Contact after a forward pass is touched

[#92]

I was watching a game yesterday and I saw something that got me thinking. Imagine a legal forward pass that crosses the neutral zone, that is consequently touched. Or: a legal forward pass that is touched behind the neutral zone. After the ball is touched, a Team B player encircles the waist of the Team A eligible receiver and pulls him back to prevent him to get to the loose ball in the air.

Because of the touch, this cannot be DPI. However, is this DEH? Penalty 10 yards but no automatic first down because the ball was already touched.

Does that make sense? Or is all fair game after the ball is touched?

Which got me nitpicking even more: based on which rule is it legal to tackle an eligible receiver just after he touched a forward pass? Is he deemed to be a runner? That seems like a stretch?

[Kalle]

It is defensive holding and no, you cannot tackle an opponent who is not the ball carrier even after the forward pass is touched. Rule 9-3-4 is among the clearer rules in the NCAA book. I think you should not nitpick the "attempting to reach the runner/loose ball" aspect, though.

[#92]

It is defensive holding and no, you cannot tackle an opponent who is not the ball carrier even after the forward pass is touched. Rule 9-3-4 is among the clearer rules in the NCAA book. I think you should not nitpick the "attempting to reach the runner/loose ball" aspect, though.

Kalle,

I assume you're thinking about a different scenario then a I am. I meant: a pass is thrown to A88, and in an attempt to catch the pass, A88 touches the ball but doesn't secure the catch. After A88 contacted the ball, B92 tackles A88. The ball falls on the ground.

Obviously this is no foul, but based on which rule is this legal?

[Kalle]

Kalle,

I assume you're thinking about a different scenario then a I am. I meant: a pass is thrown to A88, and in an attempt to catch the pass, A88 touches the ball but doesn't secure the catch. After A88 contacted the ball, B92 tackles A88. The ball falls on the ground.

Obviously this is no foul, but based on which rule is this legal?

I'm thinking of exactly that kind of a play. See Rom Gilbert's latest rule quiz play #2 at http://romgilbert.us/q-1711q.htm for a similar loose ball situation.

"A defensive player legally may use his hands or arms to ward off or block an opponent in an attempt to reach a loose ball during any forward pass that crossed the neutral zone and has been touched by any player or official."

Note the clear difference to what is allowed to reach the runner: "Defensive players may use hands and arms to push, pull, ward off or lift offensive players when attempting to reach the runner."

[NVFOA_Ump]

If the contact crosses the line to some form of personnel foul then it is illegal, otherwise in almost all cases contact after the pass is touched is legal.

Rule 7.3.9: 

h. Pass interference rules do not apply after the pass has been touched anywhere inbounds by an inbounds player or has touched an official. If an opponent is fouled, the penalty is for the foul and not pass interference (A.R. 7-3-9-I).
i. After the pass has been touched, any player may execute a legal block during the remaining flight of the pass.
j. Tackling or grasping a receiver or any other intentional contact before he touches the pass is evidence that the tackler is disregarding the ball and is therefore illegal.

I've heard multiple times in meetings and seen posted in the past the "inverse" of rule 7.3.9.j that's above to read something like:

Tackling or grasping a receiver or any other intentional contact AFTER he touches the pass is evidence that the tackler is WATCHING the ball and is therefore LEGAL.