Safety or not?

[jTheUmp]

Had this happen in a game the other day:

4th down for K at K's 20ish yard line. K lines up in punt formation. *Snap goes over the punter's head, rolls toward the goal line. *The punter picks it up at about the 1, and immediately gets shoved back into the end zone by 2-3 R players. *The R guys never really wrap him up, and the punter escapes, runs sideways in the end zone for about 3 seconds, and is then tackled in the end zone. *

Safety, or 1st and goal for R at the 1? Why?

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

Had this happen in a game the other day:

4th down for K at K's 20ish yard line. K lines up in punt formation. *Snap goes over the punter's head, rolls toward the goal line. *The punter picks it up at about the 1, and immediately gets shoved back into the end zone by 2-3 R players. *The R guys never really wrap him up, and the punter escapes, runs sideways in the end zone for about 3 seconds, and is then tackled in the end zone. *

Safety, or 1st and goal for R at the 1? Why?

I'll answer with a question: Where was his forward progress stopped to the point he could not progress any further?

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch

I'll answer with a question: Where was his forward progress stopped to the point he could not progress any further?

He picked up the ball (and secured possession) at the 1. I don't remember if his momentum was taking him towards the goal line at that point or not.

[whitehat]

Safety, although R would prefer their ball on the 1! One of those where coaches can/will argue on both sides of the fence depending on which side they are standing!

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by whitehat

Safety, although R would prefer their ball on the 1! One of those where coaches can/will argue on both sides of the fence depending on which side they are standing!

Once again it sounds like a 100% judgment call; was the runner stopped at the 1 yl and subsequently knocked back into EZ, or did he escape the attempted tackle at the 1 yl and retreat into the EZ in an attempt to continue advancing the ball.

It all depends on what the covering official decides he saw. His opinion is the only one that matters.

[Mike L]

He gets knocked back, is not wrapped up, escapes and then runs around for 3 seconds before getting tackled.....can't be anything other than a safety.
His momentum at the time of picking up the loose ball is immaterial.

[yankeesfan]

safety. after he escaped he is on his own.