Post by JayBee on Oct 30, 2007 7:00:37 GMT -5
Fobbs gets lowdown on controversial call
By Rob Daniels Staff Writer
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007 3:00 am
N.C. A&T AT FLORIDA A&M
When: 3 p.m. Saturday
Where: Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, Fla.
Records: N.C. A&T 0-9 overall, 0-6 MEAC; Florida A&M 2-6, 1-4
Online: www.ncataggies.com or thefamuratters.cstv.com
GREENSBORO -- N.C. A&T coach Lee Fobbs surely thought he'd be spending some of his Sunday preparing a formal inquiry or complaint to the MEAC office about an official's verdict in the previous day's 24-20 loss to Bethune-Cookman. Basic logic was in his favor.
But if logic always governed the law, half of the federal tax code would have been shredded by now. And so it is with pieces of the 256-page epistle known as "NCAA Football: 2007 Rules and Interpretations." Or so it is commonly assumed.
Fobbs acknowledged Monday that the men in stripes got it right when they ruled midway through the fourth quarter Saturday that the Wildcats' muffed punt into the end zone resulted in maintained possession for Bethune-Cookman and a touchback and not an Aggies safety.
"In analyzing the film, it was the correct call," Fobbs said. "It wasn't explained to me that way at that time, but it was the correct call."
Wildcats return man Corey Council, who had an otherwise outstanding day with 167 yards of total offense, set things in motion when he attempted to catch Lee Woodson's punt at his 2-yard line. He dropped the ball -- known officially as a muff rather than a fumble because he had never firmly established possession -- and dived on it on the goal line.
When an offensive player -- a quarterback, running back or wide receiver operating from scrimmage -- loses the ball and covers it in the end zone, a safety is awarded to the defense. So why isn't that the deal with the dropped punt?
The answer has to do with "impetus," the principle that explains why the ball is where it is. On a play from scrimmage, the impetus is the burden of the offensive team because a play begins under the assumption that the offense is in control. But a punt, if not cleanly handled, falls to the ground because of where it has come from -- namely the sky and that thing called gravity. The impetus is not with the receiver but with the kicking team until the receiver catches and firmly secures the ball. Any loss of possession thereafter is a fumble.
A&T hoped it had a safety, which would have given the Aggies a 22-17 lead, receipt of a free kick and a chance to chew up some of the 7:42 on the clock.
But that's not the rule. Once Council muffed the kick, the ball was live. The Aggies would have scored a touchdown if they had recovered in the end zone. But Council was bailed out of trouble when he recovered on the goal line. That gave his team possession on the 20. If he had grabbed it on the 1, the Wildcats would have started their drive there.
Was it odd? Sure. But only two hours later, a similar play occurred during the Virginia-N.C. State game in Raleigh.
The Wolfpack's Darrell Blackman muffed a ball into the end zone, picked it up and successfully ran back out. What if he had failed to cross back into the field of play, you ask?
"He can field the ball, run and get tackled back there (in the end zone) and it's still a touchback," said Doug Rhoads, the ACC's supervisor of officials.
Rhoads spent 30 years on the field as a back judge, which means this sort of thing is his call. He says he saw it occur once a season and understands the confusion. Players know they've got to grab a ball they've touched, but many don't realize that the ball's impetus into the end zone in such a circumstance is a lucky break for them. It's essentially a reward for poor judgment because special-teams coaches routinely order return men to ignore any punt bound to hit inside the 10.
Fobbs measured his words carefully after Saturday's game, A&T's 25th consecutive loss. He repeated the nature of his conversation with the officials, but he stopped short of saying his team had been wronged. That became important when he ascertained the officials were right in administering a rule that many find contradictory to other precepts of football.
Contact Rob Daniels at 373-7028 or rdaniels @news-record.com
By Rob Daniels Staff Writer
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007 3:00 am
N.C. A&T AT FLORIDA A&M
When: 3 p.m. Saturday
Where: Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, Fla.
Records: N.C. A&T 0-9 overall, 0-6 MEAC; Florida A&M 2-6, 1-4
Online: www.ncataggies.com or thefamuratters.cstv.com
GREENSBORO -- N.C. A&T coach Lee Fobbs surely thought he'd be spending some of his Sunday preparing a formal inquiry or complaint to the MEAC office about an official's verdict in the previous day's 24-20 loss to Bethune-Cookman. Basic logic was in his favor.
But if logic always governed the law, half of the federal tax code would have been shredded by now. And so it is with pieces of the 256-page epistle known as "NCAA Football: 2007 Rules and Interpretations." Or so it is commonly assumed.
Fobbs acknowledged Monday that the men in stripes got it right when they ruled midway through the fourth quarter Saturday that the Wildcats' muffed punt into the end zone resulted in maintained possession for Bethune-Cookman and a touchback and not an Aggies safety.
"In analyzing the film, it was the correct call," Fobbs said. "It wasn't explained to me that way at that time, but it was the correct call."
Wildcats return man Corey Council, who had an otherwise outstanding day with 167 yards of total offense, set things in motion when he attempted to catch Lee Woodson's punt at his 2-yard line. He dropped the ball -- known officially as a muff rather than a fumble because he had never firmly established possession -- and dived on it on the goal line.
When an offensive player -- a quarterback, running back or wide receiver operating from scrimmage -- loses the ball and covers it in the end zone, a safety is awarded to the defense. So why isn't that the deal with the dropped punt?
The answer has to do with "impetus," the principle that explains why the ball is where it is. On a play from scrimmage, the impetus is the burden of the offensive team because a play begins under the assumption that the offense is in control. But a punt, if not cleanly handled, falls to the ground because of where it has come from -- namely the sky and that thing called gravity. The impetus is not with the receiver but with the kicking team until the receiver catches and firmly secures the ball. Any loss of possession thereafter is a fumble.
A&T hoped it had a safety, which would have given the Aggies a 22-17 lead, receipt of a free kick and a chance to chew up some of the 7:42 on the clock.
But that's not the rule. Once Council muffed the kick, the ball was live. The Aggies would have scored a touchdown if they had recovered in the end zone. But Council was bailed out of trouble when he recovered on the goal line. That gave his team possession on the 20. If he had grabbed it on the 1, the Wildcats would have started their drive there.
Was it odd? Sure. But only two hours later, a similar play occurred during the Virginia-N.C. State game in Raleigh.
The Wolfpack's Darrell Blackman muffed a ball into the end zone, picked it up and successfully ran back out. What if he had failed to cross back into the field of play, you ask?
"He can field the ball, run and get tackled back there (in the end zone) and it's still a touchback," said Doug Rhoads, the ACC's supervisor of officials.
Rhoads spent 30 years on the field as a back judge, which means this sort of thing is his call. He says he saw it occur once a season and understands the confusion. Players know they've got to grab a ball they've touched, but many don't realize that the ball's impetus into the end zone in such a circumstance is a lucky break for them. It's essentially a reward for poor judgment because special-teams coaches routinely order return men to ignore any punt bound to hit inside the 10.
Fobbs measured his words carefully after Saturday's game, A&T's 25th consecutive loss. He repeated the nature of his conversation with the officials, but he stopped short of saying his team had been wronged. That became important when he ascertained the officials were right in administering a rule that many find contradictory to other precepts of football.
Contact Rob Daniels at 373-7028 or rdaniels @news-record.com
