Don will provide two services for my page: 1) He will keep us up-to-date on the latest rule changes affecting SEC football; 2) During the football season, if you are watching a game and an SEC official makes a call you have a question about, email it to me and Don will answer your question on my page.
Instructions: When you have a question for Don, email it directly to me (please make sure you state that it is a question for Don) and I will post it to my page. During the week, Don will be checking out my page and when he sees that he has a question, he will email me his answer and I will post it to my page. It's as simple as that.
If you want Don to speak at your function, email him at Don Shanks and he will get back with you.
11/26/00 Question from Bill - It seems that an official can call offensive holding on any given play. What criteria are the officials taught concerning holding?
01/18/01 - Sorry to take so long getting to your question, but when the season ends I take a little time away from football. It would take several days and many pages trying to answer your question about offensive and defensive holding. Therefore, let me answer it this way.
The coaches and football officials work together in the Spring and two-a-days on NCAA rules. This way the coaches have a good understanding of what the officials will allow and not allow as regard to "all NCAA rules." Conference school use officials when they have game type situations so player and coaches get used to working with officials. By doing this we hope that everybody is on the same page when the season starts. Some are and some are not. Thanks for the question.
11/29/00 Don's Answer - The personal foul was a live ball foul. Therefore both fouls were live ball fouls and they offset. Replay the down. Thanks for the question. Don
My understanding is that roughing the passer is a dead ball personal foul and is marked off following any other penalty called during the play. This is what happened on the Ole Miss final touchdown drive of the first half.
On the play with Miller I thought they should have marked off the holding from the spot of the foul which was around the 25 and then mark off the 15 for the very questionable roughing call. The way they did it MSU would have been much better off had they not called the roughing penalty.
11/29/00 Don's Answer - Like the question above they were both live ball fouls. Replay the down. Thanks for the question. Don
Also, what bowl games will have SEC officiating crews this year?
11/25/00 Don's Answer - Full Crew when possible. There may be a situation where an official may have a conflict with one of the schools in the game.
Thanks for the question.
Don
11/25/00 Don's Answer
1- The week following any football game, the institution's Head Football Coach shall rate the work of each football official assigned to that game on the supplied Rating Cards and return to the Coordinator of Officials.
2- The Coordinator of Officials will review all full SEC crew game tapes and evaluate the performance of each official.
3- Whenever possible a qualified technical advisor shall be assigned to a game. At the conclusion of the game, the technical advisor will submit an evaluation of each official to the Coordinator of Officials.
4- At the end of the football season, the Coordinator of Officials shall be responsible for utilizing all of the information available to evaluate each official on the eligible list.
Thanks for the question.
Don
1) If the ball is pass the line of scrimmage and is touched by the kicking team is it a live ball or is it downed at that spot?
2) If the kick is blocked, but the ball does not cross the line of scrimmage, can it be advanced by the kicking team for a first down?
3) In the Mississippi vs LSU game the punter miss handled the snap but was able to kick the ball fortunately (or unfortunately) it appeared not to be touched by the defensive team and was kicked straight up not crossing the scrimmage line. The kicking team picked up the ball and advanced it almost to the first down marker where the receiving team took possession. The question is "Would the kicking team have retained possession if they had advanced the ball passed the first down mark and does it matter whether the receiving team touches the ball?"
11/16/00 Don's Answer - Rule 6-3/Article 1a. Behind the neutral Zone: A scrimmage kick that fails to cross the neutral zone continues in play. All players may catch or recover the ball behind the neutral zone and advance it.
Rule 6-3/Article 2a. Beyond the Neutral Zone: No inbounds player of the kicking team shall touch a scrimmage kick that has crossed the neutral zone before it touches an opponent. Such illegal touching is a violation that, when the ball becomes dead, gives the receiving team the privilege of taking the ball at the spot of the violation.
Answers to your questions:
1- After touching, the ball continues in play.
2- The ball can be advanced by any player.
3- Same as question #2. It can be advanced by any player. If it advanced beyond the line to gain it would be a first down.
Thanks for the questions.
Don
11/15/00 Don's Answer - Alabama-Team A, LSU-Team B: The two flags were thrown for a Team A player violating the two-yard zone. It was determined that the Team A player was blocked into the zone by a Team B player. Rule 6/4, Article1c - If contact with a potential receiver is the result of a player being blocked by an opponent, it is not a foul. Thanks for the question.
Also, can you explain how the officials at the MSU - LSU game missed the fumble when the LSU Tigers scored a touchdown? It looked like an official who was standing directly on the goal line was looking directly at the play but did not call the play a fumble even though television replays clearly show that the running back did not have the ball in his hands just prior to going into the end zone.
Thank you.
11/15/00 Don's Answer - In the BYU game the officials determined that BYU was not offside at the snap and picked the flag up and waved off the penalty. Therefore, the play stood.
Sorry, but I don't discuss judgement calls. Thanks for the question.
10/31/00 Don's Answer - Rule 3-1/Article 3f,Scoring. The team scoring the greater number of points during the regulation and extra periods shall be declared the winner. There shall be an equal number of series in each extra period, except if Team B scores during a period other than on the try. Beginning with the third extra period, teams scoring a touchdown must attempt a two-point try. A one-point try by Team A (although not illegal) will not score a point. Therefore the teams will play until there is a winner. Thanks for the question.
10/24/00 Question from Paul - In this week's Mississippi State/LSU game, after seeing the replay of the first touchdown score for LSU, it was obvious that this was not a touchdown but a turnover. This would have been a big boost for Mississippi State and could have been a turning point in the game. Do you think it is possible that we will ever see instant replay in the NCAA?
10/31/00 Don's Answer - The talk about instant replay gets stronger every year. It would have to be equal throughout for all Division I schools. The great majority of D-I schools are not on TV and would have to fund their own replay systems and that would be very expensive. I don't believe the University Presidents and Athletic Directors are willing to fund that expense. Thanks for the question.
10/24/00 Question from Joel - What is the rule about the ball breaking the plane of the goal line?
10/31/00 Don's Answer - Each goal line is part of a vertical plane separating the end zone from the field of play. When the ball in a player's possession breaks that plane it is a touchdown. Thanks for the question.
10/24/00 Questions from Andrew - If team A wins the toss at the beginning of a game and they defer, do they not have the option to receive the ball at the start of the second half regardless of what team B chooses? Also, if team A wins the toss and elects to kick off, does team A get to receive automatically in the second half, or does team B get the choice in the second half since team A chose in the first half?
10/31/00 Don's Answer - The winner of the toss shall choose one of the following options for the first half.
1- To designate which team shall kick off.
2- To designate which goal line his team shall defend.
The winner can defer this choice to the second half. Then the loser of the coin toss would have the first half option. The first part of your question Team A deferred his option to the second half. He can elect to receive or kick to open the second half. The second part of your question Team A won the toss and elected to kick, so Team B has the second half option. Thanks for the question.
10/24/00 Question from Tom - During a pass reception/run the half expires. At the end of the run, the defensive team hits the receiver/runner out of bounds. Will there be an un-timed down or will the foul be assessed on the kick-off to start the second half?
10/31/00 Don's Answer - Rule 3-2/Article 3, Extension of Periods: A period shall be extended until a down (other than a try), free from live-ball fouls not penalized as dead-ball fouls, has been played when:
a. A penalty is accepted for a live-ball foul(s) not penalized as a dead-ball foul that occurs during a down in which time expires.
b. Offsetting fouls occur during a down in which time expires.
c. An inadvertent whistle is sounded or an official signals the ball dead during a down in which time expires.
During the play you described the receiver/runner is hit out of bounds after time has expired in the second period. Therefore the half has ended and there will be no un-timed down. The penalty will be administrated on the second half kick-off. Thanks for the question.
10/16/00 Question from MP - Question. 1.) What (if any) is the rule concerning coaches on the field during games? 2.) What is a sideline warning and what is the penalty?
I watched South Carolina and Arkansas this week and the coaches were on the field encouraging their players. I remember Bobby Bowden doing the same thing his first year at Florida State. He would run on the field and slap his players on the back as they came off the field after a good play.
10/24/00 Don's Answer - Rule 9-2, Article 1-b1: During the game, coaches, substitutes and authorized attendants in the team area shall not be on the field of play or outside the 25-yard lines without permission from the referee unless legally entering or leaving the field.
Rule 9-1, Article 5: Game Administration Interference.
a. While the ball is in play, coaches, substitutes and authorized attendants in the team area may not be between the sideline and coaching line (the six foot solid white line that runs from the 25 yard line to the 25 yard line on both sides of the field).
b. The procedure for enforcement of Rule 9-1-5-a is as follows:
1. Any game official may stop the clock to give a sideline warning.
2. The head coach is informed by a game official that he is receiving a first or second warning because the area between the sideline and coaching line has been violated by coaches, players or persons authorized in the team area.
3. Each official will record the time and period of each warning.
4. After a second warning, a game official will notify the head coach that he has had two warnings and that the next infraction will result in a five-yard penalty.
5. After a five-yard penalty, a game official will notify the head coach that he has had two warnings and a five-yard penalty, and will receive a 15-yard penalty for the next infraction.
Thanks for the question.
10/12/00 Question from Steve - In a game I watched earlier this year a holding penalty was called on the defense. The play resulted in an 11 yard gain for the offense. The penalty was added to the yards gained on the play. The total gain was 21 yards (11 from the play and 10 from the penalty). Why did this occur? Should it not have been an either or situation since it was not a dead ball or a personal foul? These were not SEC officials, but it was an SEC non-conference game.
10/17/00 Don's Answer - Rule 10: Penalty Enforcement. Section 2. Enforcement Procedures.
Article 2, C. Running plays - The basic enforcement spots for fouls that occur during running plays in the field of play or end zone are as follows:
1. When the running play end beyond the neutral zone, the basic enforcement spot is the end of the related run.
2. When the running play ends behind the neutral zone before a change of team possession, the basic enforcement spot is the previous spot.
3. When there is no neutral zone, the basic enforcement spot is the end of the related run.
There are some exceptions to the rule. Thanks for the question.
10/03/00 Questions from Robert - Based on the small number of offensive holding penalties called in the various Mississippi State games this year and what appears to be blatant holding, I wonder if the holding rule has been changed or a decision made to limit the holding calls?
Also, what is the definition of holding by an offensive lineman?
Finally, is there a penalty for a block in the back by the kicking team on a punt return?
10/12/00 Don's Answer - Part 1 of your question. No. The rule has not been changed and there has been no decision to limit calls.
Part 2. Holding or illegal obstruction by a teammate of the runner or passer.
1. The hand(s) and arm(s) shall not be used to grasp, pull or encircle in any way that illegally impedes or illegally obstructs an opponent.
2. The hand(s) or arm(s) shall not be used to hook, clamp or otherwise illegally impede or illegally obstruct an opponent.
Penalty: 10 yards from the basic spot. 10 yards from the previous spot for holding behind the neutral zone when the running play ends behind the neutral zone or a legal forward pass is thrown. Safety if the holding occurs behind Team A's goal line.
Part 3. A block in the back is a block in the back! It does not matter who blocks in the back, offense or defense. If it's above the waist and from behind it is a 10 yard penalty. If it is from behind and below the waste it is clipping and a 15 yard penalty. There are some exceptions. Hope this helps. Thanks for the question.
Even if it had only been a 5-yard penalty, Clemson's drive would have been kept alive, so I'm not sure it really made much difference. My question though is what will make an official call roughing, and what will make him call the lesser penalty?
08/03/00 Don's Answer - When it is obvious that a scrimmage kick will be made, no opponent shall run into or rough the kicker or the holder of a place kick. Roughing is a personal foul that endangers the kicker or holder. Running into the kicker or holder is a foul that occurs when the kicker or holder is displaced from the kicking or holding position but is not roughed. The kicker of a scrimmage kick loses protection as a kicker when he has had a reasonable time to regain his balance. When in question whether the foul is "running into" or "roughing" the foul is "roughing." Hope this helps answer your question. Thanks, Don.