Expert: Thom Brooks - 10/23/2009

Question
What should the ruling be? Minnesota High School football. The punt was muffed at the 5 yard line and during the scramble for the ball it rolled into the endzone. The receiving team recovered the ball in the endzone. Touchback or safety?

Answer
Mark, hello!

The ball is dead when it crossed the plane of the End Zone,   It sounds that the play would have resulted in the R Team getting the ball at the 20 yard line, going the other way! It could depend on what is called "Force, Safety and Touchback". Were any flags thrown?  

Go to the NFHS, (National Federation of High Schools), Rule 8-5, and then to the Minnesota High School Association to determine the rule exactly as it applied to that play.

Did the Officials make the correct call, in your eyes?




Take care,