Fair Catch Rule question

Submitted by UESWolverine on October 6th, 2015 at 3:21 PM

Delete this topic if it has alrady been discussed - I looked and didn't see that anyone posted about it. I was at the Maryland game and there was a weird play in the second half when Peppers was returning a punt that bounced in front of him. It looked like the refs said he called a fair catch. Did they explain what happened on the TV broadcast because I don't think he motioned for a fair catch at all. Really curious what happened there.

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BlueCube

October 6th, 2015 at 8:04 PM ^

Is clearly not above his head as the rule says.

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Noleverine

October 6th, 2015 at 6:39 PM ^

A returner should be able to direct his blockers/point out to his teammates where the ball is since they're busy blocking and running down field, not watching the ball. His hand never went above shoulder level. It was a blown call, plain and simple.

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Jack Hammer

October 6th, 2015 at 6:43 PM ^

What annoyed the shit out of me was that one of the commentators said "he'll learn" after the ref called fair catch and the play was over. As if the motion was egregious or something and Peppers made some rookie mistake.

I want to say that Millen said it which leads to my a fresh layer of hatred on the mountain of hate I already have for him. Can someone start the campaign to have him removed from our games?

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Mr. Yost

October 6th, 2015 at 7:38 PM ^

Someone fields a kickoff which is technically in bounds, but with a foot on the endline (thus making the player out of bounds?)

A commentator last week said this is smart to get the illegal procedure kick out of bounds penalty.

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October 6th, 2015 at 9:42 PM ^

You mean the sideline. The answer is, if the referees call it properly, it's a penalty for free kick out of bounds. If they do not, the return team gets the ball at the spot where the player ran out of bounds (à la BYU last week -- not that I'm saying the BYU player was attempting that).

There was an NFL team that was trying this a few years ago, right up to the point where an official blew the call and gave them possession inside their 10. I haven't seen it attempted since.

(In the NFL, it's actually even a little more generous -- you're not inbounds until you've established two feet in the field of play. So, if you can touch the ball via one giant stride from the sideline, before your second foot hit the turf, the correct call is free kick out of bounds).

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