For Stripes or UKcats. Officials

This is from a tape.
A back catches a pass out of the back field. Catches the ball behind him, and behind the QB.
The play is an inside reverse to the SE.
The SE comes around he touches the ball and goes down to one knee but is not down by contact.
The ball goes off his pads and about 7 yds upfield and out of bounds, before anyone can touch it.
In the tape. The SE is ruled down?
Ball is brought back to where the knee touched.
The question.
The SE was not down by contact. Was he down or not. Or should the play of continued, to where the ball went out of bounds.
No whistle was blown. And the play was not over till the ball went out of bounds.
So what is the correct thing to do here?
Don't mean to put you guys on the spot. But a couple of us watched this and honestly no one knew what the ruling should of been.

[pvfan]

If he had possession of the ball wouldn't he be down when the knee touched? Assuming this is not the NFL were talking about it.

That is what brought about the question.
Was he down? Did he have the ball long enough to have possession?
The SE is in motion. So all you see is the ball going to him, but no sign he actually had possession. If anything he is grasping in the tape to get control.
Then the ball shoots out, as he is heading down to one knee. As he touches the ball is coming out.
Goes 7 or 8 yds down field.
If he did, was it not a fumble? Was he down, if so could he be down if no contact.
Believe me this was one we all had different ideas and opinions on.
It just seems like another play, but when you question the play. Well it becomes something, that well needs discussing.
After watching 4-5 times. I still have no clear idea or opinion.
What made this call interesting the team was down by two tds' but driving. Had they converted this to points who knows.
They lost the game, but there was two weird plays, like this and honestly. I have no idea which way the calls should of went.

[Bostic]

if the ball is out it should be a fumble if possession wasnt made but if it is hard to tell i would say that is a really hard call

[pvfan]

Sounds like it's a judgement call made by the refs and they decided that the player had possession of the ball when the knee touched.

[imported_aoaofficial]

If the player had possession of the ball and his knee was on the ground, he was down. That's high school rules. Virginia has no control over that. If he didn't have possession, then it should have been ruled a fumble and the team who possessed it last would have gotten the ball where it went out of bounds unless it was ruled that the player pushed the ball forward.

Every one argued a different view on this.
I honestly don't know. One reason i figued i'd ask a few on here. That some may know.
Was a wild play. Yet costly to the team. Had they converted this into points early in the 3rd qtr.
This game may of went differently.
The team that beat them beat them, beat them giving up the ball and never controlling the ball in the 3rd and 4th qtrs.
There is one other play in question. I'll post the other one later. And what went on. It was also controversial.

[Bostic]

im not an offical or anything but from what i know if it is HS football in Virginia then it is where the knee is down there is not rule for down by contact in Virginia that i am aware

[slayer44]

i am pretty sure if his knee hits the ground he is down,unless it is in the NFL.

[64Him]

A back catches a pass out of the back field. Catches the ball behind him, and behind the QB.
The play is an inside reverse to the SE.
The SE comes around he touches the ball and goes down to one knee but is not down by contact.
The ball goes off his pads and about 7 yds upfield and out of bounds, before anyone can touch it.

IF the initial direction is behind the quarterback it is a backward pass. If it was a backward pass and it goes off his pads 7 yards up field the play would end when the ball is recovered or at the spot were the ball goes out of bounds.
If the player had possession of the ball with a knee down then the player would be down as soon as he caught the ball.
If it was not a backward pass and the player did not have possession of the ball then it would be an incomplete pass.