of the ball to the other on the change of possession.

Dave, either not comprehending what you wrote or one of us is wrong. You say "in this situation", which seems to imply that in "other" situations the ball would be moved following a loss of possession on downs.

Am I reading you correctly?

[ljdave]

Originally Posted by waltjp

Dave, either not comprehending what you wrote or one of us is wrong. You say "in this situation", which seems to imply that in "other" situations the ball would be moved following a loss of possession on downs.

Am I reading you correctly?

I think you took "in this situation" from my first paragraph to imply meaning in my second paragraph. Let me be clear: On any change of possession, the ball is to be placed where the ball was when the runner's knee, hip, elbow, etc. touches the ground. The LOS is later determined by which direction we are going.
Similar to our example, Team A going in on 4th and goal from the 2-inch line throws an incomplete pass. We as officials have to place the ball exactly where it was, and the HL/U moves the LOS the length of the football. If we didn't have this rule, and instead kept the same LOS, the ball would flip over the line and part of the ball would be in the endzone. This is the meaning for the rule. The ball goes where the ball goes, and the chain crew lines up accordingly on a change of possession. Hope that clears it up........

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by ljdave

I think you took "in this situation" from my first paragraph to imply meaning in my second paragraph. Let me be clear: On any change of possession, the ball is to be placed where the ball was when the runner's knee, hip, elbow, etc. touches the ground. The LOS is later determined by which direction we are going.
Similar to our example, Team A going in on 4th and goal from the 2-inch line throws an incomplete pass. We as officials have to place the ball exactly where it was, and the HL/U moves the LOS the length of the football. If we didn't have this rule, and instead kept the same LOS, the ball would flip over the line and part of the ball would be in the endzone. This is the meaning for the rule. The ball goes where the ball goes, and the chain crew lines up accordingly on a change of possession. Hope that clears it up........

I'm happy to hear that you got it right.