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For those who know the rules

edub72

ND Expert
Jan 17, 2018
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Was the motion/shift flag on Faison incorrect/bs? The rules analyst said it was not a penalty and then McElroy said something but I thought analyst said he was wrong?
 
Was the motion/shift flag on Faison incorrect/bs? The rules analyst said it was not a penalty and then McElroy said something but I thought analyst said he was wrong?
I believe it was the correct call but that rarely gets called. That’s on ND.
 
Was the motion/shift flag on Faison incorrect/bs? The rules analyst said it was not a penalty and then McElroy said something but I thought analyst said he was wrong?
I could be wrong but I think the reason it was called was because Faison was on some level appearing to go towards the line of scrimmage, which is illegal. Another possibility was that Faison started to move almost at the same time Evans was getting set into a 3 point stance, but I don't think that's why it was called. Technically, I guess the ref could be correct, but what's frustrating is that it was totally inconsequential to the play. Just let the players play man.
 
I don’t think it was supposed to be a penalty, but I’m curious considering how adamant Smart was that NDs 4th down swap shouldn’t have been allowed is true or not. My initial thought was maybe that isn’t allowed if the team becomes set first? I don’t know.
 
I could be wrong but I think the reason it was called was because Faison was on some level appearing to go towards the line of scrimmage, which is illegal. Another possibility was that Faison started to move almost at the same time Evans was getting set into a 3 point stance, but I don't think that's why it was called. Technically, I guess the ref could be correct, but what's frustrating is that it was totally inconsequential to the play. Just let the players play man.

If something is a penalty, you have to call it. The only times people say “let players play” is when a call goes against them.
 
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I don’t think it was supposed to be a penalty, but I’m curious considering how adamant Smart was that NDs 4th down swap shouldn’t have been allowed is true or not. My initial thought was maybe that isn’t allowed if the team becomes set first? I don’t know.
Yeah I was curious about that as well. He may have thought that they were set, but they actually weren't. You would think ND had already checked with refs pregame to make sure its a legal play.
 
I believe the correct call is if both players are in motion at the same time then they need to be set for 1 second before they can go in motion again. What Austin was saying was that Faison was not in motion when te got up on line therefore 1 sec rule doesnt apply.
 
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If something is a penalty, you have to call it. The only times people say “let players play” is when a call goes against them.
No disagreement, but there are plenty of times much more egregious penalties go uncalled. That's why it frustrated me. But I will admit it's an exceedingly difficult job being a ref. You can't get them all.
 
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If something is a penalty, you have to call it. The only times people say “let players play” is when a call goes against them.
Are you serious? All referees do is let shit go. That's essentially what the job of a referee is, not calling penalties. Because if they called the game carefully and strictly there'd be like a hundred penalties. So they are constantly letting shit go. Giving them all latitude in the world to start calling them close when it suits them. Which is what seemed like happened tonight. When it mattered for UGA all of a sudden every time ND breathed in the wrong direction it was a penalty for the dawgs.

That would be the complaint, mine anyways.
 
It was not the correct call. Faison may or may not have been going forward, but that was not what was called. That would be a false start. The call was illegal shift. Evans moved up to the line, but was stopped before Faison went into motion. That is all that needs to happen,. He does not have to be set for 1 sec like they would both need to be if they were in motion at the same time.
 
It was not the correct call. Faison may or may not have been going forward, but that was not what was called. That would be a false start. The call was illegal shift. Evans moved up to the line, but was stopped before Faison went into motion. That is all that needs to happen,. He does not have to be set for 1 sec like they would both need to be if they were in motion at the same time.
I don’t believe that is correct. All players must be set for one second prior to a player entering into motion or shifting.
 
I believe the correct call is if both players are in motion at the same time then they need to be set for 1 second before they can go in motion again. What Austin was saying was that Faison was not in motion when te got up on line therefore 1 sec rule doesnt apply.
This is what I thought as well. Evans came up and pointed down the line to clear that his positioning was correct. Then Faison went in motion, I lost it on that call.
 
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This is what I thought as well. Evans came up and pointed down the line to clear that his positioning was correct. Then Faison went in motion, I lost it on that call.
Imagine how the Arizona State players and fans feel, that was an extremely blatant missed call that probably cost Arizona State the game
 
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Imagine how the Arizona State players and fans feel, that was an extremelyblatant missed call that probably cost Arizona State the game
The parameters of the rule need to be redefined in my opinion. I've read many quotes from folks who thought it was a good no call. I know two college officials. One thought it was targeting, the other absolutely not. It's too subjective. Hell, running backs lower their helmets and deliver blows all the time and many times helmet to helmet. Personally to me just another rule that hinders the defense to the benefit of the offense. I know it's about safety but it's a one way street. I've never seen an offensive player called for it.
 
The parameters of the rule need to be redefined in my opinion. I've read many quotes from folks who thought it was a good no call. I know two college officials. One thought it was targeting, the other absolutely not. It's too subjective. Hell, running backs lower their helmets and deliver blows all the time and many times helmet to helmet. Personally to me just another rule that hinders the defense to the benefit of the offense. I know it's about safety but it's a one way street. I've never seen an offensive player called for it.
The one dude who said it wasn't was probably just closing ranks. It's scandalous, that a targeting wasn't given on that play. And refs everywhere are probably sweating a little bit with all the outrage swirling around after that game. They gotta circle the wagons. That's how I see it. Absolute obvious targeting without question. Game changing call, or non-call in this case, that totally bailed out the favored SEC big dog, and even cries of corruption emanating at least from the peanut gallery online. Naturally some off duty refs is gonna be like, I don't think it was, or it was close. When it wasn't close.

Probably wasn't corruption. But there was some chickenshits afraid to do their job when it really mattered.
 
The parameters of the rule need to be redefined in my opinion. I've read many quotes from folks who thought it was a good no call. I know two college officials. One thought it was targeting, the other absolutely not. It's too subjective. Hell, running backs lower their helmets and deliver blows all the time and many times helmet to helmet. Personally to me just another rule that hinders the defense to the benefit of the offense. I know it's about safety but it's a one way street. I've never seen an offensive player called for it.
There was nothing subjective about that hit, it was an open and shut case as clearly defined in the rules.

Any official who declared the no call, as a good call, should never be allowed to officiate again.

That was a no call for one reason and one reason only, it was going to impact the outcome of the game.

Defenseless player, hit to the head, that’s all you need to know

You are 100% correct about running backs lowering their heads, but they’re not targeting the heads of the defender
 
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It was not the correct call. Faison may or may not have been going forward, but that was not what was called. That would be a false start. The call was illegal shift. Evans moved up to the line, but was stopped before Faison went into motion. That is all that needs to happen,. He does not have to be set for 1 sec like they would both need to be if they were in motion at the same time.
I agree with this.

It really makes you feel like the official was trying to find a reason to make a call against ND.
 
You could use that play as a literal textbook example, when teaching aspiring young refs, and this is when you call it. More than meets the criteria. And carefully go over every aspect of the play. The fact that the guy needed several minutes to recover, brings home and reminds everyone why the rule was instituted in the first place. We're trying to limit brain damage, in an inherently hyper violent and physically destructive sport. And in the effort to do so, we harshly penalize hits exactly like this so as to discourage the practice. These are the kind of hits that concuss people. Precisely what we're trying to prevent with this rule. And every future ref coming down the pike could study this exact play, and burn it in his brain. That's targeting.
 
There was nothing subjective about that hit, it was an open and shut case as clearly defined in the rules.

Any official who declared the no call, as a good call, should never be allowed to officiate again.

That was a no call for one reason and one reason only, it was going to impact the outcome of the game.

Defenseless player, hit to the head, that’s all you need to know

You are 100% correct about running backs lowering their heads, but they’re not targeting the heads of the defender
Despite your bold font many people believe it was and is like most penalties subject to interpretation of the rule as written and agreed to. The folks doing the review and the officials on the field are the very best of their conference as are all the officials in the CFP. To declare that is was so definitive is just an opinion shared by many . The " professionals" employed to make that decision thought otherwise. I'm on the fence as I can honestly see the logic both ways. I still maintain the rule needs to be addressed and the parameters of it reviewed and hopefully streamlined to limit the possibilities of subjectiveness.
 
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