Rules question

[Slim Chickens Gamecock]

On the Hail Mary throw on Seller's last pass the Alabama player intercepted the ball on the 3 yd line, took two steps and crossed into the endzone. He started to take a knee but didn't. You can see the other defensive back point for him to run, which he does and enters back onto the field of play where he was finally very gingerly stopped.

My Question: Had Harbour tackled him would that not have been a safety and the game thus a tie? Or if he had taken a knee would that not have been a safety?

Harbours lack of instinct to tackle the player really bothers me. I don't get that mentality. He seemed to give up because the ball was overthrown. But that is another topic.

 

[I4CtheFuture]

Short answer: No.

In those type of situations: believe it or not, *MOMENTUM* is factored in. Momentum carried him into the endzone after the interception... and that's legal......once that happens and he is *IN* the endzone, he can run around all he wants to from side line to sideline if he wants to, as long as he doesn't come back out into the playing field, even if he's tackled, it still results as if he took a knee.

In your scenario, even if tackled, it's a touchback. Bama's ball at the 25 yrd line.

Edited after I looked up the rule: (Scroll down the page to find it) - I was right except, It would be Bama's ball at the spot of the interception. 3 yrd line - ish. They take a knee, game over.

 

[Guy in the Back]

Short answer: No.

In those type of situations: believe it or not, *MOMENTUM* is factored in. Momentum carried him into the endzone after the interception... and that's legal......once that happens and he is *IN* the endzone, he can run around all he wants to from side line to sideline if he wants to, as long as he doesn't come back out into the playing field, even if he's tackled, it still results as if he took a knee.

In your scenario, even if tackled, it's a touchback. Bama's ball at the 25 yrd line.

I tend to agree that would be the call.

However, it would have been a judgement call by the official. Not sure where his bag landed, but if it was the 3 or 4, they may have allowed the safety.

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

On the Hail Mary throw on Seller's last pass the Alabama player intercepted the ball on the 3 yd line, took two steps and crossed into the endzone. He started to take a knee but didn't. You can see the other defensive back point for him to run, which he does and enters back onto the field of play where he was finally very gingerly stopped.

My Question: Had Harbour tackled him would that not have been a safety and the game thus a tie? Or if he had taken a knee would that not have been a safety?

Harbours lack of instinct to tackle the player really bothers me. I don't get that mentality. He seemed to give up because the ball was overthrown. But that is another topic.

Harbour made a great catch on the final TD which is encouraging, but his field awareness and aggressiveness are lacking on route running, blocking, etc.
Giving him the same benefit of being a freshman as Sellers, but I do wish he would pick it up a notch.
Hopefully the great TD catch will inspire him.

 

[USCEE82]

It appeared to me that harbor gave up on the play and slowed down before the ball got there. Thinking it's overthrown and I won't be able to get it. Thus not being in position to attempt to dislodge the ball or make a tackle.

 

[USCEE82]

Similar situation: When Fortune intercepted that pass in the end zone and his momentum carried him out of the back of the end zone, my adult son asked me why isn't that a safety because he didn't kneel in the end zone? I didn't have an answer. Fortune did establish both feet in the end zone before stepping out.

 

[FootballLVR]

Similar situation: When Fortune intercepted that pass in the end zone and his momentum carried him out of the back of the end zone, my adult son asked me why isn't that a safety because he didn't kneel in the end zone? I didn't have an answer. Fortune did establish both feet in the end zone before stepping out.

Many times with the ball near the end zone with your back to the goalposts, the quarterback will step back into the endzone and either hand the ball off or attempt a pass. The defensive player came out of the endzone before going down. A post above may be correct referring to momentum. I am not a certified referee.

It appeared to me that harbor gave up on the play and slowed down before the ball got there. Thinking it's overthrown and I won't be able to get it. Thus not being in position to attempt to dislodge the ball or make a tackle.

When in doubt, run it out. Works in baseball too.

 

[Slim Chickens Gamecock]

Becomes a judgment call then in certain rare situations. like if a player intercepted on the 6 yd line took 4 steps from momentum and then crossed the endline and goes down. Ref would have to evaluate what is reasonable, i suppose.

 

[I4CtheFuture]

Similar situation: When Fortune intercepted that pass in the end zone and his momentum carried him out of the back of the end zone, my adult son asked me why isn't that a safety because he didn't kneel in the end zone? I didn't have an answer. Fortune did establish both feet in the end zone before stepping out.

Yep, momentum carried him out. *THAT* is why it wasn't a safety. Same exact rule. I'm kind of surprised at some of the uncertainty in this thread as the "momentum" thing, has been a thing for a long time. Many years.

Footnote - ala the "judgement" call thing and the bing bag being thrown at the 2 or whatever....refs would huddle....talk....get it right....(momentum) (Correct call) .....or they would call a "safety" on the field, and it would go to review 9999, out of 10000 times and it would be reversed - 9998 times out of 10000.

The 2 times review get it wrong - *THEY* are wrong. I promise.

A quick googler result resulted in the college football 2024 rule book: Section 8-5-1 :

SECTION 5. SAFETY How Scored:

ARTICLE 1. It is a safety when: a. The ball becomes dead out of bounds behind a goal line, except from an incomplete forward pass, or becomes dead in the possession of a player on, above or behind their own goal line, or becomes dead by rule, and the defending team is responsible for the ball being there (A.R. 6-3-1-IV; A.R. 7-2-4-I; A.R. 8-5-1-I-II, IV and VI-X; A.R. 8-7-2-II; and A.R. 9-4-1-VIII). When in question, it is a touchback, not a safety. RULE 8 / Scoring FR-93

Exception: It is not a safety if a player between their own team’s five-yard line and goal line:

(a) intercepts a pass or fumble; or recovers an opponent’s fumble or backward pass; or catches or recovers a kick; and
(b) the player’s original momentum carries that player into their own end zone; and
(c) the ball remains behind that team’s goal line and is declared dead in that team’s possession there. This includes a fumble that goes from the end zone into the field of play and out of bounds (Rule 7-2-4-b-1). If conditions (Ifa)-(c) are satisfied above, the ball belongs to this player’s team at the spot where that player gained possession.

So technically, I was wrong - it would *NOT* be a touchback.....but it would be Bama's ball at the spot of the interception. 3 yrd line, ish.....

Bama's ball, they take a knee, game over.