Syracuse game opening kickoff-did return man step out of endzone

[WorkingMyTailOff]

It doesn't matter now, as we won the game. However, did anyone else think the Syracuse kick return man step out of the endzone before kneeling for a touchback? Maybe you're allowed to do that?

 

[mnsportsgeek]

He did step out of the end zone, and yes, you are allowed to do that IF the ball doesn't leave the end zone. Obviously the kick returner had no idea what he was doing and got really lucky. A few more inches and it was a safety for us. Which is 2 more points than we got after the interception.

 

[Schnauzer]

I was at the game seated near that end zone and it looked to me like his toes were out of the end zone. I watched it carefully on DVR and yes, he most certainly had part of his foot out of the end zone.

 

[WorkingMyTailOff]

He did step out of the end zone, and yes, you are allowed to do that IF the ball doesn't leave the end zone. Obviously the kick returner had no idea what he was doing and got really lucky. A few more inches and it was a safety for us. Which is 2 more points than we got after the interception.

Thank you for clarifying!

 

[50PoundHead]

He did step out of the end zone, and yes, you are allowed to do that IF the ball doesn't leave the end zone. Obviously the kick returner had no idea what he was doing and got really lucky. A few more inches and it was a safety for us. Which is 2 more points than we got after the interception.

Would it have been a safety if the ball was out of the end zone? I'm under the impression (don't know the rule) that the ball would have been spotted where it was when the knee went down, which would have been on the micron-yard line.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

If he was out of the end zone he would have been spotted within the one yard line. But if he did what he did and went back in to the end zone after leaving the end zone, it would have been a safety

 

[GopherGack]

If he was out of the end zone he would have been spotted within the one yard line. But if he did what he did and went back in to the end zone after leaving the end zone, it would have been a safety

This is correct. This actually happened last week in the Georgia Tech game. A player received the kick off in the end zone and began to return it but decided against it while still in the end zone. He tried to stop himself and kneel down but his momentum carried him off balance and he leaned forward at the waist and put his free hand down outside of the end zone. Both his feet remained in the end zone however the ball broke the plane of the goal line when he leaned forward. After he regained his balance and kneeled down in the end zone he was called for a safety even though nothing but his two arms and the ball broke the plain of the goal line.

 

[oleboy41]

It is 100% about where the ball is. Where the player is does not matter. If the ball crosses the goal line it has to be entirely over the line otherwise it's a safety. Just like getting just the tip of the ball across the goal line is a touchdown, any part of the ball in the endzone means its a touchback, safety or TD

 

[MNVCGUY]

It is 100% about where the ball is. Where the player is does not matter. If the ball crosses the goal line it has to be entirely over the line otherwise it's a safety. Just like getting just the tip of the ball across the goal line is a touchdown, any part of the ball in the endzone means its a touchback, safety or TD

There are a lot of different scenarios that can take place but the officials got the call right in the game.