The TD catch that wasn't....

sdjwm001

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Jan 25, 2022
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I watched the game in Charleston in a rowdy bar with no sound. On the pass Sellers thru to the back of the endzone (couldn't see who the reciever was), what was the call on why it was incomplete? On reviews it looked like he stayed in bounds and had control. TIA
 

Benjdan

Joined Mar 4, 2007
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Ground knocked the ball out even though he got three feet in. An odd rule especially considering that you can basically fumble it over the goal line.
 
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Swifty

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Jan 21, 2022
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Ground knocked the ball out even though he got three feet in. An odd rule especially considering that you can basically fumble it over the goal line.
Exactly. The different rules for what is and isn't a catch are ridiculous in both college AND the NFL.
I believe if you catch it with control and get two feet/take two steps, that should be a catch. Period.
 

I4CtheFuture

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Oct 5, 2024
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Watch the replay again...... there were three things you will note....
1) His hands were initially extended to catch the ball which he did......
2) He then proceeded to bring the ball down and literally "tucked it" into his side
3) At the time of tucking it, his knee was down inbounds........

My argument is : AT THAT POINT, the play is over.... Touchdown. Much like extending the nose of the ball over the goal line = instant TD, and whatever happens after that is irrelevant...

But alas, there is now a 4th criteria in the rules for some reason - Must "survive" the coming to the ground part, which he didn't do....

Right call - Bad rule IMHO. Contradictory to meeting the definition of a finished play. It is called fairly across the board though, so... whatever.
 

KingWard

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Feb 15, 2022
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Agree the rules could use some rationalizing and optimizing, but as the rules are written that was a pretty clear incompletion.
On a running play, can the ground cause a fumble in the field of play? I'm asking. I know for certain that if the ball carrier is inbounds when he is going down but the ground knocks it out of his hands out of bounds, that would not be a fumble.
 

LonghornsGamecocks

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On a running play, can the ground cause a fumble in the field of play? I'm asking. I know for certain that if the ball carrier is inbounds when he is going down but the ground knocks it out of his hands out of bounds, that would not be a fumble.
The ground cannot cause a fumble, because by definition the player would be "down" at the same moment the ground causes the fumble.
 

I4CtheFuture

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On a running play, can the ground cause a fumble in the field of play? I'm asking. I know for certain that if the ball carrier is inbounds when he is going down but the ground knocks it out of his hands out of bounds, that would not be a fumble.
Technically - yes.

In reality, extremely rare. Could be a pass play too where the receiver definitely makes a catch and no one touches him, he becomes a runner....it doesn't necessarily have to be a running play per se'.
 

KingWard

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The ground cannot cause a fumble, because by definition the player would be "down" at the same moment the ground causes the fumble.
In that case, a ball that is caught and controlled as an inbounds receiver is falling out of bounds should be ruled a catch, even if the ground detaches it out of bounds, or so it seems to me.
 

I4CtheFuture

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The ground cannot cause a fumble, because by definition the player would be "down" at the same moment the ground causes the fumble.
Not true. Here's video proof...... from just 3 weeks ago.....

The argument is not "Was this a bad call?" (Obviously, yes, it was a horrible call....and NOT the point)

The POINT is - YES, the ground can cause a fumble. However, it is extremely rare...

Here's 2 videos, NFL and College, 1998. Extremely rare, but yes, the ground can certainly cause a fumble.....



 

Shagginrooster

Joined Jan 19, 2001
Jan 17, 2022
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On a running play, can the ground cause a fumble in the field of play? I'm asking.
In order to fumble, you must first have posession of the ball. A runner has posession and therefore, no, the ground cannot cause a fumble, as the runner is down upon contact with the ground.

On the other hand, a receiver who is in the act of catching the ball and at the same time going to the ground, does not have posession until maintaining posession after contact with the ground.
 
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Lurker123

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In order to fumble, you must first have posession of the ball. A runner has posession and therefore, no, the ground cannot cause a fumble, as the runner is down upon contact with the ground.

On the other hand, a receiver who is in the act of catching the ball and at the same time going to the ground, does not have posession until maintaining posession after contact with the ground.

This was what the dude on TV was saying. The rules specialist, not the regular commentators. To make a catch, you have to survive the ground.
 

PrestonyteParrot

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May 28, 2024
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Watch the replay again...... there were three things you will note....
1) His hands were initially extended to catch the ball which he did......
2) He then proceeded to bring the ball down and literally "tucked it" into his side
3) At the time of tucking it, his knee was down inbounds........

My argument is : AT THAT POINT, the play is over.... Touchdown. Much like extending the nose of the ball over the goal line = instant TD, and whatever happens after that is irrelevant...

But alas, there is now a 4th criteria in the rules for some reason - Must "survive" the coming to the ground part, which he didn't do....

Right call - Bad rule IMHO. Contradictory to meeting the definition of a finished play. It is called fairly across the board though, so... whatever.
My thoughts exactly. When a runner dives over the goal line with the ball extended with one hand and the ground jars the ball loose, is it a touchdown? Yes.
The ground cannot cause a fumble. Campbell had control with knee on the ground in bounds - touchdown as soon as the knee hits the ground.
 

I4CtheFuture

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Oct 5, 2024
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The misnomer - "The ground cannot cause a fumble" in college or NFL is simply wrong, and often repeated.....

I *LITERALLY* posted a video of it happening in 1998..... Ark Vs Tenn.

Sorry, I just get really aggravated with people repeating non truths....

But hey, I guess video evidence is being denied now...... again, IT IS VERY RARE - but YES, the ground can "cause" a fumble.....
 

I4CtheFuture

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My thoughts exactly. When a runner dives over the goal line with the ball extended with one hand and the ground jars the ball loose, is it a touchdown? Yes.
The ground cannot cause a fumble. Campbell had control with knee on the ground in bounds - touchdown as soon as the knee hits the ground.

Wrong context..... goaline scenario is not the same as open field scenario. Sorry, but it's not.

As soon as the ball crosses the goal line, it's a TD.... that is NOT the same as the ball crossing....say.... the 35 yard line....

Two completely different scenarios.
 
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PrestonyteParrot

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Wrong context..... goaline scenario is not the same as open field scenario. Sorry, but it's not.

As soon as the ball crosses the goal line, it's a TD.... that is NOT the same as the ball crossing....say.... the 35 yard line....

Two completely different scenarios.
Why is it not a touchdown as soon as Campbell ''possesses'' the ball in the end zone and his knee hits the ground and the ball comes out?
 

I4CtheFuture

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Why is it not a touchdown as soon as Campbell ''possesses'' the ball in the end zone and his knee hits the ground and the ball comes out?
Ah.....

Because (for whatever reason) the rule states you must "survive" the ground, Ie; the process of the catch all the way TO and THROUGH the ground.....

That specific rule for "pass plays" / receivers - completely contradicts every other rule we know about football......

For example of a contradiction..... a running back who is tackled does not need to "survive" the process of going to the ground.... vivid example.... a running back is tackled from behind and his KNEES hit the ground, but he continues to fall forward and the ball comes out , before hitting the ground or not......

Doesn't matter.... as soon as his knees are down, the play is dead, even if the ball pops out before the tackle is technically finished....

Not the case with a "catch" on a pass play..... I don't know why and generally don't like the rule but I do understand it.

I guess on pass plays they want it "pretty" - regardless of the other rules that apply to every other rule of a ball carrier.
 

PrestonyteParrot

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Ah.....

Because (for whatever reason) the rule states you must "survive" the ground, Ie; the process of the catch all the way TO and THROUGH the ground.....

That specific rule for "pass plays" / receivers - completely contradicts every other rule we know about football......

For example of a contradiction..... a running back who is tackled does not need to "survive" the process of going to the ground.... vivid example.... a running back is tackled from behind and his KNEES hit the ground, but he continues to fall forward and the ball comes out , before hitting the ground or not......

Doesn't matter.... as soon as his knees are down, the play is dead, even if the ball pops out before the tackle is technically finished....

Not the case with a "catch" on a pass play..... I don't know why and generally don't like the rule but I do understand it.

I guess on pass plays they want it "pretty" - regardless of the other rules that apply to every other rule of a ball carrier.
This rule makes no sense when it only applies to a receiver and no other players.
It only makes sense that the catch is complete when the receiver possesses the ball and he touches the ground in the field of play.
Why penalize the receiver for a collision with the ground causing the ball to come out after he has successfully executed making the catch? This makes the ground an extra defender against the pass.
 

Tidalcock

Joined Aug 29, 2002
Jan 20, 2022
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On a running play, can the ground cause a fumble in the field of play? I'm asking. I know for certain that if the ball carrier is inbounds when he is going down but the ground knocks it out of his hands out of bounds, that would not be a fumble.
Great point.
 
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I4CtheFuture

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This rule makes no sense when it only applies to a receiver and no other players.
It only makes sense that the catch is complete when the receiver possesses the ball and he touches the ground in the field of play.
Why penalize the receiver for a collision with the ground causing the ball to come out after he has successfully executed making the catch? This makes the ground an extra defender against the pass.
Completely agree. It only applies to "catchers" of the ball, if thrown, ie: "receivers" , RB coming out of the backfield to catch a pass, etc....

If it went to the supreme court, it would be ruled unconstitutional as it doesn't apply to every other player possessing the ball. Lol. It's silly.... but again, I guess they want the "prettiness" of completing a pass all the way through the whistle, basically. Shrugs.....
 

Crutcher

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It all started about twenty years ago when the NFL had all sorts of problems deciding what was or wasn't a catch, and if it was a catch and bobbled, might it be a fumble. Too may bang-bang plays and replay would over rule the refs. So they decided on a third element, surviving the ground, to make receptions harder to make, but easier for the refs to call.
 

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