Rule Reference Question - OPI on try

[Rich]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

Is OPI one of these types of fouls?

And to pile on, is this foul one by the opponent of the scoring team?

Not everything is specifically defined and spelled out. However, OPI is only a bit different because of the LOD provision. Because of the LOD, the team does not get to replay the try.

If it makes you feel better, mark off 15 from the previous spot and then tell A they can't replay the try.

Personally, I'd be thrilled if they got rid of the LOD provision.

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Personally, I'd be thrilled if they got rid of the LOD provision.

Agreed. I've come to think of OPI (in FED) as the "Drive Death Penalty", because it's the harshest punishment (in terms of yardage/LOD) in the entire rulebook.

And this discussion isn't just abstract for me either; our game last Friday featured two OPI calls, one of which was actually on a "successful" try.

(FWIW, the game in question also had 928 yards of offense, 20+ penalties, a try that was attempted 4 times, a hurdling call (by me), and USC fouls on both benches.)

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

And to pile on, is this foul one by the opponent of the scoring team?

Not everything is specifically defined and spelled out. However, OPI is only a bit different because of the LOD provision. Because of the LOD, the team does not get to replay the try.

If it makes you feel better, mark off 15 from the previous spot and then tell A they can't replay the try.

Personally, I'd be thrilled if they got rid of the LOD provision.

I'd just say read rule 8-3 which gives all the possibilities of what to do with a successful or unsuccessful try. Carrying over an OPI penalty to the kick off is not one of the options.

As for OPI, my opinion is just make it a 5 yd with LOD, just like all the other LOD A fouls.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Mike L

I'd just say read rule 8-3 which gives all the possibilities of what to do with a successful or unsuccessful try. Carrying over an OPI penalty to the kick off is not one of the options.

As for OPI, my opinion is just make it a 5 yd with LOD, just like all the other LOD A fouls.

Make it a 15 yard, repeat the down foul. That way, if the pass is incomplete the offense doesn't get penalized twice and the defense actually has to make a choice.

[bkdow]

Why would you give a team a second chance to be successful on a play where they were the ones to potentially take the ball out of the other team's hands? What if the OPI (not on a try) was the only reason the defense didn't intercept and run for a touchdown.

You now want to just mark of 15 and give them another chance to replay the down that they screwed up in the first place? IMHO, I think this is a great enforcement of an OPI. I would agree with shortening the distance but they should always lose the down.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by bkdow

Why would you give a team a second chance to be successful on a play where they were the ones to potentially take the ball out of the other team's hands? What if the OPI (not on a try) was the only reason the defense didn't intercept and run for a touchdown.

You now want to just mark of 15 and give them another chance to replay the down that they screwed up in the first place? IMHO, I think this is a great enforcement of an OPI. I would agree with shortening the distance but they should always lose the down.

If the pass is incomplete, then they can either back them up yardage and replay the down or decline the penalty and the down counts with no yardage. Why should they get *both*?

Assuming a pick-six is as unrealistic as me saying that a holding penalty kept a defender from stripping a ball and returning the fumble for a TD.

[MD Longhorn]

There should be a difference between OPI that is merely blocking downfield, and OPI that potentially prevents an interception. Seems the former should be penalized much less severely (15 and replay or 5 and LOD both make sense to me), but the latter is penalized harshly and correctly.

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

If the pass is incomplete, then they can either back them up yardage and replay the down or decline the penalty and the down counts with no yardage. Why should they get *both*?

Assuming a pick-six is as unrealistic as me saying that a holding penalty kept a defender from stripping a ball and returning the fumble for a TD.

Are you willing to make the same argument for all the other LOD fouls too?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Mike L

Are you willing to make the same argument for all the other LOD fouls too?

Nope. Those are different kind of fouls.

[ppaltice]

I agree with Rich that OPI's penalty in NFHS is quite harsh. I would rather see it lose the LOD aspect (akin to other rule sets).

Also harsh is the hold behind the LOS (or fouls by A). I would not be surprised if these rules are revised in the future.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by ppaltice

I agree with Rich that OPI's penalty in NFHS is quite harsh. I would rather see it lose the LOD aspect (akin to other rule sets).

Also harsh is the hold behind the LOS (or fouls by A). I would not be surprised if these rules are revised in the future.

This is another foul I'd love to them to visit. A hold 5-6 yards behind the line is almost a guaranteed punt where I work. Previous spot, as in the NCAA/NFL is a much better way of not giving the double whammy to a team.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

If the pass is incomplete, then they can either back them up yardage and replay the down or decline the penalty and the down counts with no yardage. Why should they get *both*?

Assuming a pick-six is as unrealistic as me saying that a holding penalty kept a defender from stripping a ball and returning the fumble for a TD.

Yes, assuming a pick-six is unrealistic -- but assuming a pick is realistic, if it's the type of interference that occurs during the pass. I don't think it was ever the rule in Fed, but for a while in NCAA it was loss of ball.

[Robert Goodman]

And I say make PI during the pass first down to the nonoffending team at the spot of the foul. OPI before the pass, just LOD, previous spot.