Cajuns Win A Wild One Over The Red Wolves On Senior Day

[DieHard1280]

Well, I think they considered it a backwards lateral. Even if it hits the ground, (unlike a fumble) it can be advanced by the player that recovers it.

Luckily the ball carrier was down before he lateraled (or fumbled).

Correct, yes, and YES (he definitely threw it)

[ATXCajun]

Would that hold up in an appeal if the video had not been clear. Any case the friggin zebras never saw anything. They blew it any way they could.

This is the scary part. They were prepared to hand this one to ASU on an illegal play.

[ATXCajun]

Well, I think they considered it a backwards lateral. Even if it hits the ground, (unlike a fumble) it can be advanced by the player that recovers it.

Luckily the ball carrier was down before he lateraled (or fumbled).

In the previous post I failed in include some lead in language from the rule. I fixed that post and I'll include here.

Yes, under most circumstances, a backward pass can be advanced. However, the rule provides an exception that fits our circumstance:

Rule 7-2-2-a Caught or Recovered
When a backward pass or fumble is caught or recovered by any inbounds player, the ball continues in play.
Exception 2
On fourth down before a change of team possession, when a Team A fumble is caught or recovered by a Team A player other than the fumbler, the ball is dead. If the catch or recovery is beyond the spot of the fumble, the ball is returned to the spot of the fumble.

[DieHard1280]

If the catch or recovery is beyond the spot of the fumble, the ball is returned to the spot of the fumble.

It didn't look like a fumble to me. Is there more to the rule?

[Boomer]

It didn't look like a fumble to me. Is there more to the rule?

---So the call should have been dead ball and ball to the Cajuns--first down with 2 seconds to play---correct???

[Bankruptcyman]

So none of those multiple lateral plays at the end of a game can occur on 4th down? What about laterals downfield? I think in this case the stAte QB was not lateralling to anyone in particular as he was being tackled. Does that make it a fumble if you just throw the ball backward wildly?

[ulXrunner]

Was it a fumble or a backwards lateral? He looked to purposely throw it back.

[Cajunsmike]

Staff member told me it was a lateral. Therefore had he thrown the ball before being down, it would have been a TD. When I asked if they were confident the QB was down while waiting on replay, his response was they were praying too hard to be confident.

[Boomer]

Staff member told me it was a lateral. Therefore had he thrown the ball before being down, it would have been a TD. When I asked if they were confident the QB was down while waiting on replay, his response was they were praying too hard to be confident.

-Damn Mike --now that is just the opposite of what ATX posted as the complete rule---Help!!!

[CharlieK]

Still have not gotten it right. The correct call was to blow the whistle, or at least declare a dead ball after the fact, when the OL when a player other than the fumbler attempted to advance the ball.

Rule 4-1-3 Ball declared dead
A live ball becomes dead and an official shall sound his whistle or declare it dead:
(j) when, before a change of team possession on fourth down or a try, a Team A fumble is caught or recovered by a Team A player other than the fumbler.

Rule 7-2-2-a Caught or Recovered
When a backward pass or fumble is caught or recovered by any inbounds player, the ball continues in play.
Exception 2
On fourth down before a change of team possession, when a Team A fumble is caught or recovered by a Team A player other than the fumbler, the ball is dead. If the catch or recovery is beyond the spot of the fumble, the ball is returned to the spot of the fumble.

In the replay it was clearly an attempted lateral, not a fumble. And he was clearly down before he got the ball out.

[Cajunsmike]

In the replay it was clearly an attempted lateral, not a fumble. And he was clearly down before he got the ball out.

To summarize, a lateral is legal in that instance while an intentional fumble is not.

[Boomer]

In the replay it was clearly an attempted lateral, not a fumble. And he was clearly down before he got the ball out.

---The fact that he was down makes the point moot---but what if he hadn't been down---what would have been the ruling??? it has been said that when the lineman picked it up it was a dead ball even if he wasn't down before the back pass!!!