Officiating Questions from the Utah/ASU game

[Mormon Red Death]

I do have some some questions that maybe someone can answer.

Question #1 ASU fumbles their punter comes off the bench and recovers the ball. The issue is illustrated in this post on utefans
http://www.utefans.net/message.php?id=1256881 what is up with that?

Question #2 ASU down 13-14 completes 35 yard pass play to Utah's 5 yard line in which there was a holding call on ASU. The ref says in the mic "The holding penalty had no influence on the play so its not enforceable". WTF??? Holding is still holding right?

Question #3 Multiple flags called. Ref says "Multiple penalties: Personal foul on ASU # 60 & Unsportsman like conduct on ASU #75. Personal Foul #45 Utah. Penalties offset." How does one Personal foul from Utah offset a personal foul and an Unsportsmanlike conduct on ASU?

[Flystripper]

I do have some some questions that maybe someone can answer.

Question #1 ASU fumbles their punter comes off the bench and recovers the ball. The issue is illustrated in this post on utefans
http://www.utefans.net/message.php?id=1256881 what is up with that?

Question #2 ASU down 13-14 completes 35 yard pass play to Utah's 5 yard line in which there was a holding call on ASU. The ref says in the mic "The holding penalty had no influence on the play so its not enforceable". WTF??? Holding is still holding right?

Question #3 Multiple flags called. Ref says "Multiple penalties: Personal foul on ASU # 60 & Unsportsman like conduct on ASU #75. Personal Foul #45 Utah. Penalties offset." How does one Personal foul from Utah offset a personal foul and an Unsportsmanlike conduct on ASU?

I have seen number 3 happen quite a bit. I think that is just how it works with personal fouls. If both sides get flagged in the altercation no matter how many for each side the penalty offsets.

I got nuthin' for 1 and 2.

[shoganai]

I was at the game, sitting in the North end zone, here's my take on the issues you brought up.

I do have some some questions that maybe someone can answer.

Question #1 ASU fumbles their punter comes off the bench and recovers the ball. The issue is illustrated in this post on utefans
http://www.utefans.net/message.php?id=1256881 what is up with that?

This ruling was totally the fault the defensive players. Not a single referee on the field blew his whistle or signaled an incomplete pass. I was watching very closely as soon as the ball flew out, and not one of the seven did. Yet not a single player on the field bothered to go after the ball. They all relaxed, disengaged whatever they were doing, and essentially finished the play. I've seen this happen before, and the referees made the call they always do. Once the players calling it quits, the ball becomes dead at the spot and the down is over. Utah should have chased after the ball instead of assuming it was an incomplete pass.

Question #2 ASU down 13-14 completes 35 yard pass play to Utah's 5 yard line in which there was a holding call on ASU. The ref says in the mic "The holding penalty had no influence on the play so its not enforceable". WTF??? Holding is still holding right?

That's not what I heard the referee say. He said the penalty flag was waved off because "the contact was deemed legal." I haven't bothered watching a TV replay to confirm, but that's definitely what I heard him say sitting in the stadium.

Question #3 Multiple flags called. Ref says "Multiple penalties: Personal foul on ASU # 60 & Unsportsman like conduct on ASU #75. Personal Foul #45 Utah. Penalties offset." How does one Personal foul from Utah offset a personal foul and an Unsportsmanlike conduct on ASU?

Again, this is not what I saw. I saw the referee call two penalties on Utah, and only one on Arizona State. The first two were offsetting fouls against the receiver and defensive back that had been throwing jabs for the last two plays. The second personal foul was against another Utah player who said something stupid to a referee while the first deal was being sorted out. I saw the third flag as it was being thrown and it was thrown by a guy standing right next to a crowd of Utah players, nowhere near anybody in a white jersey. It's possible I misheard/saw, but I am almost certain two were against Utah, and only one against ASU. Either way, the rule apparently is that all three offset.

[Top Ute]

I was at the game, sitting in the North end zone, here's my take on the issues you brought up.



This ruling was totally the fault the defensive players. Not a single referee on the field blew his whistle or signaled an incomplete pass. I was watching very closely as soon as the ball flew out, and not one of the seven did. Yet not a single player on the field bothered to go after the ball. They all relaxed, disengaged whatever they were doing, and essentially finished the play. I've seen this happen before, and the referees made the call they always do. Once the players calling it quits, the ball becomes dead at the spot and the down is over. Utah should have chased after the ball instead of assuming it was an incomplete pass.

Exactly. It's called "continuous action" and a rule change a few years back allows for continuous action to supersede any whistle (and from your POV, you seem pretty certain there wasn't one) on the field. Without it, the play is dead, and the ball should have been spotted at the point where it rolled dead -- which I presume it was.

[Jarid in Cedar]

Exactly. It's called "continuous action" and a rule change a few years back allows for continuous action to supersede any whistle (and from your POV, you seem pretty certain there wasn't one) on the field. Without it, the play is dead, and the ball should have been spotted at the point where it rolled dead -- which I presume it was.

It happened right in front of me. You could tell that the White hat ruled fumble as he threw his beanbag but didn't whistle it dead. Both teams stood around and looked at the ball on the field, until their punter came off the bench and tossed it to the side judge. COuld have been a big play.