State Championship Call

[Mike L]

anyone also have a problem with the snapper facing the sideline rather than the opponent's goal line as required?

[BktBallRef]

Yes Mike, that would be an issue as well.

[Jim D.]

He was there and made the call and I hate to second guess him, but....

Since the receiver was headed out, I would be reluctant to make this call unless he was clearly carried out. I'm not sure he would have come down inbounds without contact.

He had two players out of bounds and turned away from them to give a TD signal. There is no need to face the center of the field while signalling TD. He should have been facing the receiver and defender.

If he was going to rule that he was forced out, here is where a suplimental signal would really help sell the call. Give a push signal and then a TD. At least people would know what he thought. This just looks like he missed the feet coming down out of bounds.

[Sonofanump]

They paint the out of bounds a different color to give us perspective. I like sideline plays on turf when you can see the mark the foot makes when the player comes down. Too bad they did not have 6 or 7 officials on this play.

[DJ_NV]

As much as I hate to second guess as well, after watching the film it looks like the H was watching ball only (as best I can tell). He followed the catch all the way through, but probably didn't know where the feet were until it didn't matter any longer.

As was taught to me very early in my officiating career, the game is called "football" for a reason, i.e., foot first, then ball. If the feet are out, the subsequent catch/no catch is of no significance.

I also concur with the other posters that the covering official needs to stay with the action all the way through and not turn back toward the field of play.

I know it's already been said, but right or wrong on this particular official's part, this is a learning experience for us all. All of us have had a call at some point that we would like to have back. All we can do from it is move on, learn, and hope that it can be used to teach others as well.

[JugglingReferee]

The player that caught the pass jumped from much further in the EZ than he landed outside of the EZ. Keeping in mind that he was contacted with non-trivial force, it is surprising to me that he landed only as much past the sideline in goal as he did.

I think he would have definitely landed inbounds, and therefore a touchdown. If the rule/AR is that the official can use his judgement on a force out, I think this official made the gutsy and correct call of a touchdown.

As for the legality of the snap and snapper's action, that is a different story, none of which I could comment on.

[TonyT]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

The player that caught the pass jumped from much further in the EZ than he landed outside of the EZ. Keeping in mind that he was contacted with non-trivial force, it is surprising to me that he landed only as much past the sideline in goal as he did.

I think he would have definitely landed inbounds, and therefore a touchdown. If the rule/AR is that the official can use his judgement on a force out, I think this official made the gutsy and correct call of a touchdown.

As for the legality of the snap and snapper's action, that is a different story, none of which I could comment on.

There is no way the receiver comes down in the end zone as his momentum was carrying him out of bounds. I saw the play in person as well as on the replay board. This was a unbelievable bad call.

[bigjohn]

Looks to me like he was coming down in bounds. Where were you sitting and who were you rooting for?

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by bigjohn

Looks to me like he was coming down in bounds. Where were you sitting and who were you rooting for?

still pictures rarely count for much when the movement of the players is critical to the play.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by Mike L

still pictures rarely count for much when the movement of the players is critical to the play.

What Mike said...plus, it DOES NOT MATTER if he would have come down inbounds or not! His momentum was carrying him towards the sideline and that is the same direction that the defender pushed him. The defender didn't change his direction while airborne.

P.S. The bold and red type face is not intended to yell, only emphasize that very important point.

[bigjohn]

I say his momentum was toward the back of the endzone and the db changed his direction. So 7.5.2k does not fit. Look again, he starts his jump and is going backwards, db hits him FROM THE SIDE and knocks him OOB. When his arms ar up waiting for the ball he is going backwards, pass almost falls short. He catches it in his belly.


COMMENT: When any
receiver is close to the sideline and is contacted by an opponent, the covering
official must make a decision about where he would have landed without the contact.
(4-3-2)


4.3.3 SITUATION B: A has third down and seven yards to gain at B’s 30. A1
leaps near the sideline to catch a pass near B’s 30-yard line. A1 is driven out of
bounds backwards by B2 while making the catch and lands outside the sideline
at B’s 32. RULING: The covering official must make the following decisions: Did
B2’s actions cause A1 to land out of bounds? If the official determines that B2
caused A1 to land out of bounds, then the official must determine forward
progress in the field of play and should not stop the clock. If however, the clock
is stopped, it should start on the ready because forward progress was stopped in
the field of play. If A1 would have landed out of bounds of his own accord, it is
an incomplete pass and the clock should be stopped. COMMENT: When any
receiver is close to the sideline and is contacted by an opponent, the covering
official must make a decision about where he would have landed without the contact.

[grizwald]

Agree with some on here that it doesn't matter based on the momentum of the receiver being the same direction as the push from the defender. They look like they are both leaping in the same direction to me. It doesn't appear that the defender pushs a different direction from his own momentum.

But I saw it live, replays on the jumbotron, and on here - I'm with Big John as far as what happens without the contact. I think without the contact he comes down in bounds.

The defender didn't push him really hard, but it totally knocked him off balance and his legs move suddenly to try and find the ground. Good NFL and college receivers learn to ignore the unnatural feeling of losing your balance and dot those feet/foot in bounds anyway and just pay the price by eating the turf sometimes - but this receiver doesn't have that kind of experience to do that.