Facemask on the runner?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Coach Jinx

Wow, from the photo it looks like a face mask, not sure what your looking at. I blew the photo up & you can see is pinkiw & ring finger in the mask. I agree you can't tell all the facts from a photo. I called this for the first time in about a 1000 games last week when the runner was trying to stiff arm/go around the defender & pulled the defenders mask straight down as he was tackled, he puller the defender so hard it looked like the first thing that hit the ground from the defender was his chin & the runner still had a good hold of the mask. It should be a no doubter if your gonna call it.

I'm looking at the same photo you are. Even if there is a grasp ... this appears to be a simple facemask - pushing the player's head up and back is not a facemask. His pinky may be in there, but the movement you're getting is not due to the grasp (apparently, at least). The sitch you describe above (pulling down on the mask) is exactly where I'd call it - the picture, no. There's no yank, pull, twist, etc. (Again ... apparently).

[JRutledge]

I would like to see the whole play or see several pictures before I can say that was absolutely the right call. Then again that is why still pictures are not very good to determine fouls. That is just a very brief time compared to several seconds that help make these calls in real life.

Also I have seen this at least once a season. I think with the gloves players us now and the nature of the material, you see payers not able to get their hand off of the mask as easy. Also I think a lot of technique is off and I am seeing this more. Runners used to be taught to kind of "strike" with the stiff arm and know players keep their arm out there and the mask will be grabbed even if it is not intentional. In the picture the runner has a glove on and it is clear the pinky got caught up in the mask. But whether that is a foul or not is up for debate.

Peace