Safety or Not?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Rich

It's a great thread, actually. And it's a great example of why every penalty can be broken down to some key questions:

Who committed the foul? Team in possession.
What kind of play? Running play.
What's the basic spot? B-20.
Is the foul behind the basic spot? Yes.

So it's all-but-one (or 3-and-1) enforcement. Spot of the foul is in the end zone. Safety.

I have no problem with the ruling, personally. Don't hold in the end zone.

Here's why I don't like the rule.

Generally, the idea behind awarding a safety to a team who is fouled in the endzone is that the fouler possibly prevented the fouled team from getting a safety. When the ball is in the EZ and will be a touchback, that possibility does not exist. Fouls like this should be enforced from the 20.