Did Minor Fumble Before His Elbow Was Down?
I erased the game in a late night funk.
Before I erased it, I looked at the 4th and goal play. Does anybody have video to take a look at the 4th and goal touchdown that was overturned? It looked to me like the ball came out just before Minor's elbow hit. It then flipped forward loose, and was recovered in the end zone by a Michigan player -- Schilling maybe??
November 2nd, 2009 at 5:57 PM ^
I was hoping for that too when I saw the play. I watched like 7 replays and it looks pretty much simultaneous.
November 2nd, 2009 at 5:57 PM ^
Seriously? Does it even matter?
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:28 PM ^
Didn't you listen to Mike Patrick. Until that play Michigan had the "Big Mo" on their side. After that, the Illini took it back and never let it go.
Terry Hawthorne.
Terry Hawthorne.
Terry Hawthorne.
Terry Hawthorne.
Big Mo.
Shoelace.
Time of possession.
Blearg
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:47 PM ^
The guy is just asking a question. Don't be a dick.
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:01 PM ^
I thought that his elbow came down, the ball crossed the goal line, his back hits, then the ball comes out. I haven't watched it since the game, but that was my impression at the time and until they pointed out the elbow, I was sure it was a TD.
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:03 PM ^
Agree with TATEisGREATyo. It's over. It doesn't matter. They even reviewed it with instant replay. It's done.
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:11 PM ^
Desperate man, desperate
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:47 PM ^
It sounds like the ND fans after the game this year complaining about the out-of-bounds call. We just have to move on.
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:21 PM ^
In college football, if the ball is recovered by the offense, the ball comes back to the spot that it was fumbled. If he fumbled it before he was in the endzone then it still wouldn't have been a touchdown.
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:30 PM ^
I didn't know that.
It almost looked to me that Minor's elbow came down just on the edge of the goal-line, which would also be a touchdown. I haven't replayed it to check, it hurts...
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:30 PM ^
Thanks for the clarification. I wasn't aware of that rule.
To the rest of you: yeah games over, what is done is done. But every other teams' fans have some way back when bitch about some call. Just wanted one for the hip pocket when some smart ass Illini friend gets on me.
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:40 PM ^
That doesn't make sense. Do you mean only in goal-line situations like this one?
Because if not, then how do you explain say, a shotgun snap that flies past the QB and gives the offense 2nd and 30?
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:54 PM ^
I am don't think that's right. I am pretty sure I saw a game earlier this year where a guy fumbled the ball into the end zone and his teammate picked it up in the endzone before it went out of bounds for the score. I want to say it was Boise State and Fresno State but I am not sure.
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:22 PM ^
I'm about 99% sure you're wrong. I could be remembering a different game, but I'm pretty sure Tate fumbled earlier in this game and it was recovered by Schilling 3 yards downfield, setting up 3rd and 6.
The only rule that approaches this is that you cannot purposely "fumble" forwards in order to try and get better field position.
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:40 PM ^
He's half right. The ball can't be advanced if fumbled on a fourth down in college. It happened in an Auburn-Georgia game a few years back and the offensive player caught a long fourth down pass and fumbled it into the endzone. It was brought back to the two because it was a fumble on fourth down.
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:49 PM ^
I'm looking for a good source (harder to find than I would have thought), but the rule is that on fourth down (and only on fourth down), the only offensive player who can recover the fumble past the point where the ball was fumbled is the fumbler. The idea is to prevent intentional forward fumbles.
So if it was ruled a fumble and Minor recovered it in the end zone, it's a touchdown. If Illinois recovered it, it was a touchback. If a Michigan player besides Minor recovered it, Illinois ball on the one.
Edit: Damn, I'm slow.
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:08 PM ^
It's okay. You explained it better.
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:47 PM ^
his elbow touched at the half yard line and then he fumbled. Hate to admit it, but he was down and the replay official got it right.....
Sure miss the days of A Train's phantom touchdown putting us over the top when Henson came off the bench to help us steal a victory from the jaws of defeat in Champaign....
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:51 PM ^
who can recover a fumble on fourth down is the person who fumbles it. The goal is to stop players from intentionally fumbling forward if they aren't going to make the spot ala Kenny Stabler.
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:09 PM ^
officials got it right. I was upset that they were right, but it was very clear. He fumbled after he was down.
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:23 PM ^
a better question would be:
why did the officials not review the 3rd and goal run when it looked on the replay like Carlos got into the end zone?
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:46 PM ^
I was almost positive that Brown got in on 3rd down. He did the thing where he put his hand down and dove forward into the endzone. Too late now so whatever.
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:59 PM ^
Can they review when a call wasn't made? I don't thin they can. If they had called a tocuhdown, then they can review, but since it wasn't called a touchdown ...
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:49 PM ^
A call was made - he was called down. It could have been reviewed, but the replay official chose not to.
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:18 PM ^
His elbow touched the ground.
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:45 PM ^
No, it was the correct call on 4th down. I did want to see 3rd down replayed....Oh well, we got whooped anyway you look at it.
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:15 PM ^
No. this topic is ridiculous.
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:55 PM ^
Werner dropped the big one.