[NU Sports] If you are in need of a pick-me-up...

[Jonathan Michael Hawkins]

> and none from the UNH game (a pass interference call was declined
> since Ball caught the pass for the TD anyway).

I hope Pat explains to Deante that a flaw in the college game's 
regulations leave a giant loophole to exploit.  Any time a pass is thrown 
for more than 15 yards, if you've gotten burned to the point of being 
unable to make the PAT or an interception, but not so burned as to be 
unable to simply tackle the player you're covering, you should always, 
always, always, always tackle him, and hard enough to make sure he's 
completely unable to catch the ball.  Counting on the receiver to simply 
drop the ball is a gamble.  Tackling him and taking the 15 is a sure 
thing.  It's a question of: "will there be points scored *right now* or 
not?"

Deante was in this situation, and half-heartedly grabbed at Ball, instead 
of simply tackling him.  At least, it looked that way on the UNH 
highlight reel I saw on SportsCenter.

It is unclear why some teams realize this and others do not.  Tradition? 
Sportsmanship?  An unwillingness to exploit a badly-made rule?

The NFL realized the loophole and made DPI a spot foul, so I think there's 
precedent for at least *somebody* realizing the same thing I have.  And 
probably lots of people much better at football analysis than I.

-- 
Jonathan Michael Hawkins
spiritu at northwestern.edu
Northwestern University
WCAS '03,  Law '09