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#56 from Minnesota throws 2 punches, video inside

I can see what he was trying to do, even though it is illegal. I was far more upset by the soccer flop done later in the game that earned a personal foul against Cethan. I wish like in the NBA, they would punish the flopper. That ref who called it needs some sort of punishment too.
 
I can see what he was trying to do, even though it is illegal. I was far more upset by the soccer flop done later in the game that earned a personal foul against Cethan. I wish like in the NBA, they would punish the flopper. That ref who called it needs some sort of punishment too.

This is the Big Ten where football officials seem to be able to be awful and get rewarded for incompetence. I don't see officiating like this in the PAC, ACC or SEC.
 
I saw this happen live and couldn't believe nothing was called (actually I could believe it, given what I've seen all year from the refs). It was on the first play of the last drive, after that play, Minnesota called a timeout and then we downed the ball twice and the game was over. Essentially their only hope was a fumble there, so that's why he did it, still should have been a penalty.

Also note, the guy that did it is the same one that sat out the first half because of targeting from the previous game.
 
Its a tough pill to swallow when you say he is punching at the ball. there is a group of helmets around and the ball is down lower. unless the ball was being carried by someons head in a scrum, he wasnt swiping at the ball.
 
YES, when watching the game, we all said what the F!#@ he is throwing punches. I was wondering if anyone else caught this.
 
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This was nothing compared to the guy trying to twist off Tommy's ankle on the play he was hurt on. You could see the start of it on the 1st replay, but TV cut it off. All other replays were cut off before you see it start.
Add in the fact that those douchebags were laying on players and rolling unnecessarily on our guys on piles. Then when Cethan barely touches a guy in an attempt to help up a teammate, their fatass actor acts like the Incredible Hulk launches him across the field.
That team is filled with a bunch of pansies.
 
i saw it and wondered when it would be commented on. complete garbage. would hope the big ten and/or ncaa take action.
 
The players seemed to be a little upset out on the field. Seemed to me like Minnesota got a little chippy on certain plays. In piles and such it sure seemed to me like guys were getting up and had a little extra shove or a few words after a lot of them. The punch was so obvious... I know he was trying to force a fumble but he was throwing haymakers!... Closed fist punching is not a legal play. Also, the play Carter got called for was complete BS! The guy clearly straddles Newby on purpose and is saying something, and carter touches his arm and he flops worse than LeBron. That was an absolute killer penalty as it stopped our drive. The B1G needs to take a look at those two plays for sure.
 
Last, or second to last drive. Think he was punching at the ball, since that'd be their only hope.

Knowing of Rallis that would be a good assumption. This defense usually creates turnovers. Nebraska did an excellent job of protecting the ball. The only way the defense would get a turnover would be to force the issue. Still didn't work.
 
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Anyone see the punch in the Iowa - Michigan game? It happened at the conclusion of a play.
 
The player was trying to punch out THE FOOTBALL. At that point in the game, the only way Minnesota could win was if they got a turnover.
 
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The player was trying to punch out THE FOOTBALL. At that point in the game, the only way Minnesota could win was if they got a turnover.

Yeah, I agree with this, I think he is just trying to get the ball out but it does look bad.

Agree with both. Unless you're 100% sure about his target and intent, you keep the flag in your pocket on that play. As is clear based on a few of the different opinions, it is not 100% clear what he was trying to do, regardless of the cock-back and punch. The punch at the ball happens all the time and sometimes it misses. Unless intent is apparent, no flag.

I don't know any teammates that I played with in my 5 years of college football that would go in with a closed fist to throw a punch. The only one getting hurt on that is the person throwing the punch. Helmet slaps to the earhole are much more effective if you want to do something cheap to someone's head. Helmet punches are a recipe for 6 weeks in a cast.
 
After weighing the evidence, I believe he was going for the ball as well. Here's my question, don't know the answer...

If a player throws a punch like this that connects flush with the ball carrier's hand, potentially damaging the hand, is that fair game? Or should that be a penalty?

I could see the punch crushing some fingers or knuckles causing the ball carrier to drop the ball. Is that ok or a penalty if it is caught by the ref?
 
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After weighing the evidence, I believe he was going for the ball as well. Here's my question, don't know the answer...

If a player throws a punch like this that connects flush with the ball carrier's hand, potentially damaging the hand, is that fair game? Or should that be a penalty?

I could see the punch crushing some fingers or knuckles causing the ball carrier to drop the ball. Is that ok or a penalty if it is caught by the ref?
My thought is that unless there is an intent to injure the player, they the punch will be allowed, although I don't do football officiating rules. As long as it is a genuine attempt at knocking the ball loose, its not a foul? Perhaps one of our resident football officials can clarify?
 
I think he should have come in with a roundhouse kick. So long as he was going for the ball and not trying to injure a player should be no problem.

I think it would have been a lot more effective and more likely to dislodge something than those weak girly punches..
 
Punching the ball with a closed fist is not illegal. Coaches have been teaching it for years. You can use an open hand and fingers if you want but you also run the risk of hurting yourself. Most coaches teach players when the opportunity arises to chop down on the ball knowing you are going to get ball, arm and anything else in the way. They are taught to do it quite violently as well. The question was asked about injured. There are so many hand injuries from helmets and pads, this is pretty minor but all part of the game. The officials just have to determine intent in their own minds.
 
Punching the ball with a closed fist is not illegal. Coaches have been teaching it for years. You can use an open hand and fingers if you want but you also run the risk of hurting yourself. Most coaches teach players when the opportunity arises to chop down on the ball knowing you are going to get ball, arm and anything else in the way. They are taught to do it quite violently as well. The question was asked about injured. There are so many hand injuries from helmets and pads, this is pretty minor but all part of the game. The officials just have to determine intent in their own minds.
Thanks for the clarification. I guess I've just never seen anyone take a straight on punch approach like that. I frequently see coming down from above, but the defender wasn't in a position to chop it like you describe. Learn something new everyday...
 
As usual, we have people who will come in and pretty much absolve the refs of anything they do wrong. Here is the rule in question here:

Striking Fouls and Tripping
ARTICLE 2. a. No person subject to the rules shall strike an opponent with the knee; strike an opponent’s helmet (including the face mask), neck, face or any other part of the body with an extended forearm, elbow, locked hands, palm, fist, or the heel, back or side of the open hand; or gouge an opponent (A.R. 9-1-2-I).

I find nothing in the rules that specifically states that it is legal to punch the ball, or any statement to that effect. There is not some sort of protected status around punching the ball, the ball is simply fair game if you have a shot at it. There is nothing in this rule that states if there is a question of if the player is punching for the ball, it's not a foul. It's simply common sense that if a player punches a ball from someone's hand, it's legal. From what I could see live, and in every replay after the fact, the ball does not seem to be visible, and it doesn't look like, based on the angle, the Minnesota player had some sort of clean shot at it. So, in effect, he's just wildly swinging his arm and fist, all of which certainly seem against the rule I posted above. It should have been a penalty, but I'm not surprised they didn't call one.

I would be willing to bet everything I own, if the two teams were reversed, flags and hats would have been flying everywhere from every ref on the field. I most certainly wouldn't have a problem with a Nebraska player being flagged for doing that; and I'd be willing to bet the same people arguing it's okay they didn't call a penalty would be the first to argue why it should have been a penalty, and would be the first to say we "got away with one" if none was called.
 
I think he should have come in with a roundhouse kick. So long as he was going for the ball and not trying to injure a player should be no problem.

I think it would have been a lot more effective and more likely to dislodge something than those weak girly punches..
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As usual, we have people who will come in and pretty much absolve the refs of anything they do wrong. Here is the rule in question here:



I find nothing in the rules that specifically states that it is legal to punch the ball, or any statement to that effect. There is not some sort of protected status around punching the ball, the ball is simply fair game if you have a shot at it. There is nothing in this rule that states if there is a question of if the player is punching for the ball, it's not a foul. It's simply common sense that if a player punches a ball from someone's hand, it's legal. From what I could see live, and in every replay after the fact, the ball does not seem to be visible, and it doesn't look like, based on the angle, the Minnesota player had some sort of clean shot at it. So, in effect, he's just wildly swinging his arm and fist, all of which certainly seem against the rule I posted above. It should have been a penalty, but I'm not surprised they didn't call one.

I would be willing to bet everything I own, if the two teams were reversed, flags and hats would have been flying everywhere from every ref on the field. I most certainly wouldn't have a problem with a Nebraska player being flagged for doing that; and I'd be willing to bet the same people arguing it's okay they didn't call a penalty would be the first to argue why it should have been a penalty, and would be the first to say we "got away with one" if none was called.

Maybe so, but I think the Gophers were the most penalized team going into this game. Maybe it's a fan thing, but most Gopher fans perception is that if the refs have a chance, they will flag the Gophers. For a while, it seemed like we also would receive quite a few appologies on Sundays for blown calls. The good thing is your team won anyway. My Gophers weren't so lucky.
 
As usual, we have people who will come in and pretty much absolve the refs of anything they do wrong. Here is the rule in question here:



I find nothing in the rules that specifically states that it is legal to punch the ball, or any statement to that effect. There is not some sort of protected status around punching the ball, the ball is simply fair game if you have a shot at it. There is nothing in this rule that states if there is a question of if the player is punching for the ball, it's not a foul. It's simply common sense that if a player punches a ball from someone's hand, it's legal. From what I could see live, and in every replay after the fact, the ball does not seem to be visible, and it doesn't look like, based on the angle, the Minnesota player had some sort of clean shot at it. So, in effect, he's just wildly swinging his arm and fist, all of which certainly seem against the rule I posted above. It should have been a penalty, but I'm not surprised they didn't call one.

I would be willing to bet everything I own, if the two teams were reversed, flags and hats would have been flying everywhere from every ref on the field. I most certainly wouldn't have a problem with a Nebraska player being flagged for doing that; and I'd be willing to bet the same people arguing it's okay they didn't call a penalty would be the first to argue why it should have been a penalty, and would be the first to say we "got away with one" if none was called.

Are you a college football referee? Or just giving us your individual interpretation of the rule? I'd like to hear from an official who actually attends the pre-season and in-season meetings and conference calls and has undoubtedly seen similar punches at the ball many times over. I'm guessing it's been discussed in pre-game conversations once or twice. I appreciate you pasting the rule reference, but there is more to officiating the game than a strict adherence to the rules. I'm not absolving the referees of anything, but as an men's basketball official who works games at all 3 levels of NCAA basketball, I understand that refereeing to a single small section of the rule book can get you in trouble when there are a number of other parts of the rule book you may need to consider when evaluating plays.

Edit: I just texted a friend of mine who referees football in an NCAA Division 1 conference. here is our conversation via text:

Me: How do you evaluate plays where a defensive player punches at a football in an effort to cause a fumble?
Him: What do you mean? It's a legal act...
Me: Can you punch the football and miss and hit someone else and not get flagged? Would it be a striking foul?
Him: True...if it's a judged as an attempt at the ball, then no foul.
Me: Someone is citing the rule book regarding a play where a player was punching at the ball and says there is nothing in the rules that says it's legal to punch.
Him: There is nothing specific about "punching the ball" but its considered an attempt to strip the ball...which is legal...
Me: So if an offensive player is in a pile with the ball and someone is punching at it, like reaching back and punching, what are you looking at to evaluate whether he is throwing punches or attempting to strip?
Him: To see if he's making an attempt at the ball.
 
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I'd like to hear from an official who actually attends the pre-season and in-season meetings and conference calls and has undoubtedly seen similar punches at the ball many times over

@csabatka1 says he's an official. No idea if he qualifies under your requirements, but he's tagged for a response.
 
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