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NCAA Discussion / Let’s talk about this
« Last post by ElvisLives on February 19, 2026, 08:08:17 PM »This question (paraphrased) appeared on a rules study forum recently. This is just for academic discussion, so let’s don’t let judgment get involved here. Stick to the actual rule language.
2/20, A-40, 6:00 (2), A=7, B=7.
A86 catches a legal forward pass at the A-45, and is tackled and the ball becomes dead at that spot. Before the pass was released, A68 blocked B79 below the waist at the A-42.
Ruling: A, 2/35, A-25, ready (25).
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What foul(s) - if any - do we see here?
Obviously, the author was thinking of a simple Illegal Block Below the waist. If we only think that, OK, the Basic Spot (during a legal forward pass play) for that foul is the Previous Spot. The 15-yard penalty from the Previous Spot takes the ball back to the A-20, and the down is repeated.
Let’s think about two things:
1) If there is nothing else to consider, is this penalty fair to Team A? If this had been a running play (only), ending at the same yard line, the Basic Spot would have been the end of A86’s run, and the penalty would have been penalized at the Spot of the Foul (instead of the Previous Spot). Yes, only two yards different, but why? If the pass is completed beyond the NZ, why can’t the end of the pass play be the Basic Spot (equal to the end of the related run)? Then the result of the penalty would be the same as - and consistent with - a running play. That actually simplifies the rules. Something to think about.
2) Is there another foul to consider? So, what is it when any Team A player initiates a block on an opponent more than 1-yard beyond the NZ during a legal forward pass play in which the pass crosses the NZ? (Remember, a pass play starts at the snap, and ends when the pass is complete, intercepted, or incomplete.) Hmm. That’s what happened in this down. We wouldn’t let an eligible receiver “pick off” a defender to let another receiver get open to catch a pass well away from the spot where the ‘pick’ occurred? Shouldn’t we be thinking about the possibility of OPI?
Have at it. This is a party-free environment. All points of view welcome.
2/20, A-40, 6:00 (2), A=7, B=7.
A86 catches a legal forward pass at the A-45, and is tackled and the ball becomes dead at that spot. Before the pass was released, A68 blocked B79 below the waist at the A-42.
Ruling: A, 2/35, A-25, ready (25).
————————-
What foul(s) - if any - do we see here?
Obviously, the author was thinking of a simple Illegal Block Below the waist. If we only think that, OK, the Basic Spot (during a legal forward pass play) for that foul is the Previous Spot. The 15-yard penalty from the Previous Spot takes the ball back to the A-20, and the down is repeated.
Let’s think about two things:
1) If there is nothing else to consider, is this penalty fair to Team A? If this had been a running play (only), ending at the same yard line, the Basic Spot would have been the end of A86’s run, and the penalty would have been penalized at the Spot of the Foul (instead of the Previous Spot). Yes, only two yards different, but why? If the pass is completed beyond the NZ, why can’t the end of the pass play be the Basic Spot (equal to the end of the related run)? Then the result of the penalty would be the same as - and consistent with - a running play. That actually simplifies the rules. Something to think about.
2) Is there another foul to consider? So, what is it when any Team A player initiates a block on an opponent more than 1-yard beyond the NZ during a legal forward pass play in which the pass crosses the NZ? (Remember, a pass play starts at the snap, and ends when the pass is complete, intercepted, or incomplete.) Hmm. That’s what happened in this down. We wouldn’t let an eligible receiver “pick off” a defender to let another receiver get open to catch a pass well away from the spot where the ‘pick’ occurred? Shouldn’t we be thinking about the possibility of OPI?
Have at it. This is a party-free environment. All points of view welcome.
