I was watching my alma mater play their high school homecoming game with a few of my friends from around the country. One of their play-by-play guys is a classmate of ours so we make fun of him as well. Anyway, I saw a horrible call tonight and correct me if I am wrong... but the kid from Chino Hills tries to catch the punt (not call fair catch, not that it would have mattered) at the 2 yard line. He drops the punt into the end zone where he is tackled by the Damien defenders for what appears to be a safety. The officials huddled. They never once ever thought about calling a safety. After the huddle, they gave the ball to Chino Hills at the 20 yard line. Chino Hills drove down to win the game. The safety would have essentially ended the contest. Is there some obscure fair catch rule that I am unaware of? The kid clearly didn't call a fair catch. He straight up muffed the punt backward into the end zone. Is there something we were missing?
OK. I had to look up the law...er....rule. I used the college rules but I assume it's the same in HS. Look at sec. III Section 7. Responsibility and Impetus Initial Impetus—ARTICLE 2 Approved Ruling 8-7-2 I. Ball carrier A1, advancing toward Team B’s goal line, fumbles when B1 bats the ball from his hand or tackles him from the rear. In either case, A1 loses possession short of the goal line, and the ball goes into Team B’s end zone, where Team B recovers. RULING: Touchback. Impetus is charged to the fumble by Team A (Rule 8-6-1-a). II. Any kick by Team A strikes the ground and a Team B player bats the ball across Team B’s goal line, where Team B recovers it while grounded or it goes out of bounds. RULING: New impetus is given by Team B. Safety, two points for Team A. Batting the kick is considered to have destroyed the impetus of the kick and imparted a new impetus. However, merely touching or deflecting the kick, or being struck by it, does not destroy the impetus of the kick (Rule 8-5-1-a). III. Team A punts. The ball is touched by Team B (no impetus added) and crosses Team B’s goal line. Then Team B falls on the ball or the ball goes out of bounds from the end zone. RULING: Touchback. The same ruling applies if a kick in flight strikes Team B or merely is deflected by an attempted catch. Team B may recover and advance, and it is a touchback if a Team B player is downed in the end zone.
So even though no one touched the kid until the ball was already fumbled backward into the end zone.... it's a touch back?!??! Well I'll be.