In last nights game with Russell and Belfry Russell kicked off and one of the Belfry players was attempting to field the ball and touched it. The ball continued into the end zone where a Belfry player covered the ball and slid out of the end zone with the ball. The ref's had a meeting and determined it to be a touch back. Question: Would it still have been a touch back had Russell recovered it in the end zone?? Or is it a live ball? If it's a live ball why was it not a safty??

We were all confused too, Jeepman.

 

One more point though. He didn't ever gain possession in the end zone, the ball squirted out the back of the end zone as he tried to cover it.

 

My take on this was that Belfry never had possession of the ball. Had somebody fielded the ball, gained possession, and then fumbled it through the end zone it would have been a safety. But I don't know. lol.

Sounds like a muff, automatic touchback when the ball crosses the goalline.

What if Russell would have covered it in the end zone?

Touchback even if Russell recovers.

A muff is basically saying the player never controlled the ball. So, it is

the same as if the ball rolled past him (without touching it) into the endzone,touchback.

 

Would still be a live ball had Belfry gained possesion then fumbled it

then some how the ball goes into the endzone.

Where is Jimmyref when you need him?!!!

double d is on the money.

 

Remember, highschool rules are different than college and NFL. As soon as the kick crosses the goal line, it's over in highschool.

Ball crosses the goalline in HS and it is dead.

double d is on the money.

 

Remember, highschool rules are different than college and NFL. As soon as the kick crosses the goal line, it's over in highschool.

 

That's good to know! :thumb:

Was the play on a kickoff ?? I thought I remembered the situation happening during a punt...?

 

If it were from a punt, I think the ball stays live in the end zone for either team to recover...

Where is Jimmyref when you need him?!!!

Offside is the authority. Think of it as the kick has continued when a muff occurs. So touchback, once again the refs make the right call.

I thought it was after a punt also because Russell players were there very quick .I believe they almost recovered it.

A similar play happened in last year's Newport/Russell game. Newport kicked off, the Russell player muffed it, the ball barely rolled into the endzone where Newport recovered. Ball was placed on the twenty with a first down for Russell. Had it stopped on the 1, it would have been Newport's ball (at least that is the way I understand the rule).

I thought the play was on a punt also.

 

And May signaled fair catch too, but couldn't handle it and the above happened.

 

Change anything?

It is a touchback as soon as the ball crosses the goalline in HS football. Whether it was touched or muffed it doesn't matter, it's dead as soon as it crosses the goalline. Now if he would have possesed it then it would be different. I will say this, it looked as though the Backjudge was just as confused as everyone else because he never made an initial call. He went to the referee and discussed with him what he had and the referee then made the CORRECT call.