Question: So why didn't the muffed punt runback give us a touchdown?

[BigAlinKnoxville]

I'm 99.9999% positive this has been discussed, but I haven't nailed it down yet. The Auburn guy touched the ball, which makes it "live," and our guy picked it up and ran it to the end zone. But instead of it being a touchdown, we got the ball back at that spot.

Can someone explain? I always thought that if anyone on the receiving team so much as touches the ball with a fingernail, it becomes up for grabs.

 

[Cruloc]

The kicking team can not advance a muffed punt that they've recovered. Its dead where its recovered.

 

[Windsortide]

When the ball was possessed and fumbled then it could be returned.

 

[Cruloc]

Wig the ball was possessed and fumbled then it could be returned.

Yeah, if the returner starts running and then fumbles.....its just a straight fumble at that point.

 

[BigAlinKnoxville]

The kicking team can not advance a muffed punt that they've recovered. Its dead where its recovered.

Wow. I never knew that. Is it different for a kickoff? Like if we score and then kick it to them, does the same thing apply?

Or is this rule strictly for punts?

 

[Cruloc]

Wow. I never knew that. Is it different for a kickoff? Like if we score and then kick it to them, does the same thing apply?

Or is this rule strictly for punts?

Remember the onside kick we recovered vs Clemson in the title game? Once Humphrey caught it, it was dead where he caught it.

If one of their guys had touched it and then Humphrey recovered it, we gain possession but can't advance.

If one of their guys catches and begins to run, then fumbles.....and we recover....we can geta scoop and score.

 

[BigAlinKnoxville]

Remember the onside kick we recovered vs Clemson in the title game? Once Humphrey caught it, it was dead where he caught it.

If one of their guys had touched it and then Humphrey recovered it, we gain possession but can't advance.

If one of their guys catches and begins to run, then fumbles.....and we recover....we can geta scoop and score.

It seems like at least once a year, I learn something new about football rules!

Thanks.

 

[TitleWave]

It seems like at least once a year, I learn something new about football rules!

Good thing is, you're on a graduated learning curve. Which is different than the punter Burnip who had to unlearn how to kick the ball to himself for a return when he came over from Aussie rules football.

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

The Pick Six should have counted............Arnold didnt step out of bounds

 

[Bruce014]

The Pick Six should have counted............Arnold didnt step out of bounds

I heard that Auburn snapped the ball with 0:00 on the clock, so the play didn't technically happen.

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

I heard that Auburn snapped the ball with 0:00 on the clock, so the play didn't technically happen.

But it was Auburn who snapped the ball, and by some unwritten rule known only to the ancients, snapping with 0:00 on the clock is acceptable in Jordan Hare..............

 

[Snuffy Smith]

But it was Auburn who snapped the ball, and by some unwritten rule known only to the ancients, snapping with 0:00 on the clock is acceptable in Jordan Hare..............

Les Miles can attest to that - as long as you are in the Blue Jerseys.

 

[uaintn]

I'm 99.9999% positive this has been discussed, but I haven't nailed it down yet. The Auburn guy touched the ball, which makes it "live," and our guy picked it up and ran it to the end zone. But instead of it being a touchdown, we got the ball back at that spot.

Can someone explain? I always thought that if anyone on the receiving team so much as touches the ball with a fingernail, it becomes up for grabs.

You are actually pretty close. If the receiving team catches the ball and loses possession, i.e. a fumble, the ball can be recovered and advanced by the kicking team. If the ball makes contact with a player on the receiving team but is not “possessed” , either incidentally or in an attempted catch, then the kicking team can recover it and gains possession, but cannot advance it. In other words, it is a dead ball at that point.

I have read various reasons for the rule including trying to encourage the receiving team to try to field the punt (more excitement), preventing punts directly at the line of scrimmage, and the general unfairness to the receving team that would be highly unlikely to have a player behind a receiver and therefore in a position to try to make a tackle.

Best plan for the kicking team, though, is to try to advance the ball and let the officials sort out later whether it was fumbled.

Not taking a position on the equity of that rule, mind you, just know what I have read before. With Autry’s crew, we are probably lucky they didn’t call a safety on Alabama, award two points, and force us to free kick.

 

[Toddrn]

The Pick Six should have counted............Arnold didnt step out of bounds

He stepped out. It took me about 678,559 mashes of the start/stop button to catch it. His right foot touched the line, between No. 27's feet.View attachment 38553

 

[uaintn]

I did the whole frame by frame thing, too. Sadly, he did step out. The smart play was to take a knee as soon as he secured the catch, but I was yelling for him to score so loudly the dogs went under the coffee table (again).

I did the same frame by frame routine with the snap and if the game clock was accurate, they snapped it with one second left. Of course two of their wide receivers were lined up across the line of scrimmage and one was still moving at the snap. How surprised are you that there were no flags? Of course, after the no-call on poor Burnip getting mugged, Bond getting tackled in the end zone while the ball was in the air, Burton getting slapped in the head in the end zone after the TD play was over, and Latham getting tackled on the next to last play so he couldn't get to the ball in the end zone, what would you expect?

For what it's worth the frame by frame is pretty definitive that Aubie's lineman had his knee down with the ball for a safety and that wasn't reviewed either. No call on the field because the official was busy falling down like he'd had a rug pulled out from under him.... Incompetent and uncoordinated are bad traits for a football official.

 

[Bama Lee]

Wow. I never knew that. Is it different for a kickoff? Like if we score and then kick it to them, does the same thing apply?

Or is this rule strictly for punts?

The opposing team has to have possession of the ball. The returner must catch the ball and make a football move. If he then fumbles the ball, then the defense can advance the ball. Similar to an onside kick.... if the opposing team never possesses the ball, the kickoff team cannot advance the ball (only recover it)

 

[CB4]

The Pick Six should have counted............Arnold didnt step out of bounds

Well if Burton “upon review” was ruled out of bounds on his catch, then we should have expected Autery’s crew to rule Arnold inbounds on his pick six. Given that they ARE the epitome of consistency….consistently terrible.

 

[CB4]

I heard that Auburn snapped the ball with 0:00 on the clock, so the play didn't technically happen.

It was a live play and counted. However, it was highly questionable whether or not the Auburn slot receiver on the right actually got onside and “set” for one second before the snap. Additionally, assuming the blue line for the LOS is correct, it appears both Auburn wide receivers were lined up in the neutral zone at the snap.

 

[dtgreg]

I'm assuming the "coverage team cannot advance it" rule is applicable only where there is a "fair catch" signaled by the receiving team. If the receiving team does not call for a fair catch and runs into the ball out of carelessness, I'm not sure what happens.

 

[RT27]

Wow. I never knew that. Is it different for a kickoff? Like if we score and then kick it to them, does the same thing apply?

Or is this rule strictly for punts?

Kick off goes 10 yds it is live ball but as in clemson game our guy caught the ir ball cannot advance it but if return team touches it you can go with it