Video Play #1 from last friday night

[Ed Hickland]

Originally Posted by parepat

Are we sure that the official did not rule that the receiver was covered up? Thus, when he caught the ball he committed OPI. I know the rule changed a few years ago, but he did not throw the flag at the time of the contact. Just a thought.

OPI was not technically committed until the ball was thrown past the line of scrimmage, therefore, the flag followed the catch.

OPI is a strange penalty because the offense knows the play. I had a blantant one on a try for point. An A player blocked the B player while another A player came underneath and caught the pass. If the play had been a run or if the pass had not crossed the line of scrimmage there was no foul.

The opposite is when an A player comes downfield and blocks a B player. Then a pass is thrown and caught behind the line of scrimmage. You are downfield and cannot judge the LOS, so, you throw the flag.

The U being in position to rule on whether the pass was completed behind or beyond the line joins the official's conference and it is determined no OPI, you wave off the flag.

OPI is complicated and probably why it is not called as often as it should. I was observing a ACC crew the other day and saw an OPI that went uncalled.

[TerpZebra]

Originally Posted by PSU213

From the press box view it seemed to me that he was clearly off the line (not that the official couldn't have seen it differently). That having been said this would be illegal touching, not OPI (which I think you were referring to in the post). Do we know for a fact that OPI was the call (and not illegal touching or something else)? But, yes, it does seem like the flag does not come down until the pass is caught, not on the contact between the players.

As the original poster (but not a member of the crew), i can confirm that OPI was called

[babrown]

Terpzebra,
These video clips are VERY helpful, as they provide real life situations.
PLEASE keep sending us these kind of cases.