Iceland12
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Only the Replay Booth knows for sure!
I have a LOT more sympathy for Ref after looking for the "what is a catch" rule. The NCAA Football Rulebook is 272 pages long! I'm sure I missed something but below is all I could find on what constitutes a catch.
First here is what it doesn't involves: "making a football move" or "taking at least two steps". While that may be in the Pro or High School rules it isn't in the College Rules. It also doesn't state what College Announcers have told me many times "if any part of the ball touches the ground, even if it's held, it's not a reception". Nope, if it's "still in his firm grasp" it's a catch, ground touch or no. The "he had his hand underneath it" guys are actually more correct.
Me, I think Tow-Arnett's catch was a fumble. It seemed that the Refs were in full tilt make-up mode in the Fourth Quarter after some outrageous calls went against Minnesota regardless of the number of good calls which also went against the Gophers.
Here is the key though to the whole thing: when in question it's not a catch. If some of the hundreds of announcers I've heard had said that, a lot of calls people got upset about, in a LOT of games, could at least be explained.
If it's in doubt it's not a catch.
If I was a much classier guy I would apologize to my Iowa and Wisconsin compatriots for complaining or screaming about pass calls that didn't go the right (my) way. I'm not that classy.
"In Possession
ARTICLE 5. “In possession’’ means the holding or controlling of a live ball
or a ball to be free-kicked. It may refer either to player possession or team
possession.
a. A player gains possession when he secures the ball firmly by holding or
controlling it while contacting the ground inbounds. The ball is then in
player possession.
.........
(1) When one of its players is in possession, including when he is
ARTICLE 7. a. To catch a ball means that a player:
1. Gains possession of a live ball in flight; or
2. Leaves his feet and firmly grasps a live ball in flight, the ball first
touching the ground inbounds while still in his firm grasp; or
3. Leaves his feet, firmly grasps a live ball in flight and either first
returns to the ground inbounds with any part of his body or is so held
that the dead-ball provisions of Rule 4-1-3-
f. When in question, the catch, recovery or interception is not completed.
....and I know this doesn't solve anything!
I have a LOT more sympathy for Ref after looking for the "what is a catch" rule. The NCAA Football Rulebook is 272 pages long! I'm sure I missed something but below is all I could find on what constitutes a catch.
First here is what it doesn't involves: "making a football move" or "taking at least two steps". While that may be in the Pro or High School rules it isn't in the College Rules. It also doesn't state what College Announcers have told me many times "if any part of the ball touches the ground, even if it's held, it's not a reception". Nope, if it's "still in his firm grasp" it's a catch, ground touch or no. The "he had his hand underneath it" guys are actually more correct.
Me, I think Tow-Arnett's catch was a fumble. It seemed that the Refs were in full tilt make-up mode in the Fourth Quarter after some outrageous calls went against Minnesota regardless of the number of good calls which also went against the Gophers.
Here is the key though to the whole thing: when in question it's not a catch. If some of the hundreds of announcers I've heard had said that, a lot of calls people got upset about, in a LOT of games, could at least be explained.
If it's in doubt it's not a catch.
If I was a much classier guy I would apologize to my Iowa and Wisconsin compatriots for complaining or screaming about pass calls that didn't go the right (my) way. I'm not that classy.
"In Possession
ARTICLE 5. “In possession’’ means the holding or controlling of a live ball
or a ball to be free-kicked. It may refer either to player possession or team
possession.
a. A player gains possession when he secures the ball firmly by holding or
controlling it while contacting the ground inbounds. The ball is then in
player possession.
.........
(1) When one of its players is in possession, including when he is
ARTICLE 7. a. To catch a ball means that a player:
1. Gains possession of a live ball in flight; or
2. Leaves his feet and firmly grasps a live ball in flight, the ball first
touching the ground inbounds while still in his firm grasp; or
3. Leaves his feet, firmly grasps a live ball in flight and either first
returns to the ground inbounds with any part of his body or is so held
that the dead-ball provisions of Rule 4-1-3-
f. When in question, the catch, recovery or interception is not completed.
....and I know this doesn't solve anything!