OT: OSU vs Penn State Muffed Punt/Touchback
So how is this fair:
1) Penn State kicks punt to OSU.
2) Ball hits osu player in foot at 5 yard line
3) Ball bounces into endzone
4) OSU covers ball in endzone
5) Play results in touchback for OSU
How is this fair? It hits OSU in the foot at 5 yard line, but since it bounces into the endzone and they recover, it's put at the 20 yard line. So a great punt turns into a touchback because of a mistake on OSU's part. Shouldn't the ball be spotted at the 5 yard line to reward PSU with a good punt?
Something just seems wrong with way this is ruled.
November 7th, 2009 at 4:59 PM ^
That's just weird. I've never seen anything like that happen. But what I want to know is why that isn't considered a saftey? if he muffs it then recovers in the endzone why is he rewarded?
November 7th, 2009 at 5:01 PM ^
I stopped trying to figure out what ref's are ever doing.
November 7th, 2009 at 5:01 PM ^
this was just discussed.
Yeah I totally was thinking safety.
November 7th, 2009 at 5:05 PM ^
The kick is still considered a kick after it is touched (muffed). Ohio State had not established possession, therefore they cannot commit a safety. The first time that Ohio State established possession was in the endzone, therefore, touchback.
Has PSU recovered the ball in the endzone they would have then established possession and a touchdown would have been rewarded.
November 7th, 2009 at 5:13 PM ^
Ok, I understand that this is the case, but let me play devil's advocate (or devil's idiot). Why is it that when you touch it with your foot and it goes into the end zone, you never had possession, but if the ball doesn't go into the end zone and the other team picks it up, you have lost possession? If a foot doesn't equal a possession in one case, why would it equal in the other?
November 7th, 2009 at 5:21 PM ^
A foot does not equal possession in either situation. In both situations, the kick has been muffed. A muffed kick can be recovered by the kicking team.
See the distinction? It's a little subtle and kind of a special rule for punts.
November 7th, 2009 at 5:31 PM ^
Hmm...it's really tiny and off in the distance, but I think I can see it. Still would like to see that be a safety.
November 7th, 2009 at 5:13 PM ^
In this case, can the punt returner knock the ball (with hands)from 5 yard line to the back of endzone and got a touch back? sounds like a pretty good strategy for me. get 15 yard more in a punt.
November 7th, 2009 at 5:34 PM ^
I'd have to bust out the NCAA rule book again, but I'm pretty sure this would be ruled intentional batting. In the NCAA I'm not sure how batting is defined and where possession comes into play.
I'll try to look it up.
EDIT: So, after reading the rule book again, I was a little mistaken. A muff is technically an unsuccessful attempt to catch a kick. So, the ball wasn't muffed, but the logic remains the same.
From the rule book:
Spot Where Kick Ends
ARTICLE 9. A scrimmage kick that crosses the neutral zone ends at the spot where possession is gained or regained or the ball is declared dead by rule.
Exceptions:
1. When a kick ends in Team B’s end zone, the postscrimmage kick spot is Team B’s 20-yard line.
I've yet to find if the scenario above would be illegal batting, but it would make the ball live, so a team doing that risks giving up possession to the kicking team if they can recover it.
November 7th, 2009 at 5:48 PM ^
If I recall correctly there is some rule about the kick has to go into the endzone on its own momentum. So batting it into the endzone would not be a touchback. I'm not sure what the result would be though.