Pass Play

[NVFOA_Ump]

3rd and 18 at the 50 yard line.  A is in shotgun formation with QB A-10 standing at the A-42 where he takes the snap.  B brings an all out blitz and A-10 is running for his life while still looking for a receiver downfield.  He decides to run and crosses the 50 yard line and notices that the DB on a deep receiver starts to cheat up.  He then takes a couple of steps back retreating behind the 50 yard line to the A-49 and throws an apparent TD pass to the now uncovered deep receiver.  Do we have anything?

[BetweenTheLines]

Try for point!

[CalhounLJ]

Nope. Perfectly legal. He was behind the line when he threw it. However, If a lineman had ventured downfield and came back, we would have a flag for ineligible receiver downfield.

[CalhounLJ]

Try for point!

Correct. My "nope" was directed at NV's question.

[NVFOA_Ump]

Nope. Perfectly legal. He was behind the line when he threw it. However, If a lineman had ventured downfield and came back, we would have a flag for ineligible receiver downfield.

So that's another mechanic that we'll have to be working on.  If I'm in my favored position of the U I can't any longer discount the lineman downfield once the ball carrier crosses the LOS.  Another piece in the new rules puzzle to work on.  Instead of an illegal forward pass, we'll be looking for ineligibles downfield.  This was another item during our coaches seminar that several coaches had heartburn over since they teach (or maybe taught is a better fit here) their DB's to come up and help out once the QB crosses the LOS.