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College Football/ground cause fumble?

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Expert: - 10/12/2006


Question
Victor- thanks.  If the ballcarrier uses the ball to regain balance while maintaining possession, is he down where ball contacts field?  If ball pops free as a result of his attempt to use it for balance, is it live ball?  Happened in Tennessee/Ark game in 1998 and ruled fumble.  Therefore, ground caused fumble in that case.
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Followup To

Question -
If runner dives and the ball hits the field before any body part, then pops loose, is it deadball?  Where's rule?  If deadball in this case, then what if runners hand is under ball so hand only and not ball hits ground before fumble?  No other body part hits ground, just hand under ball before ball pops out.

Answer -
Tom,
Thanks for your question.  The rule cite you seek is: NCAA Football Rule 4-1-3(b),(k);2-2-5.  The ground can not cause the a fumble.  One of the long standing football maxiums is that there are no cheap fumbles, when in doubt the player is down.  However the mountain west conference following an NFL philosophy stands by the idea, when in doubt the ball is out - it is a fumble.  While technically rule 4-1-3 might not deem the runner in your example down, from an officiating standpoint he would be considered down.  You are describing a play one would have to see.

Answer
Tom,
Thanks for the follow up question. I like your mind and thought process.  I want my follow up reply to be exact.  I am going to research the evolution (legislative history) of the fumble rules and 4-1-3.

A quick answer: When the runner uses the ball to regain balance while maintaining possession, the runner is not deemed down and the ball is alive.  If the ball pops free as a result of the runner's attempt to use it for balance, the ball is considered to be a fumble and remains a live loose ball not in player possession.

The ground is not causing the ball to come loose, the player is loosing his firm grasp of the ball which allows him control of the ball.   I am not being a smart ass by this response - this is how it is viewed.  I do want to research the maxium that coins the phrase the "ground causes the fumble".  I suspect that will clear it up.

Thanks for this very good challenging question.  Please keep in mind under your example the player loses possession while the ball is in contact with the ground - the ground is not causing the fumble.

Victor Winnek

College Football

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Vic Winnek

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24 years officiating High School & College football, NCAA Referee, Umpire, Back Judge & Line Judge 2 years Arena Football-substitution official Instructor of NCAA & Federation Officials, Played prep and college football; coached High School football; Athletic trainer; 23 years of instruction in Officiating Football

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