The Official Forum

The Official Forum (https://forum.officiating.com/)
-   Football (https://forum.officiating.com/football/)
-   -   NCAA Fumble Rule (https://forum.officiating.com/football/60283-ncaa-fumble-rule.html)

mridgway Tue Dec 28, 2010 11:36pm

NCAA Fumble Rule
 
I was watching a video of Arkansas and Tennessee in 1998. Clint Stoerner fumbles the ball at the end of the game to give the ball to Tennessee. While turning around he lost his balance and started falling to the ground, the ball hit the ground while in his hand and came loose. Should this have been ruled down or a fumble since the ground cannot cause a fumble? Please give a good explanation using NCAA rules, I have provided a link to watch it, the fumble occurs a the the 2:50 mark in the video. Thanks for the help.

YouTube - Stumbled and Fumbled

footballref Tue Dec 28, 2010 11:52pm

Not sure how it could have been ruled down. Nothing touches the ground but his feet and the ball.

Go Vols!

TXMike Wed Dec 29, 2010 12:01am

One of the most common, and most wrong, cliches in the game is "the ground cannot cause a fumble". The ground certainly CAN cause a fumble in some situations as it did here. The ground CANNOT cause a fumble when some part of the ball carrier's body other than his feet or hands touches the griound and the ball comes loose as his body part touches. In the video clip, did any part of the runner's body touch the ground other than his feet or hands? No. So no fumble.

JRutledge Wed Dec 29, 2010 01:32am

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXMike (Post 710586)
One of the most common, and most wrong, cliches in the game is "the ground cannot cause a fumble". The ground certainly CAN cause a fumble in some situations as it did here. The ground CANNOT cause a fumble when some part of the ball carrier's body other than his feet or hands touches the griound and the ball comes loose as his body part touches. In the video clip, did any part of the runner's body touch the ground other than his feet or hands? No. So no fumble.

When people usually say that, they are not talking about when a player considered down by rule. I really never understand why folks give a hoot, it is just a saying.

Peace

Cobra Wed Dec 29, 2010 01:51am

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRutledge (Post 710596)
When people usually say that, they are not talking about when a player considered down by rule. I really never understand why folks give a hoot, it is just a saying.

Peace

People who understand the rules don't like it because it is a statement which isn't true all of the time. It causes confusion to people who actually think the ground can't cause a fumble when situations like this come up.

This type of situation is more common in the NFL where a player can trip and fall, without B tackling him, and fumble after he has hit the ground as the down does not end just because the runner is on the ground.

TXMike Wed Dec 29, 2010 07:49am

And in that NFL situation, the ground CAN cause a fumble.

HLin NC Wed Dec 29, 2010 05:08pm

Quote:

since the ground cannot cause a fumble
This is right up there with 1) the hands are part of the bat, 2) I did not have sexual relations with that woman, and 3) Oswald acted alone.

:rolleyes:

Texas Aggie Thu Dec 30, 2010 10:00pm

Quote:

the ground cannot cause a fumble
Since you are asserting the truth of this, do you have a rules citation?

(Hint: the ground has NOTHING to do with whether it is a fumble.)

HLin NC Fri Dec 31, 2010 09:12am

I was at that game BTW. UT was absolutely beat and we were gathering up our stuff to leave. I remember a UT fan sitting above me that was absolutely drained at the end of the game. We helped his wife get the kids down to the concourse as he looked like a zombie.

I used to have a copy of that saved on my old PC from CBS Sportsline. Hadn't even thought to look on You Tube.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:40am.



Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.3.0 RC1