Sugar Bowl Safety

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Mike L

Nice reverse angle, but I still would've ruled progress before he "broke" the tackle. He's wrapped and driven back 4 yds. That's enough for me.

How far do you let him get driven back before you stop the play? I'm not being sarcastic here. I just want to know how many yards you allow before you say "enough".

I don't officiate, and in the instant case I'm not sure whether I'd've killed the ball or not, but if I did have to make such rulings, the distance a ballcarrier was driven backward, or for that matter the total distance a ballcarrier was ridden while moving backward under an opponent's force, would not be a factor in my deciding whether the player was "so held as to stop his forward progress". Time would probably figure into it, but not distance.