A few readers have pointed out a mistake in my logic regarding the 4th down fumble situation. This is welcome feedback. I hate it when I get things wrong, but I rarely make the same mistake twice. If anyone is interested in becoming an official you need to brave enough to be wrong. Because you will be.
What everyone has pointed out is the an errant snap is a backward pass (i.e., not a fumble) and thus the 4th down fumble rule does not apply. Anyone may advance the ball. However, no one has explained why.
I agree with the response. They are true, albeit incomplete answers. Here is what I mean.
Rule 2-2-3-b says all players are eligible to advance a loose ball from a fumble or backwards pass...
It it more precise to say the muffed snap becomes a loose ball and thus the 4th down fumble rule does not apply. You need to know the loose ball came from a backwards pass, but saying it is a backwards pass is not the reason the 4th down rule does not apply. I can't find anything in the rule book saying a backwards pass can be advanced by any player.... only a loose ball from a backwards pass.
This may sounds like a nit-pick, but actually it is important.
For example, Rule 6-3-1-a say a blocked scrimmage kick behind the LOS is also eligible to be advanced by any player. This is because the ball has become a loose ball. The blocking of the scrimmage kick (as is the muffed snap) is the action which changed the status of the ball. The key is the status of the ball, not the action against the ball.
Officials have this little mind-game we play where on scrimmage kicks we tell ourselves during the loose ball (i.e. the time period after it is kicked and before the kick ends) "it's still a kick, it's still a kick". We do this because if the attempt to gain possession of the kick is muffed, only R may advance. K can recover, but not advance. This is an exception the loose ball rule.
This is my point. All loose balls (grounded for this discussion) may be advanced by any player unless there is an exception.
So, saying "A muffed snap is a backwards pass, so the 4th down rule does not apply" is an accurate description, and we all know what it meant by it, but it is not true. A muffed snap is a loose ball, so the 4th down fumble rule does not apply.
Re-read Rule 2-2-3-b and see if you agree.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Minor League Football - 1st Round Payoff Game
The final score of 73-13 fails to reflect the lack of competitive play during the contest. This game was over ten minutes into the first quarter and the victors could have easily scored 100 points. In fact, at one time during the game, the coach asked me what would happen on the score reached 100, because they planned on running the score up.
From an officiating point of view this was a boring game. There were a lot of interceptions with run backs for scores. The winning team never seemed to have the ball. They score 73 points and maybe ran 30 offensive plays plays the entire game.
I worked the sidelines again. Threw a few offsides, false starts, and illegal formation as usual. The only big penalty was a Defensive PI. Before the first quarter ended the score was already 35-0. Players behind were saying, "hey, that guy is offsides". I said, "ya, I know." Then their team makes a eight yard run and they say "I guess it didn't help them". I say, "you noticed" and they chuckle. I did too but not so they could see me.
We had two interesting plays. The first occurred when the losing team had 4th and short around mid-field. There was a bad snap and then the ubiquitous mass of humanity. If you are not familiar with college rules, there is an important exception on 4th down fumbles. Only the fumbler is allow to pick-up the ball and advance. If another teammate gains possession the play ends and the ball will be placed back at the spot of the fumble.
So, on this play the question is - who is the fumbler on a bad snap? The Snapper or the QB? Typically on these plays the QB picks-up the ball and advances. But I think this is wrong.
Here's my interpretation of this scenario from the 2007 rule book.
2-12-1... Handing the ball is transferring player possession from one teammate to another without throwing, fumbling or kicking
2-12-1-c... loss of player possession by unsuccessful execution of attempted handling is a fumble by the last player in possession.
2-19-2-d...the snap becomes a backward pass when the snapper releases the ball
2-23-1-c ... the screwed-up snap is a backwards pass
2-10-1... a fumble is ANY act other than passing, kicking, or successful handling that results in loss of player possession..
So, I conclude the Snapper was the last player in possession of the ball, and thus on 4th down, the only player who can advance the backwards pass.
Luckily, they didn't make the line to gain anyway, so it was a non-issue, but we did talk about it and I think the White Hat would have given them the first down had they made it.
The second odd play was on a high snap that went over the kickers head. The kicker chased the ball and then kicked it while it was on the ground. An illegal kick. I had to give the White Hat the proper signal. Which really didn't matter because the other team ran the ball back for a score.
This could be my last MLF game this season. The next round of playoffs is next week, but of course, I won't know if I have a game until Wednesday.
From an officiating point of view this was a boring game. There were a lot of interceptions with run backs for scores. The winning team never seemed to have the ball. They score 73 points and maybe ran 30 offensive plays plays the entire game.
I worked the sidelines again. Threw a few offsides, false starts, and illegal formation as usual. The only big penalty was a Defensive PI. Before the first quarter ended the score was already 35-0. Players behind were saying, "hey, that guy is offsides". I said, "ya, I know." Then their team makes a eight yard run and they say "I guess it didn't help them". I say, "you noticed" and they chuckle. I did too but not so they could see me.
We had two interesting plays. The first occurred when the losing team had 4th and short around mid-field. There was a bad snap and then the ubiquitous mass of humanity. If you are not familiar with college rules, there is an important exception on 4th down fumbles. Only the fumbler is allow to pick-up the ball and advance. If another teammate gains possession the play ends and the ball will be placed back at the spot of the fumble.
So, on this play the question is - who is the fumbler on a bad snap? The Snapper or the QB? Typically on these plays the QB picks-up the ball and advances. But I think this is wrong.
Here's my interpretation of this scenario from the 2007 rule book.
2-12-1... Handing the ball is transferring player possession from one teammate to another without throwing, fumbling or kicking
2-12-1-c... loss of player possession by unsuccessful execution of attempted handling is a fumble by the last player in possession.
2-19-2-d...the snap becomes a backward pass when the snapper releases the ball
2-23-1-c ... the screwed-up snap is a backwards pass
2-10-1... a fumble is ANY act other than passing, kicking, or successful handling that results in loss of player possession..
So, I conclude the Snapper was the last player in possession of the ball, and thus on 4th down, the only player who can advance the backwards pass.
Luckily, they didn't make the line to gain anyway, so it was a non-issue, but we did talk about it and I think the White Hat would have given them the first down had they made it.
The second odd play was on a high snap that went over the kickers head. The kicker chased the ball and then kicked it while it was on the ground. An illegal kick. I had to give the White Hat the proper signal. Which really didn't matter because the other team ran the ball back for a score.
This could be my last MLF game this season. The next round of playoffs is next week, but of course, I won't know if I have a game until Wednesday.
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