 I was wading through a ton of e-mails we get here from readers alerting us to various things that happen in the world of football and I came across one that I thought was fascinating. This news has been out for a week or so I guess and perhaps you heard about it, but if you haven't, the psychological game that's being played in quite interesting.
After reviewing video of South Carolina's October 17th 20-6 loss to Alabama (No. 2 BCS), Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier pointed out Alabama place kicker Leigh Tiffin's use of the white tape to spot his kicks and reported it to the Southeastern Conference.
Apparently the video showed Tiffin quickly putting the tape in his pocket after kicking.
This you see, this against the rules...
The NCAA football rulebook (Rule 6-3; Article 10; subsection d) says:
"Any device or material used to mark the spot of a scrimmage place kick or elevate the ball makes the kick illegal."
The exception to the 5-yard penalty is a kicking tee for kickoffs. Otherwise, it is a live-ball foul and a 5-yard penalty.
A few thoughts on this if I may...
First of all, this isn't golf and they weren't attempting to improve the lie of the ball. A piece of tape doesn't do that. But even in golf, the sissy game that it is, we have winter rules don't we?
This wasn't the Patriots vs. Dolphins "snow plow game" so they were trying to mark the spot where the ball would be placed and subsequently kicked.
I apologize for embarrassing the parents of these two fine young student athletes ..... but if the place holder can't remember that he's supposed to put the ball down next to his knee, how the hell did he get into the University in the first place? Does the place holder put a string around his finger to remember to put his finger on top of the ball to hold it in place upright so it can be properly kicked?
And the place kicker; doesn't the place kicker know that the place holder is going to place the ball next to his knee? Even Charlie Brown and Lucy got this part right!
But even if they can't get together on this, let's just say there is some confusion about the place the ball will be spotted ... what the hell is the big deal? What if the kid was wearing a band aid and it fell off? Can't place it there?
Saban said he didn't know Tiffin was using the tape and said it isn't worth risking a 5-yard penalty. But then the plot thickens. Saban fired back saying that his coaches have found Tiffin wasn't alone in spotting the ball.
Saban - "We certainly don't want our players to do anything that's illegal. It is a 5-yard penalty if you do anything to enhance the spot. We've done some research on it, and over half the teams in the league do something with it. They put grass there or a piece of mud or wherever it is, so the kicker knows where the ball's going to be spotted. We even saw verification where last year South Carolina's kicker did it."
So the kid Tiffin hit both extra points and field goals of 25 and 35 yards in Alabama's in the game. He also missed a 49-yarder. He's 9-of-11 on field goals and 21-of-23 on PATs this season, so I guess the tape thing doesn't always work.
Spurrier is always whining and complaining about something to get an edge. He stopped short of accusing Alabama coaches of intentionally breaking the rule, but he's clearly trying to get in Saban's head the next time they meet.
The entire thing seems silly to me, but these guys are coaches and that's what they do; try to get an edge.
I don't know if the NFL has the same rule, I would imagine it does. Mark Sanchez had better be careful and not litter on the field, because if his hot dog wrapper falls in the wrong spot the Jets may get flagged 5 yards. - David Fry
David Fry is an independent sports photographer currently covering NFL Football. David will be reporting on observations as he sees them in NFL stadiums throughout the year.
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