Rules review video: Safeties, replay calling penalties, and kicks over the uprights

2023 media video #4

National coordinator of football officials Steve Shaw posted his weekly video breaking down rules and interpretations from Week 3 of the College Football season.

• Is targeting being called more this season? Shaw has the statistics to answer: 50 targeting fouls have been called this season, with an average of 0.2 targeting fouls per game. The number of targeting fouls tends to decrease as the season goes on, and these statistics are identical to last season at this time (graphs shown in video).
• The quarterback was sacked near his own goal line after taking the snap in his own endzone. It was ruled on the field that he got out of the endzone, but replay showed the entire ball did not make it out.
• On an onside kick attempt, it appears the kicking team has recovered. However, replay determined there was a block by the kicking team before the ball went 10 yards, which is a 5 yard penalty. Shaw mentioned this is 1 of only 8 fouls that the replay booth can create.
• 4th and 1 led to a team attempting a field goal. On the kick, the ball went above the right upright and was deemed no-good by both officials at the goal posts. There were no clear camera angles on the broadcast, and the play is not reviewable since the ball was above the uprights.
• Two point conversions allow for the offense to choose where in between the hash marks they want to snap the ball from. After a delay of game, the team chose to kick the extra point instead of going for two. Because there was an offensive penalty, the offense loses the right to choose where the ball is.
• There are two player safety rules designed to protect long snappers: defensive players cannot line up in front of them, and there must be at least 1 second between the snap and the defense initiating contact with the snapper.
• After a roughing the passer that resulted in a targeting review, Shaw reminded that targeting is called when a defenseless player is hit with forcible contact in the head or neck area. Though there were two 15 yard penalties, only can be enforced.