Federation Rule Question

[James Neil]

Originally posted by cmathews
jfurdell,
while I don't question your interpretation at all, I do disagree with how to handle the situation. When he signals, albeit illegally for a fair catch, I will blow the ball dead. This to me is no different than the player taking a knee and killing the play. With safety being the paramount issue at this level, if he thinks he is protected we need to do what we can to protect him just for the sake of safety. The difference between this and taking a knee is that he will be penalized for the illegal fair catch. To address the original post, it will still be the signal not the foul that causes the ball to become dead.

I must humbly disagree with you here. This is nothing like a player taking a knee. When a player is going to do this most if not all players and officials are aware of it and we take precautions to make sure no one is going to get pounced on. If working Ump I stand close to the line and tell all players, “if he takes a knee, stay -off”. I know our main responsibility is player safety but we can’t blow a live ball dead ever time we think a player isn't expecting to get hit. Would you do this if you saw a player stalking another who is clearly out of the action?