Difficult Forward Pass Play

[TXMike]

Very difficult play.  Looks like a legal forward pass (7-3-2-a) to me but certainly room for dispute.  Some things I believe are not in dispute.  LOS was 22.  QB released the ball while he was still behind the number 2 in the "20" on the field.  Not sure how far that edge of the number is from the 20 though.

http://youtu.be/yJi3WRi0X6Q

[dvasques]

Why did the LJ drift upfield? Shouldn't he stay on the LOS for that reason?

[Magician]

I probably don't nitpick that, but the L may be right ruling part of his body across the line when the ball was released.

[Kalle]

Why did the LJ drift upfield? Shouldn't he stay on the LOS for that reason?

Looks to me a five man crew, so LJ will drift. Tough call with five, a lot easier with seven with the LJ holding the line and the play coming to his side.

[DallasLJ]

Your right, very difficult play.  Think it is right call based on time the ball was released -- the entire body was past the LOS.  In Texas 5 man, the LJ does drift -- this is not his call.  Mechanically, this is the R's call, with help from the U who should be moving towards the line, and should be drawn towards the action so he can see this as well.  Finally, did I see that this crew at 4 Umpires?

[TexDoc]

You be the judge.  R said yes.  I agree.  Very close, but I don't have any issue with the flag.



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[Rulesman]

1 yard over isn't "very close."

[Wingmanbp]

Its very close but the LJ should have moved back to the LOS to get a better view once he saw the QB coming. It doesn't look like he can be sure by just leaning back because he cant get back to the LOS from the 20. I do think he made the right call but I'm not sure I would have thrown a flag because I would have to be 100% sure

[Diablo]

  QB released the ball while he was still behind the number 2 in the "20" on the field.  Not sure how far that edge of the number is from the 20 though.

If the field is laid out and marked per NCAA recommendations, the front edge of the "2" in the 20 yard-line field number is at the B-21.5.

[Birddog]

Is there a "when in question" philosophy for this type of play?

I cannot fault the LJ at all. I know I personally would of drifted a little more down than he did.  Tough call and they handled it just about as good as you could expect.

[Morningrise]

If a quarterback is routinely throwing 25-yard strikes, as a five-man wing you'd *better* be drifting. Agree the U mechanic should be to step up to the LOS, standard on all types of pass plays, whenever feasible, for just that reason. A five-man crew can't afford to have four out of five staying home.

[Kalle]

I would ding a LJ who came back in this situation. There are several deep receivers on his side which are his primary concern. With five officials we can't cover everything and this is one of those cases where we get a suboptimal view. U may have a view but this is R's call one way or the other.

[TXMike]

This is a HS football game. The chances of a normal HS QB making any kind of significant throw to the opposite side of the field is about zippo.  Not sure why backsid flank does not help here so front side guy can help with those receivers all challenging the goaline on his side

[Wingmanbp]

Really he is out of position in either case of a run or a pass. He should be drifting a little farther down field if he is looking pass but on the other hand if the qb would have ran the ball he is likely to be wiped out on the sideline because he is ahead of the runner. I know in hindsight its easy to be critical and we have no idea what his thinking is. Im sure he was thinking I need to get down field but he is moving this way I need to get back and just didn't quite make that decision quick enough or maybe he just wanted to split the difference in case he did throw down field.

[Joe Stack]

There is NO way the best R in the business could make that call one way or another. The QB chases him back and even if he was as fast as the players, he's still 7 yards behind when the QB throws it. He can guess (hell, we all can). But the mechanic should change to say this is the U's call all the way. If he can't get to the LOS for whatever reason, then we miss it -- give us 7 and maybe we cover that.

I think he made the right call, however.

[clearwall]

I, personally, dont think it was beyond but I wont argue with the L making the call. Defensible either way, I think

[NorCalMike]

This is a difficult play to officiate in 5 man mechanics. As a U, I move towards the line. If the QB is near the LOS when he throws and I am not sure if he is over the line, I drop my bean bag at the yardline where he threw the ball and continue to officiate. When the play is over, I look to see where my bean bag is and tell the R whether I think the QB was past the LOS when he released the ball. If there is any doubt, then no flag. This causes the flag to be thrown late but it is the only way to do this with a five man crew. 

[JasonTX]

I would ding a LJ who came back in this situation. There are several deep receivers on his side which are his primary concern. With five officials we can't cover everything and this is one of those cases where we get a suboptimal view. U may have a view but this is R's call one way or the other.

I don't think the U or R can be of any help here.  Neither one of them are looking down the barrel to see where the line is.  The L is the only one who as a reference as he is looking right at the down box on the other side of the field.  Drift 5-7 yards when he reads pass but once the NZ is threatened he needs to get back.

[mobetta285]

I agree with NorCalMike. As a U, I only move towards the LOS when the QB scrambles towards it. With so many drag routes that offenses run today, if I made a beeline to the LOS like we did in the "old days" I would take out slot receivers who were crossing, and affect the play in a bad way. Both of my crew's wings would have drifted downfield as they read pass, so I doubt either would have been helpful on this play. On one this close though, my R has said repeatedly in the past, I will make this call. I will give my .02 worth to him as well. In 23 years, only have had one play that was as close as this, but film backed me up on my no-call.