Forward Handoff

[CoachTater]

Hello.  I am a long time reader of this board (so I don't look stupid on Friday nights) but I have just recently became a member in order to post.  Cool board - hope the zebras don't mind that a coach is here!!

Question about a forward handoff.  I know that it is illegal to hand the ball forward such as on a reverse, the handoff has be backwards (unless this is a myth).  What about on plays like the zone and the jett sweep.  Isn't the quarterback handing the ball forward?

Just curious - thanks!!

[copedaddy]

Think about the line of scrimmage, lots of things legal back there

[El Macman]

Hello.  I am a long time reader of this board (so I don't look stupid on Friday nights) but I have just recently became a member in order to post.  Cool board - hope the zebras don't mind that a coach is here!!

Question about a forward handoff.  I know that it is illegal to hand the ball forward such as on a reverse, the handoff has be backwards (unless this is a myth).  What about on plays like the zone and the jett sweep.  Isn't the quarterback handing the ball forward?

Just curious - thanks!!

Coach, thanks for being concerned. We never mind anybody that wants to learn and discuss things rationally.
Team A BACKS may hand the ball forward as many times as they desire while they are completely BEHIND the neutral zone (and before a change of team possession).
It is possible for a Team A back to hand the ball forward to a teammate that was a lineman at the snap, if that lineman makes a movement with both feet that faces him toward his own goal line and he is at least 2 yards behind the neutral zone when he receives the ball.

Otherwise, forward handing is illegal (by either team).

[fencewire]

here is the info you are looking for...

Handing the Ball Forward

ARTICLE 6. No player may hand the ball forward except during a scrimmage down as follows:

a. A Team A back may hand the ball forward to another back only if both are behind their scrimmage line.

b. A Team A back behind his scrimmage line may hand the ball forward to a teammate who is on his scrimmage line at the snap, provided that teammate leaves his line position by a movement of both feet that faces him toward his own end line and is at least two yards behind his scrimmage line when he receives the ball (A.R. 7-1-6-I).

PENALTY—Five yards from the spot of the foul; also loss of a down if by Team A before team possession changes during a scrimmage down [S35 and S9].

Now as you can see, backs behind the line of scrimmage can hand the ball forward all day, but it is important to know the definition of a back...  and also a lineman.  Because typically we think of linemen as Center, guard and Tackle... but....

Lineman and Back

ARTICLE 4. a. Lineman.
1. A lineman is any Team A player legally on his scrimmage line (Rule 2-21-2).

2. A Team A player is on his scrimmage line when he faces his opponent’s goal line with the line of his shoulders approximately parallel thereto and either (a) he is the snapper (Rule 2-27-8) or (b) his head breaks the plane of the line drawn through the waistline of the snapper.

b. Interior Lineman. An interior lineman is a lineman who is not on the end of his scrimmage line.

c. Restricted Lineman. A restricted lineman is any interior lineman, or any lineman wearing a number 50-79, whose hand(s) are below the knees.

d. Back.

1. A back is any Team A player who is not a lineman and whose head or body does not break the plane of the line drawn through the waistline of the nearest Team A lineman.

2. A back is also the player, other than a lineman, in position to receive a handto-hand snap.

3. A lineman becomes a back before the snap when he moves to a position as a back and stops.

[Welpe]

You've gotten some good responses here, so I'll just say, welcome!