Rules review video: Fake field goal, leaping, and live-ball taunting

2024 Media video #10

National coordinator of football officials Steve Shaw posted his weekly video breaking down rules and interpretations from week 9 of the college football season. Prior to going through plays, Shaw gave statistics on overtime procedures.

In FBS, there has been 22 overtime games, good for about 4% of games. 15 of those 22 were decided in the first overtime, while the other 7 were decided in the second overtime. Across all divisions in NCAA football, there have been 86 games go to overtime. Of those games, 71% were decided in the first overtime, and only 3.4% went past 2 overtimes.

• Fake field goal. The offense lines up for a field goal on 4th down. As the holder receives the snap, he tosses it to the kicker who runs it in for a touchdown. There were questions about the legality of this play because the holder’s knee was down when he received the ball, but Shaw noted an exception in the rule book for holders that allowed this play (and every place kick with the holder’s knee down) to be legal.
• Leaping. On a field goal attempt, the defensive player leaps over the offensive line and blocks the kick. There is no foul for leaping here because he was aligned in a stationary position within 1 yard of the line of scrimmage at the snap.
• Kicking team catching. A player on the punting team is able to get down field fast enough to catch the punt in the air at the 1 yard line. He then takes multiple steps before tossing the ball back to try and keep it in the field of play while he was falling into the end zone. By rule, the ball is declared dead immediately once the kicking team establishes control. Because he established control in the field of play, all subsequent actions do not contribute to the outcome of the play and the ball is marked at the 1.
• Ball spotting process. On a punt out of bounds, we see the side judge run up the field and mark the ball out at the 41. Though it is marked by the side judge, the referee (who stands right behind the punter) actually determined this spot. The referee has the best view on this play, so they raise their arm until the other official gets to the correct spot. Once the other official is there, they blow the whistle and point, signifying to stop exactly where the ball crossed out of bounds.
• Blindside block. A touchdown is called back because a receiver blocks the defender with force from his blind side. Replay stopped the game to add potential targeting. Since a blindside block was called, we know the player is already considered defenseless, and replay confirmed the forcible contact was to the head of the defenseless player, making this targeting as well.
• Live ball taunting. On a big catch and run, the receiver is running freely down the sideline when he taunts the defenders in pursuit. Taunting was correctly flagged here, and because the act happened during the play, it is treated as a live-ball foul. The touchdown was taken off the board, and the 15-yard penalty was enforced from the spot of the foul.