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Football Officiating => National Federation Discussion => Topic started by: COLOUMP on September 10, 2015, 01:16:19 PM

Title: Forward Pass: Legal or Illegal
Post by: COLOUMP on September 10, 2015, 01:16:19 PM

1st & 10, at A35. QB takes the snap. Under moderate rush, QB scrambles and advances the ball 2-3 yards beyond LOS/ENZ. Retreats back onto his side of the LOS, almost immediately passes 15 yards downfield to an open receiver who catches the ball and is tackled inbounds. No Offensive Linemen went downfield, etc. (everything else was "textbook clean"). Is this legal?

I argued that this is legal, since the all criteria for a legal forward pass was met at the time of the pass. I am unable to find in the rule book or the case book where a forward pass cannot be made after the ball has crossed the LOS/ENZ, as long as certain criteria are met when the forward pass is made. Others have argued that the right to pass is forfeited once the ball has crossed the LOS/ENZ. Thanks, in advance.

Title: Re: Forward Pass: Legal or Illegal
Post by: prab on September 10, 2015, 01:24:35 PM

Legal for reasons stated in OP.

Title: Re: Forward Pass: Legal or Illegal
Post by: Kevin Durst on September 10, 2015, 01:28:49 PM

Rule 7-5-1 states "It is a legal forward pass, if during a scrimmage down and before team possession has changed, a player of A throws the ball with both feet of the passer in or behind the neutral zone when the ball is released.  Only one forward pass may be thrown during the down".

It makes no difference if the passer crossed the line of scrimmage before retreating back behind it to throw the pass.  The only requirement is it be thrown from in or behind the neutral zone.  There is nothing in the book that states this right is forfeited if the passer crosses the NZ.

Title: Re: Forward Pass: Legal or Illegal
Post by: edtude on September 10, 2015, 02:08:31 PM

Clean play no flag to be thrown

Title: Re: Forward Pass: Legal or Illegal
Post by: COLOUMP on September 10, 2015, 03:53:08 PM

Thanks, again. Just got word from state interpreter... same interpretation. It's nice to be right every now and then!

Title: Re: Forward Pass: Legal or Illegal
Post by: AlUpstateNY on September 10, 2015, 03:59:40 PM

Quote from: COLOUMP on September 10, 2015, 03:53:08 PM

Thanks, again. Just got word from state interpreter... same interpretation. It's nice to be right every now and then!

A laudable goal is to match the performance of a broken clock, and simply be right about something, twice a day.  The hard part is to accomplish the goal EVERY day.

Title: Re: Forward Pass: Legal or Illegal
Post by: Atlanta Blue on September 10, 2015, 05:36:19 PM

Quote from: COLOUMP on September 10, 2015, 03:53:08 PM

Thanks, again. Just got word from state interpreter... same interpretation. It's nice to be right every now and then!

High school = legal pass
NCAA and NFL = illegal pass

Maybe your friends have been watching too many games on TV and using that as "rules study" instead of hitting their FED rule book!