You make the call

[LABUB]

Did anyone or everyone take the certification test 2 weeks ago? There was a question that read something like this if I can remember.
White intercepts a pass on his own 2 yard line and his momentum carries him into the endzone, where Red incidentally grabs White's face mask. White then fumbles and the ball rolls back into the field of play and out of bounds on the 3 yard line. Where do you penalize the face mask from?

 

[bamajake]

Interesting question. I will let others take a shot at it before I give my answer.

 

[TSUBAMAFAN]

Since you don't know if White would have taken a knee or run the ball out of the endzone, I would think that the play is still alive and the penalty would be assessed from the end of the play (3 yard line).

 

[VolFan1]

Since the foul occurred in the endzone. You give the touchback and the penalize 5 more yards. So white would get the ball on the 25.

Not sure if this is right or not. If it is right, I am not sure I would have got it right in a game.

 

[bamajake]

OK, I will take a stab at this one now. I am not certain of my response and I hope that someone who is certain will let me know if I am right. (Where are you Jref?)

In determining the enforcement spot (where a penalty is measured from) we apply the "all but one principle." The "all but one principle" states that, with certain exceptions, all penalties are enforced from the "basic spot" with the exception of a foul by the offense that occurs behind the basic spot. So, in order to determine the enforcement spot, we must determine the basic spot.

By rule the basic spot is the 20 yard line if the team committing the foul is responsible for putting the ball in the opponent's end zone and the run ends in the end zone and is followed by a loose ball regardless of where the ball becomes dead.

In this case, the Red team is responsible for the ball being put in the end zone (hence the momentum exception) and the foul occurred in the end zone and the run ended in the end zone and was followed by a loose ball (the fumble).

Based on all of this, I would say that the basic spot is the 20 yard line. Applying the all but one principle, you would then add 5 yards for the incidental facemask penalty and spot the ball on the 25, first and ten for White.

 

[I hate fat phil]

Since the foul occurred in the endzone. You give the touchback and the penalize 5 more yards. So white would get the ball on the 25.

Not sure if this is right or not. If it is right, I am not sure I would have got it right in a game.

Hate to agree with a Vol fan but, I do believe you are right.

 

[VolFan1]

I think rule 10-4-7 applies here. That makes the goal line the basic spot.

 

[bamajake]

Actually VolFan, I believe it is 10-4-6 that applies. The difference between 10-4-6 and 10-4-7 is who put the ball in the end zone. To use the terms of the question, did Red (offense) or White (defense) put the ball in the end zone? I believe that it would be Red. Remember the reasoning behind the momentum exception is that the player making the interception could not prevent himself (and the ball) from going into the end zone. If you determine that Red is responsible for the ball going into the end zone, then the basic spot is the 20. If White was responsible, it would be the goal lone.

 

[Jref]

10-4-6 is the correct reference. See Casebook play 10.4.6 Situation A, which is directly on point.

The penalty will be enforced from the 20 to the 25. White's ball, 1st-and-10.