Uncatchable-Late in 2nd Quarter

[day-day]

Pass interference call against TT was waived off and I thought at 1st it was a good call. After seeing replay, looks like the receiver could have made a play if he had not been completely knocked off the route. If the defense interferes hard enough, then all passes are uncatchable :eek2:

 

[Roll_Tide_Gal]

Those are my feelings exactly.

 

[Bama-94-00]

I thought that hit was getting close to a personal foul. Almost helmet to helmet, not that matters in college FB.

 

[jayt4uofa]

That play was right in front of me and that wasnt Pass Interference. That play was a personal foul. That Tech DB/Safety did that on purpose. He intentionally was going for that hit. He had no intentions in going for the ball and that ball was catchable.

 

[jeremy]

Its cool. We won. We always find a way to beat our opponents and the refs.

 

[Tide64]

I've never understood the "uncatchable ball" rule anyway. If the defender had done that when the ball was not in the air, it would have been illegal contact. Why does it change when the ball is in the air? It should still be an illegal hit downfield. And the defender doesn't know its "uncatchable" when he decides to hit the receiver.

 

[NG]

If the defender had done that when the ball was not in the air, it would have been illegal contact.

Told my wife the same thing. I don't get it either.

 

[Queasy1]

There was no way that ball was catchable but that TT player still should have been flagged for something. He got beat on the route but got away with a mugging.

 

[day-day]

I've never understood the "uncatchable ball" rule anyway. If the defender had done that when the ball was not in the air, it would have been illegal contact. Why does it change when the ball is in the air? It should still be an illegal hit downfield. And the defender doesn't know its "uncatchable" when he decides to hit the receiver.

I don't fully understand it either. I do see some logic in that the illegal contact before the ball is in the air affects the receivers ability to get open which affects the quarterback's decision on whether to throw or not which can result in sacks, tuck-and-runs, throwing out-of-bounds, etc.. Once the ball is in the air, the QB's decision is no longer in play but the receiver's ability to catch the ball can still be affected unless the ball is uncatchable. If the ball is truly uncatchable, then the illegal contact didn't have an affect on the outcome of the play. I've seen plays (like the one in question) where it is not certain how close the reciever would have been to the ball had he been allowed an extra stride or two and a jump and where the ball would have been based on its trejectory.

I've seen several plays when I just "knew" the receiver had no chance while the ball was in the air, but they made a couple of extra steps, jumped, stretched out, dragged a foot, and made the catch. If a defender had bumped them on these plays, a ref could have easily ruled that the ball was uncatchable.

 

[dvldog]

If the balls uncatchable why hit the reciever? Should be some sort of a foul.

 

[TX TideFan]

There was no way that ball was catchable but that TT player still should have been flagged for something. He got beat on the route but got away with a mugging.

I understand the uncatchable rule, but you can't have guys mauling a reciever as he jumps and not call anything because the ball was a little high. Needless to say...I think that rule needs a little tweeking. Seems like some kind of intentional/flagrant/personal foul clause should be added to that rule. That play was a perfect example of how people get hurt when they shouldn't. That could have ended up being really bad. Thank God it wasn't.

Roll Tide

 

[cooleddie]

I thought that hit was getting close to a personal foul. Almost helmet to helmet, not that matters in college FB.

I was thinking the same thing. It looked like the DB was playing the receiver and not the ball. Plus, it looked much worse than a normal pass interference play. That might have been a 15 yarder in the NFL.