Sugar Bowl Safety

[jchamp]

Originally Posted by Hooah30

Can anyone support the call?

In the youth leagues that I've called in my brief experience, I've been instructed to err on the side of player safety, that is, when the back had been pushed back several yards on the initial hit, kill the play with the whistle. I don't know if the rule regarding forward progress is different, but college officials tend to allow more second opportunities, and it makes for a more exciting game.
Players and coaches all know if you are driven back, you get to keep what you got in the first place, but if you run forward again, however slightly, then you reset from where you've been moved back to. He had to know he was behind the goal line and he made a decision to keep working instead of just giving up and taking his no-gain. That was just a bone-headed play by an otherwise talented RB and he got caught.
Moral of the story--your goal line is the most evil mark on the field, don't mess with it!