Q&A, Ask a Football Rules, Situation, Philosophy, or Call Question

[alt f4]

1) What are you taught in regards to targeting? What’s the letter of the law that NCAA officials have to follow?

2) What type of post game follow up is done by conferences with officials? Are the clips that teams send in on what they think are “bad calls” ever discussed or even reviewed?

1. Targeting is easily the most hated rule in football by the fans, however it's something that the conferences and coaches want out of the game. The rules are there for a reason.

There are 2 different aspects of targeting in the rule book. First rule 9-1-3 which is "forceable contact with the crown of the helmet". This is when defender lowers his head and initiates contact with the top of the helmet. Rule 9-1-4 is "initiating contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless player". Most common blowing up a WR.

So what were seeing now is a decrease of 9-1-4 and a huge spike in 9-1-3 this year. Which isn't a good thing. Now when in doubt it's targeting. The players really brought this on themselves. NFL basically eliminated it, but college is still a huge issue.

Replay was introduced to catch everything since on field its nearly impossible to get all of them. 9-1-4 is easier to see. Replay gives lots angles which makes it easy to see.

2. Teams send in plays each week for conference go review. These make it on training tapes for conference calls and NCAA training tape. Crews also review their own game. Penalties are submitted and descriptions of what you saw and why you called it. The game film is evaluated by a grader. Calls and non calls are graded as missed calls (called), no call missed calls, marginal calls, correct call, incorrect judgment. These grades go into future game assignments and bowl games. Plus if you remain in the conference or if in lower conference move up.

These training tapes look like this (play 5 covers targeting)

 

[Jim14510]

The targeting call is necessary imo but they need to get rid of tossing them from the game. Keep it a 15 yard penalty and that's the end of it.

 

[YankeesJunkie]

Almost certainly, but as long as the OL is engaging within the body it is usually ignored, when the OL has his arms outstretched or he is holding to the arms of the defensive players is when the flag is thrown.

 

[YankeesJunkie]

Added Note: Or if you are playing Nebraska in B1G play you have to beg for one by noting how long it has been since the last holding calland you get a token holding call.

 

[alt f4]

Is there a holding call that could be made on every play?

Holding is misunderstood by all fans.

First holding must have material impact of the play and/or occur at point of attack. So if a play goes right and left tackle holds, it's not a hold by philosophy. In short, it must prevent a player from making a play on ball carrier.

Furthermore, the hold must fit in 1 of the 6 categories of a hold. See this pdf for descriptions of each.

https://kvfoa.org/clinician/kvfoa.org/6%20Types%20of%20Holds.pdf

 

[Jim14510]

How about spotting the ball when a player goes out of bounds? I.e. if a player is running at an angle towards the sideline. Is it where the ball is when the ball crosses out of bounds or where the ball is when they actually touch out of bounds?

 

[Havoc34]

1. Targeting is easily the most hated rule in football by the fans, however it's something that the conferences and coaches want out of the game. The rules are there for a reason.

There are 2 different aspects of targeting in the rule book. First rule 9-1-3 which is "forceable contact with the crown of the helmet". This is when defender lowers his head and initiates contact with the top of the helmet. Rule 9-1-4 is "initiating contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless player". Most common blowing up a WR.

So what were seeing now is a decrease of 9-1-4 and a huge spike in 9-1-3 this year. Which isn't a good thing. Now when in doubt it's targeting. The players really brought this on themselves. NFL basically eliminated it, but college is still a huge issue.

Replay was introduced to catch everything since on field its nearly impossible to get all of them. 9-1-4 is easier to see. Replay gives lots angles which makes it easy to see.

2. Teams send in plays each week for conference go review. These make it on training tapes for conference calls and NCAA training tape. Crews also review their own game. Penalties are submitted and descriptions of what you saw and why you called it. The game film is evaluated by a grader. Calls and non calls are graded as missed calls (called), no call missed calls, marginal calls, correct call, incorrect judgment. These grades go into future game assignments and bowl games. Plus if you remain in the conference or if in lower conference move up.

These training tapes look like this (play 5 covers targeting)

Good shit

 

[alt f4]

How about spotting the ball when a player goes out of bounds? I.e. if a player is running at an angle towards the sideline. Is it where the ball is when the ball crosses out of bounds or where the ball is when they actually touch out of bounds?

I work a lot of H and L so I spot nearly every play. When spotting the ball there are hard spots and soft spots. A hard spot is when it nears the line to gain or goal line. A soft spot is when the line to gain is obviously reached or obviously short. Hard spots are meant to be exact spots. You might get only a handful of these a game, maybe even just one or two.

When going out of bounds these typically are soft spots because it's obvious past line to gain or short. In the rare chance that you have a hard spot going out of bounds, most common are near goal line, you spot ball where it crossed out of bounds. So if running down left sideline, ball in left hand, it'll be a yard shorter than if in right hand.

 

[alt f4]

How was it not fair catch interference when Buffalo pushed our guy into CTB?

Kick-catch interference is only by a team A player (kicking team).

Rule 6-1-4a
It is an interference foul if, before the receiver touches the ball, a Team A player enters the area defined by the width of the receiver’s shoulders and extending one yard in front of him. When in question it is a foul.(

 

[hothouse_corn]

@alt f4, do you work with the same crew all the time, or do some of you rotate? Ever worked with banker Steve from West Pointe, NE?

 

[Faux Sean Callahan]

Ask anything football related...

Did the refs call this a miss to stick it to Frost?

 

[Faux Sean Callahan]

Ask anything football related...

What is a rule that you find interesting that is rarely called?
Have you ever witnessed a fair catch kick executed?

 

[hothouse_corn]

Have you ever witnessed a fair catch kick executed?

I'm unaware of this as a thing. I hope someone explains it soon.

Edit: Googled it. I would imagine if it is/was ever executed or even attempted, SB Nation would have a re-winder or Dork Town episode about it.

 

[Faux Sean Callahan]

I'm unaware of this as a thing. I hope someone explains it soon.

Edit: Googled it. I would imagine if it is/was ever executed or even attempted, SB Nation would have a re-winder or Dork Town episode about it.

Put it on your bingo card next game... Maybe next to QB punts for 81 yards or more

 

[hothouse_corn]

Maybe next to QB punts for 81 yards or more

My bingo card has too many stupid things on it for now, but I appreciate your suggestion, and also the youtube link.

I know you can dunk over the crossbar, but I couldn't even kick an extra point back when I was undersized but only slightly athletic.

 

[ChocaEgg]

Can you break down why Tannor's hit on the Illinois QB was considered roughing the passer? Was it because he drove him into the ground, or was it because of where his helmet made contact with the QB (looked like right under the chin)?

 

[alt f4]

@alt f4, do you work with the same crew all the time, or do some of you rotate? Ever worked with banker Steve from West Pointe, NE?

High school same crew weekly unless I sub, which is a huge need.

College is the same crew as well until playoff time.

I have not worked with him, my crews are mostly Lincoln and Omaha.

 

[alt f4]

What is a rule that you find interesting that is rarely called?
Have you ever witnessed a fair catch kick executed?

There are a couple.
1. Participating without a helmet. This rule is a result as a lot of coming off during the play several years ago. We actually had to tally in game and in practice how many came off. I believe one game we had around 15. Helmets still come off, but I've only had one player continue to play and get called for it. Most guys stop right away or it's towards the end of the play.

2. Batting or kicking a loose ball rules. This one has several test questions every year and I have yet to see this in game. On one of our training tapes we actually had a kicker from around the 2-yard turn and kick the ball out the back of the endzone. Luckily it was a seasoned white hat that knew the options of decline the illegal kicking and safety, or half distance to goal, loss of down, and other team gets ball 1st and goal.

3. Block in the back. This is the most common called foul that is actually not a foul on all levels. The head in front/head in back is NOT the true definition of the foul, even contact in the back isn't a foul. Basically if a defender and blocker share the same yard line, it's not a foul. If blocker is coming from behind or a yard line different it's a foul. We call this "chase mode", meaning the blocker is chasing the back of a defender. You see a lot of "side blocks" called for block in the back. Also, you see a lot of coaches, players, and fans go nuts for a block in the back on a side block.

In high school. Unsportsmanlike on home team for band or dance team going over the allotted half time and going into the 3-minute warm-up period. We actually had to throw this once for a band/dance team that didn't just go into 3-minute period, they went well into it not allowing the visiting team an area to warm-up. Talk about pissing off a head coach.

Also in high school. Unsportsmanlike for not being on the field when the 3-minute warm-up starts. There are certain teams that have freshman/reserves that run out a head of time and get to the field as the rest of the team spends an extra minute or two to get back to the field.

Fair Catch Kick
I have never had it, but there was a situation years ago in a high school game that would have been perfect for this right before half time. Punting into the wind, deep in endzone ball made it to around the 30 with a fair catch with a 1 or 2 seconds remaining.

 

[HCFord1]

If you could change one rule in football, what would it be?


Personally, I've always thought that a fumble going out of bounds through the scoring team's end zone resulting in a turnover and touchback is idiotic. If that ball goes out of bounds 1 inch short of the pylon, then the offense retains possession at the spot of the fumble. Why should it be any different if the ball hits the pylon?

 

[pigsonthewing]

Are you excited for Matrix 4?

I'm betting Trinity turns out to be the real "one" because Neo has a meat missile.