Understanding Force

[jfurdell]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by James Neil

Originally posted by stripes1977
I don't believe this is true my comrade in strips. The last sentence of NF 2-13-1 says “ After a backward pass, fumble or kick has been grounded, a new force MAY result from a bat, an illegal kick or muff“ (caps are mine). I think they used the word “may” as opposed to “will” to let us know we have “room to interpret”.

I think the word "may" is there simply because a bat, illegal kick or muff may or may not result in a new force. If the loose ball was already about to roll into the end zone, and B muffs it but it still rolls into the end zone, B's muff did not add a new force.

But in the play situation described, the ball was rolling away from the end zone, and B knocked it in there. B clearly did add a new force and by rule it's a TB.

It's true that individual cases need to be interpreted individually, but I don't think you should go to the lengths of applying an NCAA rule to an NFHS game just because you like the NCAA rule better.