Matthew Stevens needs an updated rulebook. Forward pass interference was

[gravedigger]

taken out of the list of plays that prevent an untimed down from occurring.

here is a link :

http://www.nfhs.org/content.aspx?id=9418&terms=untimed%20down

MC should have been awarded an untimed down BUT, it would have been 15 yards back from where the previous play started. It would have probably knocked them out of field goal range.

[bully99]

I'm so damn confused. I've heard ten different interpretations of this play. Would somebody who knows please let us know.

[gravedigger]

I just did. THe rule up until last year, was that offensive pass interference called on the last play of a quarter or half, WAS NOT eligible to be an untimed down if accepted.

NOW the rule states that forward pass interference is EXCLUDED from those plays that don't allow an untimed down. This was updated this year.

It means MC should have gotten another play, but only because of the most recent rule change this year. Matthew Stevens was wrong.

It also means that the penalty would have moved MC back 15 yards from the previous spot.

Bobby Hall's assistant was not mad about the rule interpretation. He was mad that it took so long for the ref to throw the flag.

I'll add this: Mississippi High School ref's are taught to be deliberate in their flagging of a play. This theory would go, "It's better to be deliberately and slowly RIGHT than quickly WRONG".

The MC staff's objections to the call are now down to whether the action occurred or not. They say the defender "slipped" and Starkville fans, LIKE MYSELF, say it was clearly interference.

I think there is a great discussion about to take place on this interpretation.

To wit: if you are the head coach, and you are telling your WR what to do on the next play, wouldn't you tell him to be more physical on the next play to catch the ball?

Any of these can occur with an actual foul by the offensive player:

1. He catches it and scores and no foul CALLED.....you win.
2. He catches it and a foul is called on the defense with no score.....you get another down.
3. He catches it and a foul is called on the offense and you score....you get another down.
4. He misses it and foul on the defense....you get another down
5. He misses it and foul on the offense....game over
6. He misses it and no foul called........game over

4 out of 6 chance that you win or play another down.

[bully99]

Do we have the fattest refs in America. Not making fun of because we be a fat state, but some of those guys can barely move. Saw a title game on tv couple years ago where one of the refs had to be 400 lbs. Could barely move.

[DCdawg]

Hope this link works. Saw it on twitter. Certainly doesn't look like the right call.

http://instagram.com/p/fo_hmBndwM/

[M.Fillmore]

Horrors! A reporter who is clueless about rules?