Legal?

[svm1010]

Becareful with an RTS call.

There is a big difference between a hurdling call (15 yards) and a RTS call (15 Yards + Automatic 1st down)

to summarize:
Hurdling = going over
RTS = Charging into.

[Welpe]

I understand the difference. I'm not talking about hurdling per se, I'm talking about putting a player putting a foot and his weight on the back of a vulnerable snapper.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by svm1010

to summarize:
Hurdling = going over
RTS = Charging into.

There's an easier way to distinguish:

hurdling: no touching
RTS: touching

[Welpe]

Not that word again!

[mikesears]

Originally Posted by Welpe

Not that word again!

Now that's funny!

[Rich]

Originally Posted by svm1010

Becareful with an RTS call.

There is a big difference between a hurdling call (15 yards) and a RTS call (15 Yards + Automatic 1st down)

to summarize:
Hurdling = going over
RTS = Charging into.

Except if the snapper's hand is on the ground, this cannot be hurdling. See: definition of hurdling.

[svm1010]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Except if the snapper's hand is on the ground, this cannot be hurdling. See: definition of hurdling.

True, but that's not what my statement was in regards to, only that RTS and Hurdling are not the same from an enforcement perspective.

The position of the Snapper's hand and his percieved vulnerability is what makes this such an interesting intellectual discussion. I suspect that if you give this situation to 100 sufficently qualified officials I expect that you could possibly see all three answers, No call, Hurdling, or RTS.

The real issue that I see here is that we have entered the gray area between the rules and this is where our officating philosophy takes over. Did this guy gain an unfair advantage? Did he take an unecessarilly risky action that could have resulted in serious injury? Did he do something that could comprimize our ability to officiate the remainder of the game? If you answer yes then I think you call something. Situation and instinct will dictate what you call or don't call (and what you must sell)

Good luck