FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Shark]

former 3db

Worth it, no doubt.  It will also get me out of a few Christmas parties and a retirement party.  I'm selling myself on the trip as we continue.  My brother and I went to the first one in Salem in '93.  We saw Ballard receive the first Gagliardi, heard Rocky Bleir address the teams at the luncheon, and hung out in the parking lot a bit prior to the game.  That is a beautiful area for a football game.

I didn't notice the scenery that much. My teeth were chattering . That was the coldest I've ever been at a sporting event......should have dressed warmer...much warmer.

Salem is beautiful and subsequent Stagg bowls have had much nicer weather.

[Shark]

Regarding the onside kick that was blown dead in last weeks game......there was indeed a fair catch signal given just as soon as the ball left the tee. However, the signal was given by someone other than the kick returner. I think the kick returner was caught offguard as well. The question is, can ANYONE call a fair catch, even if he is not the kick fielder? I ve honestly never seen anyone other than the returner call for a fair catch. In this instance it was called by a midfield blocker on the frontline, and the catch was towards the sideline just behind the first line of return blockers. We need an official clarification.

By the way, do we have a fullback ready for this game? Im not knocking Bruney. He blocks pretty well downfield. But inside the 10 yard line...I want someone more "fullback like" to plow the way.

I've heard Mouring is doubtful for the Stagg bowl. Hope that's not accurate!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Something has me confused here - how can there be a 'fair catch' signal on an onside kick?  Doesn't that kind of defeat the whole point??!!

[Jonny Utah]

Something has me confused here - how can there be a 'fair catch' signal on an onside kick?  Doesn't that kind of defeat the whole point??!!

Im pretty sure the rule goes like this:

-There is no "returner".  Anyone on the return team can make a fair catch (or signal for a fair catch I should say)

-Once a fair catch signal is made by any player, anyone on that team can still catch it, but the fair catch rule (play is dead and the player that catches the ball has to stop [no more than 2 yards] after the catch.) is still in effect for any player that catches or retrieves the ball.

-Once the ball hits the ground (onside kick) a fair catch can still be made, but the "returner" no longer has the protection of "no contact by the other team".  So if the return team gets it, the play is dead.

*So lets say there is an onside kick that bounces off the ground and then into the air.  If any player on the return team signals for a fair catch, it means that when someone on the return team catches it, the play is dead.  But, if the ball hits the ground and then up in the air, the kickoff team can still make contact (hit) players on the return team to intefere with them catching the ball.

*If the kickoff team kicks it high in the air, and the ball never hits the ground and someone signals for a fair catch, then the return team can catch the ball without any contact from the kickoff team.

So basically, on any "free kick" (kickoff, punt, FG, XP) anyone on the return team can always call for a fair catch.  But if the ball hits the ground, the return team no longer has the right to catch the ball without inteference.  And anyone on the return team can signalfor a fair catch, even if he isnt the player that will catch the ball.  Thats what the rule reads like to me anyway (Rule 6 Section 5, NCAA rules)

[HScoach]

Something has me confused here - how can there be a 'fair catch' signal on an onside kick?  Doesn't that kind of defeat the whole point??!!

Im pretty sure the rule goes like this:

-There is no "returner".  Anyone on the return team can make a fair catch (or signal for a fair catch I should say)

-Once a fair catch signal is made by any player, anyone on that team can still catch it, but the fair catch rule (play is dead and the player that catches the ball has to stop [no more than 2 yards] after the catch.) is still in effect for any player that catches or retrieves the ball.

-Once the ball hits the ground (onside kick) a fair catch can still be made, but the "returner" no longer has the protection of "no contact by the other team".  So if the return team gets it, the play is dead.

*So lets say there is an onside kick that bounces off the ground and then into the air.  If any player on the return team signals for a fair catch, it means that when someone on the return team catches it, the play is dead.  But, if the ball hits the ground and then up in the air, the kickoff team can still make contact (hit) players on the return team to intefere with them catching the ball.

*If the kickoff team kicks it high in the air, and the ball never hits the ground and someone signals for a fair catch, then the return team can catch the ball without any contact from the kickoff team.

So basically, on any "free kick" (kickoff, punt, FG, XP) anyone on the return team can always call for a fair catch.  But if the ball hits the ground, the return team no longer has the right to catch the ball without inteference.  And anyone on the return team can signalfor a fair catch, even if he isnt the player that will catch the ball.  Thats what the rule reads like to me anyway (Rule 6 Section 5, NCAA rules)

Bruney waved for the fair catch, but the returner beside him caught it.

[Jonny Utah]

Something has me confused here - how can there be a 'fair catch' signal on an onside kick?  Doesn't that kind of defeat the whole point??!!

Im pretty sure the rule goes like this:

-There is no "returner".  Anyone on the return team can make a fair catch (or signal for a fair catch I should say)

-Once a fair catch signal is made by any player, anyone on that team can still catch it, but the fair catch rule (play is dead and the player that catches the ball has to stop [no more than 2 yards] after the catch.) is still in effect for any player that catches or retrieves the ball.

-Once the ball hits the ground (onside kick) a fair catch can still be made, but the "returner" no longer has the protection of "no contact by the other team".  So if the return team gets it, the play is dead.

*So lets say there is an onside kick that bounces off the ground and then into the air.  If any player on the return team signals for a fair catch, it means that when someone on the return team catches it, the play is dead.  But, if the ball hits the ground and then up in the air, the kickoff team can still make contact (hit) players on the return team to intefere with them catching the ball.

*If the kickoff team kicks it high in the air, and the ball never hits the ground and someone signals for a fair catch, then the return team can catch the ball without any contact from the kickoff team.

So basically, on any "free kick" (kickoff, punt, FG, XP) anyone on the return team can always call for a fair catch.  But if the ball hits the ground, the return team no longer has the right to catch the ball without inteference.  And anyone on the return team can signalfor a fair catch, even if he isnt the player that will catch the ball.  Thats what the rule reads like to me anyway (Rule 6 Section 5, NCAA rules)

Bruney waved for the fair catch, but the returner beside him caught it.

Yea.  Thats ok, but the returner that caught it, still cannot move more than 2 yards in any direction after the catch, and the play is blown dead.

[theaprof]

Then, since Nickoli took off after fielding the ball, why wasn't a flag thrown for violating the free catch rule?

This same thing happened in the SJF game, I believe.

[Jonny Utah]

Then, since Nickoli took off after fielding the ball, why wasn't a flag thrown for violating the free catch rule?

This same thing happened in the SJF game, I believe.

Yea I dont know.  Thats the way the rule reads to me.  It even mentions the word "team" instead of player.

[reality check]

Then, since Nickoli took off after fielding the ball, why wasn't a flag thrown for violating the free catch rule?

This same thing happened in the SJF game, I believe.

Because ultimately, the decision to throw or not throw the flag for running after the fair catch is discretionary.  The official could have thrown the flag but more often then not, they don't throw that flag.  Technically, when a returner calls for a fair catch but has to cover a lot of ground laterally to get to the ball, they blow the play dead too but the returner often travels more than two yards after the catch because of the momentum they had going in a direction.

FWIW a punt returner can make the fair catch call too but field the kick on the bounce (which I've seen before) and it's blown dead; essentially the same thing as calling for and fielding an onside kick after the bounce.

[raiderpa]

I tend to agree with the assessment of Brunie's blocking in the secondary versus the red zone.  Scott Thomas looks very powerful to me.  I wonder he would be a good blocker at fullback... However, blocking is as much about passion as having the skills...
I don't know the personalities of the players to know.  I do see a very powerful set of legs when Thomas runs the ball.  Not the scatback speed of Kmic or Panchik  who has shown some good moves....

[PurpleSuit]

By the way, do we have a fullback ready for this game? Im not knocking Bruney. He blocks pretty well downfield. But inside the 10 yard line...I want someone more "fullback like" to plow the way.

i know its not likely, but I'd feel pretty comfortable having DeRiggi open holes as a goalline FB

[K-Mack]

Hey,
Anyone who knows of any prominent MUC or UWW alum planning to go to the game Saturday (and by prominent, I probably mean ex-players, but be creative), drop the name and probable arrival time to Keith@D3football.com. Might respond with a request for more info.

Also, I have several Stagg Bowls on video, but I do not have the access to the past two. If anyone has those games in full, especially either on DVD or online somewhere, please let me know at the same e-mail address.

Thanks.

[skunks_sidekick]

<<<<<<<<<Not a "prominent Mount Alumni".  Sigh.......I had the stupidity to go to Kent State.  Why??   

[PurpleSuit]

<-soon to be Mount Alum, I guess I'm prominant because the people of UW-W and SJF hate me because of youtube

[skunks_sidekick]

Suit!  Word is you are a "wannabe"?  You are one of the "new blood" of suits? 

Bring the men over to the tailgate this Saturday.  Anyone that can wear a purple suit, be in college (I am assuming you made it through another semester), and can do push-ups after Mount scores is "ok" with me.