Expert: Vic Winnek - 1/4/2012

Question
Why was Danny Coales catch in ot Sugar bowl called incomplete. He clearly got his elbow and one foot down while having possesion of the ball. The tip of the ball did touch the ground, but it wasn't until after his elbow hit. He never bobbled the ball. The ref said something about not maintaining control of the ball. He had total control of the ball all the way thru the catch. It was called a td on the field. The only explanation is that if any point of the football touches the ground before completing the catch it is an incomplete pass. I could not believe they overturned that call and I'm not even a VT fan.

Answer
Joe
Thanks for your question, this is an excellent question and certainly will be a play that will be reviewed by the Football Rules committee and used for training purposes.  First and foremost please know the game was officiated well and replay was used properly and correctly.  I offer this response to your question to explain the play and why it was ruled the way it was.  This is strictly an objective analysis.   

This was a difficult review because it was so close.  However, the replay official is supported by the reversal of the call because the ball did touch the ground as you noted and the ball moved as it hit the ground thus the receiver did not complete the "process of the catch" without the ball touching the ground.  I will take you though the analysis of the play below:

Here is the film clip of the play in your question  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG7Gt6C9rFM

The Field Judge (FJ) was in proper position at the Goal line to rule on the play as was the Back Judge (BJ) coming down the End line.  However, the FJ was looking through the back and through the body of the receiver and could not see the ball as the receiver touched the ground.  [You can see this at the 5-6 second mark on the above video clip.]  Had the FJ ruled incomplete from his position, that would have been incorrect because he could not have seen [or had positive knowledge] that the ball touched the ground from where he was standing.  The BJ was positioned correctly on the play "may have" been in a position to rule incomplete, but the fact he didn't tells me that he didn't see this bang/band play of the tip of the ball touching the ground.  Had this play occurred when the officials were in goal line mechanics  they would have been positioned differently.  The BJ still would have been on the end line in the middle of the filed, the Line Judge (LJ) would have been at the goalline, the FJ would have been at the rear corner of the end zone [where the sideline and end line meet - and this would have been the best angle to officiate the play from and likely would have been ruled incomplete if officiated from that angle].

If you look at the 31 second mark on the film you will note the receiver's feet are inbounds, he is grasping the ball.  The question becomes does he have firm control of the ball?  At this point you see the tip of the ball touch the ground.  If you go to the 42-44 second mark you will see "the ball move" as the receiver comes to the ground.  By rule interpretation, this means there was not firm control of the ball. Thus the replay official must reverse the ruling on the field.

Review of the play was proper because "potential touchdown" plays are reviewed by rule 12-3-1 as are "Pass [plays] ruled complete, incomplete or intercepted anywhere in the field of play
or an end zone by rule 12-3-1-a.".

Instant replay is a process whereby video review is used to confirm, reverse or let stand certain on-field decisions made by game officials.  The Philosophy behind replay is to have the replay process operate under the fundamental assumption that the ruling on the field is correct. The replay official may reverse a ruling if and only if the video evidence convinces him beyond all doubt that the ruling was incorrect. Without such indisputable video evidence,
the replay official must allow the ruling to stand.  With that said, my opinion based on what I have seen through out this season and based on some NFL replay philosophy, I suspect the rules committee or national coordinator of officials may in the future implement a policy that on very close replay calls, don't reverse but rather go with the ruling on the field.  You have to remember we are still in the infancy of replay at the college level.  Moreover all sports are trying to figure out how to best and fairly merge technology and sport together.  Remember the officials on the filed are viewing the play from one angle [not the multiple cameral angles] and they see it one time at full speed.  The play you asked about took a while to review which usually means that the reply official looked at all angles and slowed it down, frame by frame and closely reviewed the play.

My own opinion is that sometimes we rely too much on technology and frankly decisions by officials are made in real time at full speed from their angle and sometimes we should just let the officials' decisions stand as usually they are correct. In real time this play looks close but ruling a TD looks proper. Then when this is slowed down frame by frame you see the slight movement of the ball as the tip of the ball touches the ground and you can see that firm control was not achieved or maintained through out the entire "process of the catch". Thus this is what was meant my not maintaining control of the ball.

Hope this helps explain the play. Also know that if this play occurred in a Div. 1-FCS (regular season); Div. II or III game it would have been a TD because there is no replay.