Question Re: Illegal Touching Penalty

[thejumper5]

On Mizzou's go-ahead TD, it appeared to me that all four WRs were ON the line of scrimmage. If that was the case, shouldn't three of them (including the one that caught the ball) been ineligible receivers. This would have nullified the TD. Am I misunderstanding the rule, or is it simply that Egnew was far enough back that he was, in fact, behind the line?

Sorry if this has already been reviewed. I was just curious from those of you who understand the rules better that I do.

 

[lilrabbi]

I didn't catch that one, but there was so much that this horrid officiating crew missed in this game. It was unbelievable. I'm just awe-struck that they got the incomplete pass right on the official review on Mizzou's last drive.

 

[hawkfan340]

On Mizzou's go-ahead TD, it appeared to me that all four WRs were ON the line of scrimmage. If that was the case, shouldn't three of them (including the one that caught the ball) been ineligible receivers. This would have nullified the TD. Am I misunderstanding the rule, or is it simply that Egnew was far enough back that he was, in fact, behind the line?

Sorry if this has already been reviewed. I was just curious from those of you who understand the rules better that I do.

You would be right about the penalty if he was on the line and covered up by a more outside receiver. However, I think that he was ruled to be in the backfield on that play.

 

[thejumper5]

You would be right about the penalty if he was on the line and covered up by a more outside receiver. However, I think that he was ruled to be in the backfield on that play.

So what defines a player being "in the backfield?" All four guys looked like they were exactly even.

 

[NorfolkNeb]

Egnew sure ran behind the other three players to the inside...but I'm not sure we could see all four recievers at the start of the video clip the network chose to show. I believe he may have lined up behind the three guys we could see on the screen at the time, but was just out of our view to the left.

 

[thejumper5]

I watched a replay of it here:

Missouri Tigers vs. Iowa Hawkeyes - Video - December 28, 2010 - ESPN

After seeing it again, it actually looks like the four WRs were slightly (maybe minimally is a better word) staggered, but none of them are on the line. I wonder how closely refs watch this kind of thing.

 

[hawkfan2679]

It's a bit of a nebulous rule, and they really only call it if it's obvious (although some refs are ticky-tacky-er than others). I think the general rule is the centers belt or about a yard off the ball in measurable terms...anybody within a yard of the ball is deemed on, anyone who is not is deemed off. I'd have to take a look back at the replay of that one to see for sure...didn't Mizzou go quads to that side?