Interesting Comment on Valid/Invalid Fair Catch Signals

[FeliSilvestris]

If you make an invalid fair catch signal, you are fair game to be tackled. However, players are still coached not to hit the opponent in that situation, because with the opponent likely standing still, teeing off on him runs the risk of drawing a flag for unnecessary roughness even if tackling him in general is legal. Also, the officials are supposed to blow the play dead as soon as the ball is caught, and if you tackle someone well after the whistle, you can also get flagged. So while NU's players could have tackled Erickson, they are taught not to, to minimize the risk of needless penalties.

I see the point of avoiding a possible penalty. But it is still unclear to me what are players taught to do for a situation in which there is no whistle and the return man -- after making some type of waving -- stands with the FB in his hands, by all indications getting ready to take off. Are they taught to wait until he takes the very first step? (that wouldn't be a long wait anyway, unless the returner for some strange reason freezes and stand still).

As I have indicated before, in the case in question 4 unblocked NU players were 5-10 yards away when the return man was in position to take off. So, they had a bit of room to maneuver.

 

[hdhntr1]

I see the point of avoiding a possible penalty. But it is still unclear to me what are players taught to do for a situation in which there is no whistle and the return man -- after making some type of waving -- stands with the FB in his hands, by all indications getting ready to take off. Are they taught to wait until he takes the very first step? (that wouldn't be a long wait anyway, unless the returner for some strange reason freezes and stand still).

As I have indicated before, in the case in question 4 unblocked NU players were 5-10 yards away when the return man was in position to take off. So, they had a bit of room to maneuver.

It is a game of fractions of a second. When they see the hands wave, they start breaking down their rush. All it takes to put them out of position is 0.01-0,02 seconds. Hit the guy and get hit with a 15 yd penalty. It immediately puts them out of position. That is why there is supposed to be a penalty for waving and then trying to advance the ball..

 

[FeliSilvestris]

It is a game of fractions of a second. When they see the hands wave, they start breaking down their rush. All it takes to put them out of position is 0.01-0,02 seconds. Hit the guy and get hit with a 15 yd penalty. It immediately puts them out of position. That is why there is supposed to be a penalty for waving and then trying to advance the ball..

Where do you get that they "start breaking down their rush" the moment they see some kind of hand wave signal? And why would players who aren't even in the immediate vicinity of the return man have to do anything different because of what the return man did or didn't do (when no whistle has been blown)?

In the play in question only ONE player showed any sign of slowing down a tiny bit right around the return man. Others seemed to have continued with what they were doing. In fact, two NU players immediately attempted a tackle about the time he started moving. It just didn't work.

Anyway, you didn't answer the question above, did you?

 

[DaCat]

Feli zzzz