Hypothetical on that call

Donate To GopherHole
K

kuhlmanalex

Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2010
Messages
56
Reaction score
0
Points
6
So; would nothing stop a team from volleyballing it? Especially on 4th and short couldn't the qb "set" it to the RB and he could just "juggle" it or "spike" it ahead and out of bounds for a first down? What a strange rule! Why on Earth would the rule makers make a different rule for fumble and backwards pass? Can someone think of an instance that this would make sense?
 

I think we got hosed, because the "pass" actually lands forward of where the ball was originally thrown from. To me, and according to the way they read the rule, that is a forward pass. Thoughts?
 

My thought is that play/rule means the Gophers will lose by 50 instead of 43.
 

Minnfan said:
I think we got hosed, because the "pass" actually lands forward of where the ball was originally thrown from. To me, and according to the way they read the rule, that is a forward pass. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

It was a backward pass that was deflected forward. As I said on our board, I think the rule needs to be changed. On a 4th down attempt, you can't fumble the ball forward for a 1st down, unless the fumbler is the one who recovers. Why should you be allowed to gain yardage on a mishandled backward pass? I still consider that a fumble. As I said on our board, the rule seems to contradict itself. The way the rule is written, it was called correctly, but the way the rule is written needs to be changed. Any form of a fumble/muffed lateral, etc on a 4th down attempt can only be recovered for a 1st down by the fumbler. That's how the rule should be written/enforced.

This is a case where the rule sucks, and you got screwed because of it.
 

It was the correct call by rule, but like others said it's a stupid rule. Like the OP said, you could essentially do what he did on purpose and get rewarded for it.

Either way, doesn't that play just symbolize our season or even our program right now? Even when we make a stop on 4th down, we really didn't. Just another frustrating play in a frustrating season.
 


There are rules against intentional batting/kicking of the ball in those situations...but they are judgement calls.

NE was on the positive end of a call like that back in '96 Championship year when a last second hail mary was kicked into the air and caught by NE for a victory over MO. If that had been ruled an intentional kick they would have lost the game. Good teams make their breaks...we are not a good team...YET!
 

I think that the rule on the backward pass is an oversight, when the NCAA changed the fumble rule, no one thought to change the backward pass rule. I believe that Nebraska was the reason that the fumble rule was changed, perhaps this game, will be the impetus to change the backward pass rule.
 

GopherinPhilly said:
There are rules against intentional batting/kicking of the ball in those situations...but they are judgement calls.

NE was on the positive end of a call like that back in '96 Championship year when a last second hail mary was kicked into the air and caught by NE for a victory over MO. If that had been ruled an intentional kick they would have lost the game. Good teams make their breaks...we are not a good team...YET!
Click to expand...



Oh for God's sake that an overused phrase ("Good teams make their breaks...good teams find a way to win...blah blah blah...blah blah blah.") Call a spade a spade here. Nebraska got ridiculously lucky, it isn't the first time, and it will happen another dozen times before the Gophers get even one lucky bounce. No GOOD team fumbles a ball on a 4th-down play like that. That's a terrible offensive play, and Nebraska got bailed out by either the refs or the rules or both.
 




This rule needs to be changed pure and simple. The NFL did it, but even they only did it halfway. I just don't see how a forward 'fumble' should not simply be ruled a special situation of an illegal forward pass. Let the play stay live (the offense should still get a chance to recover), but the offense should NOT be able to advance a forward fumble. As others have said, you could 'inadvertently' push the ball forward out of bounds for a first down. Wha?!?

Am I missing something? What's the downside to that interpretation?
 

College football needs to adopt the Casper Rule.

On 4th down any fumble can only be advanced by the fumbler. If the fumble is advanced and recovered by the fumbling team, the ball reverts to the spot where it was fumbled.
 

The Casper rule is a good start, but why just on 4th down? I just don't see why that shouldn't always be the case.

(edit:) Actually, I don't even agree with the 'only the fumbler' part. The refs should have the judgement to determine whether a fumble is forward or not. If it's not forward, it's a lateral, anyone can advance, regardless of down. If it's forward, NO offensive player should be able to advance. Only recover.

Thoughts?
 

tato2001 said:
The Casper rule is a good start, but why just on 4th down? I just don't see why that shouldn't always be the case.
Click to expand...

There is no chance at keeping the ball if you get stopped short of a 1st down on 4th down. If you get stopped short on 1st, 2nd or 3rd down, there is always another down.

So 4th down is the only down where doing something that usually is a mistake, can lead to a 1st down.
 



The rule is what the rule is. The rule was enforced correctly. Even the rule book is against the Gophers in this event. We stopped them, and they ended up with a touchdown out of it. $hit happens.
 

To Ski-U-Mah Gopher: True, but it can still result in something beneficial. A 1 yd play could become a 5 yd play, get you into field goal position as time runs down, give you more room to avoid a safety, etc. Why should the benefit only be so great on 4th down that you have a special rule? I understand you wouldn't necessarily 'try' to do this in those situations, but why not just make it cut and dried?

(Just a philosophical football point, which is probably the best use of the board this year...)
 

It didn't really matter but it is exactly what nsmike said, it is an oversight.

They already fixed the fumble rule and probably couldn't think of a scenario where an incomplete backwards pass would result in a first down. It is kind of a screwy play and I hope the NCAA fixes that little oversight so it doesn't come back to hurt a team in a close game.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom