CNS's Best "in-game" Coaching Calls

[4Q Basket Case]

I'm die hard as they come but I'm still not convinced the ball hit the ground and that it's not kick catch interference unless someone can prove to me otherwise

You're putting forward Dabo's argument.

Humphrey caught the ball on the fly. It didn't come close to touching the ground. It didn't have to. There was no Clemson player who was anywhere near in position to make the catch. Therefore, no catch interference.

According to Google AI, "In NCAA football, kick catch interference occurs when a player from the kicking team (Team A) interferes with a receiver (Team B) attempting to catch a kick, either free kick or scrimmage kick. This interference can be called even without physical contact if the kicking team player obstructs the receiver's path to the ball."

The whole play is predicated on the receiving team not paying attention to the possibility of onside. In this case, Humphrey was 3-4 yards clear of the nearest Clemson player and running away from him. So there was no Clemson player attempting to make the catch, and no way Humphrey could have impeded any player's path to the ball.

That play was clean as a Mayo Clinic scalpel immediately pre-surgery.

 

[colbysullivan]

I'm die hard as they come but I'm still not convinced the ball hit the ground and that it's not kick catch interference unless someone can prove to me otherwise

That’s not how kick-offs work. The ball is live after 10 yards, period. The kicking team absolutely does not have to give the receiving team a chance to catch a kickoff. It’s not like a punt.

 

[YellowHammerTime]

I'm researching this further, but I was almost certain the ball has to touch the ground before A (Kicking team) can recover it.

 

[YellowHammerTime]

Ok, it seems I was wrong about the ball having to touch the ground, I'm still digging. That is very interesting to me strategy wise, because I'd love to see it more often. But I did discover that any Clemson player could have called fair catch no matter where they are on the field. Which is what they should have done. But that would have been such a quick reaction I'm not sure anyone thought to do it.

 

[YellowHammerTime]

I find this interesting in the 2015 rule book. I'd love more clarification on #3.

Touching and Recovery of a Free Kick ARTICLE 3. a.
No Team A player may touch a free-kicked ball until after:

1. It touches a Team B player (Exception: Rules 6-1-4 and 6-5-1-b);
2. It breaks the plane of and remains beyond Team B’s restraining line (Exception: Rule 6-4-1) (A.R. 2-12-5-I); or
3. It touches any player, the ground, an official or anything beyond Team B’s restraining line

Thereafter, all players of Team A become eligible to touch, recover or catch the kick.

 

[BamaMoon]

YellowHammer, you gonna try to overturn the play or something???

It happened and it was "legal" and there's no changing it!

 

[YellowHammerTime]

Oh no no no no. Not overturn. But I'm definitely for 100% transparency