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Football Officiating => National Federation Discussion => Topic started by: bbchap on September 18, 2012, 11:38:59 PM

Title: backward pass OOB to avoid sack
Post by: bbchap on September 18, 2012, 11:38:59 PM
3rd and 15. QB going down, chucks it backward OOB. What's the call ???
Title: Re: backward pass OOB to avoid sack
Post by: InsideTheStripes on September 19, 2012, 01:57:25 AM
No foul. 4th down.  Distance depends on where the backward pass went OOB.
Title: Re: backward pass OOB to avoid sack
Post by: Atlanta Blue on September 19, 2012, 08:34:56 AM
Legal in FED, illegal in NCAA.
Title: Re: backward pass OOB to avoid sack
Post by: Curious on September 19, 2012, 09:00:58 AM
Late in a game...who would start the clock on the RFP if A was behind?
Title: Re: backward pass OOB to avoid sack
Post by: Kalle on September 19, 2012, 09:10:34 AM
Legal in FED, illegal in NCAA.

Depends. It's only illegal in NCAA if thrown to conserve time.
Title: Re: backward pass OOB to avoid sack
Post by: Curious on September 19, 2012, 09:56:17 AM
Depends. It's only illegal in NCAA if thrown to conserve time.

CORRECT!!!! aWaRd

3-4-6 says "if a team illegally attempts to conserve or consume time".  Throwing the ball backward in FED is apparently sufficient "penalty", in the minds of the Rules Committee, to allow a team to get the clock stopped when they otherwise would be unable to (sorry about ending a sentence with a preposition).
Title: Re: backward pass OOB to avoid sack
Post by: Atlanta Blue on September 19, 2012, 10:11:47 AM
Depends. It's only illegal in NCAA if thrown to conserve time.

True.  But why else would a QB about to be tackled intentionally throw the ball backward OOB?  It certainly isn't to conserve yardage!

I suppose you could come up with some rare circumstance where it MIGHT happen, but if a QB about to be tackled intentionally throws a backward pass OOB, the assumption is it was to conserve time.   ^flag
Title: Re: backward pass OOB to avoid sack
Post by: bbchap on September 19, 2012, 10:14:59 AM
it was early in the 3rd. A was down 32 - 0. The QB did not appear to be intending to throw it backwards, he was just getting rid of it.

I know that doesn't change anything.

I was WH, I dropped a flag b/c from my angle it wasn't obvious it was backwards. My HL came over and said that was a backward pass. I waived off the flag 4th and 20 from the OOB spot.

Seems like a loophole to me.
Title: Re: backward pass OOB to avoid sack
Post by: Atlanta Blue on September 19, 2012, 10:47:13 AM
Seems like a loophole to me.

Loophole for what?  He's giving up yardage from where he was going to get sacked.  He's worse off than if he had held on to it.  That isn't a loophole, it's a noose.
Title: Re: backward pass OOB to avoid sack
Post by: maven on September 19, 2012, 11:18:30 AM
That isn't a loophole, it's a noose.

Heh. I'm stealing that. ;)
Title: Re: backward pass OOB to avoid sack
Post by: Kalle on September 19, 2012, 12:34:53 PM
True.  But why else would a QB about to be tackled intentionally throw the ball backward OOB?  It certainly isn't to conserve yardage!

I suppose you could come up with some rare circumstance where it MIGHT happen, but if a QB about to be tackled intentionally throws a backward pass OOB, the assumption is it was to conserve time.   ^flag

If time isn't a factor at that point (let's say first quarter, 6:05 to go), I'm not going to flag this. If he wants to lose yardage, that's his choice. I think you and me have both seen our share of weird stuff intentionally done by players in the heat of the moment :)
Title: Re: backward pass OOB to avoid sack
Post by: Rulesman on September 19, 2012, 02:08:14 PM
Maybe he's throwing it away to save his hide from getting hammered by a 300 lb. lineman.  ;)
Title: Re: backward pass OOB to avoid sack
Post by: dch on September 19, 2012, 03:50:03 PM
Starting or stopping the clock differently than the result of the play can only be done if there was an illegal act that would save or consume time.
Illegal --- that means there was a flag and an accepted penalty.
It is not illegal to fumble or throw the ball backwards.  If the ball goes out of bounds it does not change the legality of the situation.
Title: Re: backward pass OOB to avoid sack
Post by: KirbyB on September 21, 2012, 06:17:57 AM
Loophole for what?  He's giving up yardage from where he was going to get sacked.  He's worse off than if he had held on to it.  That isn't a loophole, it's a noose.

 LOL