Absolute Bull Manure

[fro daddy]

Its actually 15 yrds for ANY face mask. You are right that they did away with incidental facemasks. They still throw the flag like before, just now everything is the 15 yard variety.

 

This was my understanding of the new facemask rule.

 

I believe it is the new rule. If there is any pull, grab, whatever it is 15.

[VA Husker Fan]

Any facemask that is "called" is a 15 yard penalty. However, there isn't supposed to be any flag thrown or any penalty for an incidental facemask anymore. This is why some people get pissed because they see a facemask and there is no flag. It's not that the ref didn't see the facemask in some or most cases. He just simply thinks it is an incidental facemask which doesn't warrant a penalty due to this year's rule change.

 

This is correct. Under "Major Rules Changes" in this years rule book, it says:

9-1-2-q...................................Five-yard facemask foul eliminated ........................ FR-118

 

And here is the rule:

 

q. No player shall twist, turn or pull the face mask or any helmet opening

of an opponent. It is not a foul if the face mask or helmet opening is

not twisted, turned or pulled. When in question, it is a foul (A.R. 9-1-2-

XV).

 

I think refs have been trained to pay close attention to that last sentence, and call anything with any doubt, like the call on Glenn last week. I saw the QB's head go down slightly when Glenn's hand came across the facemask. Whether that was the force that caused it, I don't know, but I guess it caused enough doubt for the ref to throw the flag.

[pctopeka]

The officials are always right you clowns...and that includes the chain gang.... Actually, the officials are almost never right and should probably consult with the chain gang when in doubt since we are all hand picked for our beauty, charm, intelligence and grace under fire....and most certainly never wrong.

 

Anyway...arguing calls after the fact is like sitting on a circular saw and then trying to figure out which tooth cut your ass first...wasted effort.

 

the most relevant post in this whole discussion...