Fort Campbell 20 Owensboro Catholic 0

[FalconBacker]

Score is closer than the game actually was. FC had a punt return for a TD and an interception return for a TD called back for penalties. I don't believe OC made it inside the Falcon 30 yard line the entire game.

[FC]

Good win for the Falcons and congratulations on a 2nd consecutive District Title. However, way too many penalties for Fort Campbell. Two TDs called back, twice drives inside the 20 moved back and stopped because of penalties. FC had 120+ yards in penalties, OC had 60+. Fort Campbell’s defense played great holding OC to less than 20 yards rushing and right around 100 yards passing, plus 3 interceptions. Like Falconbacker said, this game could have easily been 48-0 without the untimely penalties.

[Dark Horse78]

Any standouts for OC in this game? Sounds like OC played pretty well on D.

[FalconBacker]

Any standouts for OC in this game? Sounds like OC played pretty well on D.

 

The only thing that slowed down the Falcons was the Falcon's penalties. Had it not been for the crazy amount of penalties, the score would have maybe gotten enough out of hand to invoke the mercy rule.

[Dark Horse78]

Good luck to the Falcons, look ready to repeat as champs!

[The Scribe]

Fort Campbell is a team that could have done without a bye week. They were absolutely rolling going into the off week. Now they have to restart the engines

[billwilliams70]

It was great to see the game live rather than listen to it on the internet. I was very pleased with the defensive side of the ball, and the offense played well as well.

 

The penalties.......I'll be honest with you, some of those calls were some bad calls. I can't see everything on the field, but it really seemed like last year and bad calls were just made to hold the Falcons back. Here's an example, and maybe someone with more football knowledge than me can explain to me.

 

OC punts the ball to FC, FC runs the punt return back, but there's a flag on the play. The flag is a personal foul on FC DURING the return, and the penalty is accepted and the ball is given back to OC for a 1st down.

 

Sounds normal right? Now, later in the game, FC punts (yeah, actually punts) the ball to OC, DURING the return OC has a holding call, and just after the return OC has an unsportsmanlike conduct call, but they retain possession and keep the ball for an OC first down deep in their own territory. How come FC didn't get the ball back on that one.

 

Whatever the case, FC didn't allow any points to get on the board, and the defense did hold up well. The bye week really seemed to slow them down........can't wait for the Trigg game.

 

Later.

Edited October 26, 2008 by The Scribe

[Theoldman12]

It was great to see the game live rather than listen to it on the internet. I was very pleased with the defensive side of the ball, and the offense played well as well.

 

The penalties.......I'll be honest with you, some of those calls were some bad calls. I can't see everything on the field, but it really seemed like last year and bad calls were just made to hold the Falcons back. Here's an example, and maybe someone with more football knowledge than me can explain to me.

 

OC punts the ball to FC, FC runs the punt return back, but there's a flag on the play. The flag is a personal foul on FC DURING the return, and the penalty is accepted and the ball is given back to OC for a 1st down.

 

Sounds normal right? Now, later in the game, FC punts (yeah, actually punts) the ball to OC, DURING the return OC has a holding call, and just after the return OC has an unsportsmanlike conduct call, but they retain possession and keep the ball for an OC first down deep in their own territory. How come FC didn't get the ball back on that one.

 

Whatever the case, FC didn't allow any points to get on the board, and the defense did hold up well. The bye week really seemed to slow them down........can't wait for the Trigg game.

 

Later.

 

I always thought that once the ball was punted away and the other team was returning it, it was their ball no matter what. I always thought penalties during the return were just detucted from the return. I know that's how it is on interceptions and fumbles and always thought it was this way on punts as well.

[The Scribe]

I think the actual change of possession has to take place. Maybe a ref can clarify, but if OCath punts and Fort Campbell commits a penalty before the Falcon return man catches the punt, OCath retains possession. If the penalty happens after Fort Campbell catches the punt, the penalty is marked off and FC begins the drive.

 

Then again, there's a reason why I'm not an official.

[mexitucky]

I think the actual change of possession has to take place. Maybe a ref can clarify, but if OCath punts and Fort Campbell commits a penalty before the Falcon return man catches the punt, OCath retains possession. If the penalty happens after Fort Campbell catches the punt, the penalty is marked off and FC begins the drive.

 

Then again, there's a reason why I'm not an official.

 

Once the kicked ball crosses the line of scrimmage, or is blocked, it is a change of possession.

[FalconBacker]

It was great to see the game live rather than listen to it on the internet. I was very pleased with the defensive side of the ball, and the offense played well as well.

 

The penalties.......I'll be honest with you, some of those calls were some bad calls. I can't see everything on the field, but it really seemed like last year and bad calls were just made to hold the Falcons back. Here's an example, and maybe someone with more football knowledge than me can explain to me.

 

OC punts the ball to FC, FC runs the punt return back, but there's a flag on the play. The flag is a personal foul on FC DURING the return, and the penalty is accepted and the ball is given back to OC for a 1st down.

 

Sounds normal right? Now, later in the game, FC punts (yeah, actually punts) the ball to OC, DURING the return OC has a holding call, and just after the return OC has an unsportsmanlike conduct call, but they retain possession and keep the ball for an OC first down deep in their own territory. How come FC didn't get the ball back on that one.

 

Whatever the case, FC didn't allow any points to get on the board, and the defense did hold up well. The bye week really seemed to slow them down........can't wait for the Trigg game.

 

Later.

 

I agree with your assessment on several of the penalties. Fort Campbell has not lost a game since August 31, 2007, won the championship and has been ranked #1 all this season. Everybody wants to beat the champ and everybody wants to cheer for the underdog, that is human nature. It appears on many occasions that the officials get caught up in the "helping the underdog moment" and use the flag to keep games as close as possible. The Falcons realize that it is FC against the world and I think you will see less opportunity for questionable calls in the future. I expect a lot more head-bustin' and a lot less jersey-grabbing.

[The Scribe]

Something else to consider after talking with some of the Fort Campbell faithful. The Falcons looked rusty coming off the bye week. If there is a team that benefitted the least from a midseason bye week, it was Fort Campbell. They were running on all cylinders going into the bye week. Several of the people at the game told me they just looked out of sync -- like a team that had a week off. I'm sure they will correct what ails them and be ready for this week.

[FalconBacker]

I think the actual change of possession has to take place. Maybe a ref can clarify, but if OCath punts and Fort Campbell commits a penalty before the Falcon return man catches the punt, OCath retains possession. If the penalty happens after Fort Campbell catches the punt, the penalty is marked off and FC begins the drive.

 

Then again, there's a reason why I'm not an official.

 

The penalty on FC's punt return for a TD was one of the few correct calls in the game, but it was a good call. The penalty was a personal foul on FC for hitting the long-snapper while he still had his head down after snapping the ball. It was the first time I have seen it called this year, but it was correct.

[FC]

Regardless of whether some of the calls were questionable or not Fort Campbell won the game and the district title. Now they need to focus on Trigg County this week and correcting the mistakes that caused many of the penalties. They will likely face Owensboro Catholic or Trigg again for the Regional Championship and can ill afford another game with that many penalties this late in the season.

[Fletch]

Fort Campbell will be fine. Like Scribe said, they are coming out of a bye week and Durrante did not play once again. I'll take 400 yards rushing against the Aces defense every week.