re: Any Referees? Question about "Forward Progress"

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My question, was it something that could be challenged?

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Forward progress cannot be challenged, because it's a "judgment call" by the official as to when forward progress was stopped. The part of the play that annoys me (and likely all of us) is if that runner breaks free at the same moment Reid strips the ball, the ref swallows the whistle and they get the yards, which is complete bullshite.

Did the returner call for a fair catch? With a fair catch, I can see giving him where he caught it. But if it was an active return and he fell backwards, it should have been at the 35 where he hit the ground.

not working in education any longer but I am still involved in athletics at the HS level in Texas..

I have a question about the spot of the ball...

Lets say the ball carrier is running out of bounds towards the 1st down marker and dives out of bounds before he and the ball cross the 1st down line but he does not touch out of bounds until he and the ball are past the first down marker.

the ball left in bounds territory at the 34... 1st down is at 35... When he touched out of bounds the ball was at the 36. What result?

I'm the Director of the 7 on 7 teams for the HS in my area.

Keeps me involved but I'm still gainfully employed.

as a coach..

if its my ball carrier, its a first down..

if its my opponent, the fricker was short...

technically, its where the ball was the last point it was in bounds...

think about a runner diving for the endzone pylon..

his whole body can be OOB as long as the ball is in bounds...its where the ball is

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Texas A&M will play their 12th straight game today. They lost their bye week due to having to reschedule their game with La. Tech. They don't look sloppy or tired.

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This!

I'm not sure about the punt but I thought he should be down at the 35.

Contrary to what some have posted, if the runner had broken free instead of, but at the same moment as, Reid stripped him, he would not have been able to advance the ball. If the play was over for Reid, it was over for anything else.

I am a HS official..and have been for 9 years. The punt "forward progress" looked bad. Momentum is ONLY a case when it deals with a touchback or safety. Spot where he landed should have been the succeeding spot where the next play should have put in play. I was like WTH? when I saw that. Not a case for forward progress ruling.

As far as the strip..I just think the wing official was slow on the whistle as he had his hand up signaling the ball was dead. Poor mechanics, but right call.

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1) The biggest one is the fumble. Seems that the ball was stripped while the runner was still fighting to get back forward and prior to the whistle. If he had broken free, he would have been allowed to gain more yards.

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That is a judgement call. In general, defenses aren't allowed to push a runner back and strip the ball. It wasn't a terrible call IMO.

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2) On a punt a little later the Arkansas player received the ball at around the 38 but while moving backwards. He proceeded to fall on his honey-bone after not being touched and land on the 35 yard line. He was awarded forward progress and the ball was spotted at the 38. Seems like because he was moving back of his own volition that the ball should have been spotted at the place he landed.

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That wasn't forward progress. Forward progress is only applicable when the defender pushes the ball carrier backwards. In the case you are referencing, it was a fair catch. The ball is dead at the point of securing the ball. If there was no fair catch then it was a mistake by the ref.

Please tell me you don't really believe that. Sounds like he got let go.