Rules review video: First-touch spots on punts, illegal batting, and a bench player on the field

2024 Media video #6

National coordinator of football officials Steve Shaw posted his weekly video breaking down rules and interpretations from week 5 of the college football season.

Prior to going through plays, Shaw shared some instant replay stats: in FBS, there is an average of 2.08 stops per game, which is slightly up from last year. There’s an average of 1 overturn per game, which is consistent with each of the last couple of years. The total time per stop is 1:51, which is faster than last year. Overall, the NCAA is working to eliminate long stops to keep games moving.

• Illegal touching. A punt bounced in the field of play and was (legally) batted out of the end zone by a kicking team player while that player was standing in the end zone. The receiving team recovers this bat and advances the ball to the 24-yard line. Because the kicking team touched the ball before the receiving team, this is an illegal touching violation. (This is not the foul variety of illegal touching, so for clarity, we’ll refer to this as the first-touch violation.) The first touch violation gives the receiving team an option to accept the outcome of the return or take the first touch spot, a touchback in this case. There was also a correctly called facemask on the return. The receiving team opted to take the dead-ball spot over the first-touch spot, with 15 yards added to the end of the play.
• Illegal batting. On an option play that turned into a fumble, the offensive player bats the ball out of bounds to avoid losing possession. A foul for illegal batting was incorrectly called, as the bat was “lateral at best” per Shaw. For it to be a foul, it must clearly be batted forward (or anywhere in the end zone). This play was not reviewable.
• Out of bounds/dead ball fouls. The quarterback rolls out and completes the pass to a receiver down field. As the receiver runs after catch along the sideline, his face mask is grabbed and he is eventually pushed out of bounds. Replay then stepped in and determined that the receiver stepped out of bounds earlier than it was originally ruled, which also happened to be before the facemask penalty was committed. By rule, an unsportsmanlike conduct or personal foul is still enforced in this situation (a 5 or 10 yard penalty would not have been), and it converts to a dead-ball foul.
• Substitution foul. Fourth down had the offense lined up for a field goal attempt, which ended up being blocked. While the play was still happening, a player from the defense runs onto the field from the bench area to celebrate. This was correctly flagged as a substitution foul, which is enforced 5 yards from the previous spot. Because this was 4th down and 5, the offense was given a 1st down.
• Kick recovery eligibility. On a punt, the ball bounced between the returner’s legs, was touched by a teammate, and recovered by the kicking team. Though the ball did not touch the original returner, it did touch his teammate. Once a member of the receiving team makes contact with the punt, everyone is eligible to recover the ball. Shaw noted that had the ball hit the hanging towel of the returner, that counts the same as him touching it.
• No targeting. As the ball carrier is returning a kick, he is contacted by two members of the kicking team. Replay stopped the game to take a look for potential targeting by both defenders. The first player uses great technique, keeping his head to the side and not making contact with the returner’s helmet. The second player’s technique leaves something to be desired as he lowers his head and leads with the crown. However, the contact comes from the side of the helmet, therefore it is not targeting. Because the ball carrier is not deemed to be a defenseless player by rule, the only targeting aspect that could be assessed is contact by the crown of the helmet.