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amorentz · 11-12-2005, 04:18 PM

Really great to have a Skins fan from Germany! I hear American Football is really becoming big over there... To answer your questions (and anyone else please correct or expand on my answers):

1) The ball is placed where the runner stops his forward progress. So, in your example, if Portis runs to the 10 yard line and is pushed back to the 15 the ball would be placed at the 10, as it was the furthest forward that he reached before he stopped moving forward. This is designed to prevent Lavar Arrington from picking up Tiki Barber and carrying him back into his own endzone for a safety!

2) If a player intercepts the ball in the endzone (or fields a kickoff or punt in the endzone for that matter) and breaks the plane of the endzone (any part of his body leaving the endzone) he has left the protection of it. Therefore, if he is tacked in the endzone after leaving it, it will be ruled a safety.

3) As for who is drafted there is a relatively simple rule. Anyone who is three years removed from their high school graduation may declare for the NFL draft. Therefore you might see college juniors, college sophmores who redshirted (did not participate in the active college roster) for a year or guys who drove a beer truck for three years after graduating high school. So it is indeed possible for a player with one or two years left in college to declare for the draft so long as he is three years removed from his high school graduation date.

4) Not a huge soccer fan, but I do watch the DC United on occasion. I was also in Greece during the 2002 World Cup, and that was quite an experience!

Keep rooting for those Skins!

11-12-2005, 04:18 PM	#2
amorentz Special Teams Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Washington, DC Age: 45 Posts: 368	Re: Some questions from Germany Really great to have a Skins fan from Germany! I hear American Football is really becoming big over there... To answer your questions (and anyone else please correct or expand on my answers): 1) The ball is placed where the runner stops his forward progress. So, in your example, if Portis runs to the 10 yard line and is pushed back to the 15 the ball would be placed at the 10, as it was the furthest forward that he reached before he stopped moving forward. This is designed to prevent Lavar Arrington from picking up Tiki Barber and carrying him back into his own endzone for a safety! 2) If a player intercepts the ball in the endzone (or fields a kickoff or punt in the endzone for that matter) and breaks the plane of the endzone (any part of his body leaving the endzone) he has left the protection of it. Therefore, if he is tacked in the endzone after leaving it, it will be ruled a safety. 3) As for who is drafted there is a relatively simple rule. Anyone who is three years removed from their high school graduation may declare for the NFL draft. Therefore you might see college juniors, college sophmores who redshirted (did not participate in the active college roster) for a year or guys who drove a beer truck for three years after graduating high school. So it is indeed possible for a player with one or two years left in college to declare for the draft so long as he is three years removed from his high school graduation date. 4) Not a huge soccer fan, but I do watch the DC United on occasion. I was also in Greece during the 2002 World Cup, and that was quite an experience! Keep rooting for those Skins!