Scattering Balls

[bingbong186]

Hey Guys

My apologies if this has come up many times before, but I was wondering, if the ball scatters into a players square, is he forced to attempt to catch it? And if so, if said player fails and is part of the moving team, does this result in a turnover?

[Dangerous Dave]

Under the official rules, a player must try to catch a bouncing ball (or pick it up if he moves into the square with a stationary ball). However, a number of Leagues House Rule that you don't have to.

If you fail to catch a bouncing ball (which is not the result of a pass) then it is not a turnover. A failed pick up is always a turn over irrespective of whether the ball bounces and is sibsequently caught.



Dave

[skeelo82]

On a kickoff the ball lands on a player on the final scatter. That player fails to catch it and it scatters again onto another player and that player failed also. It scatters again and this time lands across LoS and onto my player. Is that a touchback or is it a live ball cause it scattered across the LoS because the other player failed to catch it?

Skeelo

[Asmodan]

Its a touchback.
It doesn´t matter how many players that tried to catch it before it bounced over the LOS, because its always a touchback if the ball ends up (laying still) into the crowd or on the opponents half after a kick-off.

And on the first question Dave explained it entirely correct.

Asmodan

[slup]

It is a touchback as soon as the ball crosses the line of scrimage.
It does not have to lie still (i.e. the kicking team cannot try to catch it unless it is a lucky blitz)

LRB ver 2 page 7 The Kick-off

"If the ball scatters or bounces off the field or into the kicking team's half, the receiving coach is awarded a 'touchback' and may give the ball to any player in his team."

[Longshot]

yep, Touchback