Ineligible Downfield

[animalspooker]

Scrimmage play, O-line immediately breaks downfield (screen pass coming) but quarterback gets caught scrambling.  Receiver who eventually catches pass, scrambling himself, goes 3 yards deep and then comes back behind the LOS and catches ball.  I’d this a penalty or not.  Need second opinion.

[CalhounLJ]

Scrimmage play, O-line immediately breaks downfield (screen pass coming) but quarterback gets caught scrambling.  Receiver who eventually catches pass, scrambling himself, goes 3 yards deep and then comes back behind the LOS and catches ball.  I’d this a penalty or not.  Need second opinion.

No penalty. The ball did not cross the line of scrimmage. That's all that counts.

[AlUpstateNY]

No penalty. The ball did not cross the line of scrimmage. That's all that counts.

Bingo.

[ncwingman]

Not to convolute the scenario, but the opposite situation would be a foul:

Designed pass play, the O-line is supposed to "stay at home", but A56 accidentally goes 5 yards downfield during the scramble, realizes his mistake and retreats behind the LOS before the ball is thrown. Once an ineligible is downfield, this will be a foul if a pass crosses the LOS regardless of their position at the time of the pass.

However, if the pass did not cross the LOS, it's still not a foul for the same reason as the original play.

[Ralph Damren]

Occasionally a screen pass is muffed by the reciever. If the ball then carries beyond the LOS before returning to Earth and the big ole' Bubbas ( O-linemen) have strolled beyond the LOS, and the airborne pass wasnot touched by B, it weould be IR.

[bama_stripes]

Occasionally a screen pass is muffed by the reciever. If the ball then carries beyond the LOS before returning to Earth and the big ole' Bubbas ( O-linemen) have strolled beyond the LOS, and the airborne pass wasnot touched by B, it weould be IR.

That’s the test question answer.  In almost 40 years, I’ve never seen that called.  A/D.

[bossman72]

Occasionally a screen pass is muffed by the reciever. If the ball then carries beyond the LOS before returning to Earth and the big ole' Bubbas ( O-linemen) have strolled beyond the LOS, and the airborne pass wasnot touched by B, it weould be IR.

I was about to correct you, but I just learned something today about the NFHS rule when I looked it up.  Apparently, touching by A behind the LOS does not take away IDP.  Only touching by B.  NCAA, any touching behind wipes out IDP.

Philosophically, I don't think I would call this IDP in a high school game.  Same scenario where the RB sets up for the screen pass behind the line and the QB overthrows him and it lands beyond the line with linemen down field.  Just a bad throw.  Call it incomplete and move on.