YOU make the call!

[PromoTheRobot]

This happened in the NH state football championship yesterday  Fortunately it did not end up impacting the outcome. But I'm interested in how everyone here would call this if they were the official.

 

A pass hits a receiver on the hands. Both hands remain on the ball as the player goes to the ground, but the ball jars loose when the receiver hits the ground. The ball pops up and never hits the ground before it's grabbed by a defender.

 

Is it a) a catch or b) an interception?

Edited November 26, 2023 by PromoTheRobot

[RiotAct]

was the receiver touched by a defensive player at all before he hit the ground?

 

If not, then I’d say interception.

[Buckets]

I would say fumble recovery.

[That's No Moon]

Interception

[PromoTheRobot]

17 minutes ago, RiotAct said:

was the receiver touched by a defensive player at all before he hit the ground?

 

If not, then I’d say interception.

 

CORRECTION: My bad. The receiver WAS touched while attempting the catch hit the ground. No "football move" was made. But the NHIAA rules follow college rules in that if you are down, you are down.

Edited November 26, 2023 by PromoTheRobot

[Bob Jones]

2 minutes ago, RiotAct said:

was the receiver touched by a defensive player at all before he hit the ground?

 

If not, then I’d say interception.

Wut? In HS and college when the receiver hits the ground, he's down. So, it's a catch.

[PromoTheRobot]

1 minute ago, Bob Jones said:

Wut? In HS and college when the receiver hits the ground, he's down. So, it's a catch.

 

Okay. But the catch "didn't survive the ground." 

[RiotAct]

7 minutes ago, Bob Jones said:

Wut? In HS and college when the receiver hits the ground, he's down. So, it's a catch.

I wasn’t sure about the high school rules… I watch even less h.s. football than I do college 😉

[HOUSE]

This play could only happen to the Bills, sooooo

It's a fictitious play

[Motorin']

This is like a Zeno's paradox of the catch rule. Although the catch rule might be different in the HS league then the NFL.

 

To rule it an INT, you have to rely on the rule that a receiver doesn't become a runner until the catch is complete. 

 

So even if they catch the ball with control while going to the ground, even if the knee is down ending the play. Or touched by a defender while on the ground and possessing the ball with control. If the ball pops in the air before the catch is complete, the play isn't over. 

 

Same weird paradox of a receiver catching the ball with control while crossing the plane of the goal line with two feet down and then losing control when hitting the ground. Not a TD even though they controlled the ball in hand and broke the plane. 

 

 

[JaCrispy]

Depends if WR had initially possessed the ball for a legal catch…if so, it’s a fumble…if not it’s an interception 👍

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

Without seeing the actual play, it sounds like an interception to me. There doesn't seem to be a time element at all for a completed catch and down by contact with ground. With no element of time and the ball never touching the ground I would rule as an interception. 

[BBFL]

Got to call the NY HQ Joe. Can’t make a decision ourselves anymore. 
 

Edited November 26, 2023 by BBFL

[PromoTheRobot]

7 minutes ago, Motorin' said:

This is like a Zeno's paradox of the catch rule. Although the catch rule might be different in the HS league then the NFL.

 

To rule it an INT, you have to rely on the rule that a receiver doesn't become a runner until the catch is complete. 

 

So even if they catch the ball with control while going to the ground, even if the knee is down ending the play. Or touched by a defender while on the ground and possessing the ball with control. If the ball pops in the air before the catch is complete, the play isn't over. 

 

Same weird paradox of a receiver catching the ball with control while crossing the plane of the goal line with two feet down and then losing control when hitting the ground. Not a TD even though they controlled the ball in hand and broke the plane. 

 

 

 

 

Just now, Sammy Watkins' Rib said:

Without seeing the actual play, it sounds like an interception to me. There doesn't seem to be a time element at all for a completed catch and down by contact with ground. With no element of time and the ball never touching the ground I would rule as an interception. 

 

I can't post the video of the play just yet. It's embargoed because live rights belong to a streaming company. I will as soon as it posts on YouTube.

 

But I will reveal the call: A CATCH.  But I ask if the ball hit the ground would it still be a catch? You do have to control the ball to the ground for a legal catch, right? So if it hits the ground it's incomplete, why is a catch if the other team grabs the ball before hitting the ground?

[PBF81]

18 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

CORRECTION: My bad. The receiver WAS touched while attempting the catch hit the ground. No "football move" was made. But the NHIAA rules follow college rules in that if you are down, you are down.

 

So the WR caught the ball, went down, the ball came loose after he was technically down?  
 

 

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

Just now, JaCrispy said:

Depends if WR had initially possessed the ball for a legal catch…if so, it’s a fumble…if not it’s an interception 👍

 

If there was possession to make it a legal catch it would be nearly impossible for it to be a fumble. The player would almost have to be down by contact with the ground. In high school you don't not have to be down after contact with a defensive player. Any part of the body excluding feet and hands would be down. Again, would have to see the play but more than likely some other part of the body besides just the hands holding the ball is also down. 

[PBF81]

1 minute ago, PromoTheRobot said:

But I will reveal the call: A CATCH.  But I ask if the ball hit the ground would it still be a catch? You do have to control the ball to the ground for a legal catch, right? So if it hits the ground it's incomplete, why is a catch if the other team grabs the ball before hitting the ground?

 

Who's on first!  

 

 

 

Seriously though, if the ball hits the ground, it's never a catch.  

 

This is confusing ...

 

... why is a catch if the other team grabs the ball before hitting the ground?

 

Was the pass incomplete before the other team's player grabs it?  

If the ball hits the ground, technically it should be incomplete, right?  Once it's incomplete, it's incomplete.  

 

Fun things to discuss while biting our nails awaiting our first playoff game.  LOL  

 

 

[Heavy Kevi]

That an interception.

 

If the ball is loose before he "survives the ground", then it can't be down by contact or a fumble.

 

So it has to be interception or incomplete. But it's not incomplete. Ball never touched the ground.

 

Interception!

[PBF81]

22 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Okay. But the catch "didn't survive the ground." 

 

Then it's incomplete, no?  

 

Why wouldn't it be incomplete?  

 

 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

DON'T yell at me, mister! 🤨

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