Fair catch play

[cjr3888]

OK, I may have missed that, I had had a bunch of IPA's at that point.

I didn't notice it until yesterday while watching the highlights. Many people sitting around us didn't see the fair catch signal either during the play.

[RaginDave]

I truly do not think he saw the fair catch signal. If that is the case it should completely changes the analysis of some here. Until I am told different by the player, I’m going with that scenario.

Oh let me be the first to say, I don't think or know if he saw it and I was okay with his initial reaction, but once we all knew (the ones watching it on TV), that it was a penalty then that is where I got upset.

Again one of the pieces that doesn't matter is that whether or not he made a FC call, it would have been a penalty because of the HALO rule. If he would have just made the same play without the targeting, it still would have been a penalty. He did not get the receiver a chance to catch the ball. Their were two penalties on the play,

--Not giving the receiver 2 yard circle to catch the ball
--Targeting

Here is the definition by the NCAA of the "HALO RULE"

The halo rule was an NCAA rule that protected punt returners who were looking to catch the punt. The halo rule stated that players need to give the punt returner a two-yard cushion before he catches the ball.

[CajunVic]

https://video.search.yahoo.com/searc...7&action=click

I’m not sure he does not have the two yards distance before the catch is made also . . .

[Turbine]

Here is the definition by the NCAA of the "HALO RULE"

The halo rule was an NCAA rule that protected punt returners who were looking to catch the punt. The halo rule stated that players need to give the punt returner a two-yard cushion before he catches the ball.

I appreciate everything in your post.

Related to the part I quoted, do you know if there is a time buffer between the moment the ball touches the hands and the time it is considered a catch?

[RaginDave]

https://video.search.yahoo.com/searc...7&action=click

I’m not sure he does not have the two yards distance before the catch is made also . . .

Watching the replay, he was it looks like he was inside the 2 yards. The penalty was called for "Kick catch interference and targeting"

[RaginDave]

I appreciate everything in your post.

Related to the part I quoted, do you know if there is a time buffer between the moment the ball touches the hands and the time it is considered a catch?

That I don't know. I think allot of it is judgement call by the referee.

[BabbForHeisman]

I truly do not think he saw the fair catch signal. If that is the case it should completely change the analysis of some here. Until I am told different by the player, I’m going with that scenario.

I don't think we'll ever know the truth (and it doesn't really matter)...but he was about 10 yards away from the returner when the fair catch was signaled, with no blockers in between. Clear line of sight. If he wasn't looking at the returner making the fair catch call, I don't know where he possibly could have been looking.

His momentum from his initial running pace was taking him to the left of the returner. Then the returner quickly moved that way to catch the ball. Instincts kicked in and he lowered his shoulder with the ball carrier now in his path.

Wasn't great. Wasn't dirty either.

[RaginDave]

https://video.search.yahoo.com/searc...7&action=click

I’m not sure he does not have the two yards distance before the catch is made also . . .

check out the picture. Player does not have the ball and he is inside the 2 yards already.

[KajunKrazy]

I never saw him wave his arm even on the replay, and he was making a football move of starting to run, our player didnt lead with his head and gave a clear hard hit, but it was a spark that fire up the team. I'm not sure if Marshall made another first down after that call.

Overall, the refs were horrible ( I don't know which division they were from) and seeing how chippy the game got, I say that we are going to have another team in the conference that plays dirty ball in the trenches

He clearly waved his arm.

[RaginDave]

I never saw him wave his arm even on the replay, and he was making a football move of starting to run, our player didnt lead with his head and gave a clear hard hit, but it was a spark that fire up the team. I'm not sure if Marshall made another first down after that call.

Overall, the refs were horrible ( I don't know which division they were from) and seeing how chippy the game got, I say that we are going to have another team in the conference that plays dirty ball in the trenches

I thought they mentioned that they were MWC officials, but I could be wrong.

[BabbForHeisman]

check out the picture. Player does not have the ball and he is inside the 2 yards already.

This is also a pretty clear illustration of how the returners motion played into this. You can take a good guess from this picture about where the defender's line of motion was. But half a second earlier, the returner would have been a step or two further to the right in this picture. Those paths weren't going to cross until the returner moved.

[Go_UL]

He clearly waved his arm.