Batting

[JMN]

Can someone give me a layman's view of batting under NCAA rules? I seem to always get confused when I read the rule book and would appreciate an experienced official's help to clarify rulings on batting the football.

Thanks!

[Theisey]

Is there some part of the (brief) rule 2 defintion that troubles you?
Tell us if so.

[JMN]

Theis,

I'm OK with the Rule 2 definition. It's the application that I'm after.

My simplistic thinking (maybe that's the problem) is that batting a ball is allowed by rule if it is 1) backward, not forward, and 2) not batted in the end zone. Also, I haven't looked at the FED code to see if it differs from the NCAA code.

Maybe I'm just being lazy and need to crack open the book tonight, but I was soliciting any "things to remember from experience" from other officials.

[Theisey]

OK, I see what you are up against.
The way I look at Batting is that it can be legal sometimes and illegal other times. You just have to memorize when to flag it. And yes, there are some differences between NF and NCAA.

For both codes, here are some common situations:
1) A Forward Pass, while in the air can be batted by any eligible player in any direction. That includes the airborne receiver tossing or propelling it to another player while still in the air.

2) Backward passes can be batted backward by either team but the passing team cannot bat it forward.

3)Another player cannot bat the ball forward if it is in player possession by another player on his team. You have to assume that he could bat it backwards, out of his teammates hands, but that sounds like a pretty dumb thing to do.

4) Can not bat any loose ball in the endzone in any direction.
Exception: the NFHS allows the defense to jump up and actually bat the ball to prevent it from passing through the uprights. The NCAA does NOT allow that exception.
The NCAA does have an exception that allows a kicking team player to reach across the goal line to bat a kicked ball backwards into the field of play. Of course, the ball is dead under NFHS as soon as it breaks the plane of the goalline.

5) NFHS: A scrimmage kick in flight can be batted in any direction by a team-K player if beyond the NZ and of course was not KCI.
Also, a player cannot bat a kick that is behind the NZ in any direction.
NCAA: no player of either team can bat any kick forward no matter where it is or the type of kick. Backwards is okay as long as it again was not KCI.

6: NFHS: allows a fumble in flight to be batted in any direction. Conversely, if that the ball is on he ground, it can only be backward.
NCAA: loose ball (fumble in the air or on the ground) can only be batted backwards in the playing field.

I think that about covers it.

[JMN]

Thanks, Theisey.

That's helpful!