Passing(7-2 & 7-3)

Tony Dutton

10/9/2012

Forward & Backward Pass2-19-2

1. Forward: determined by point where ball first strikes the ground, a player, an official or anything beyond the spot of the pass. WIQ pass in or behind the neutral zone is forward.

• Any intentional movement of passer’s hand or arm starts the forward pass. WIQ ball is passed and not fumbled.

2. Backward: all other passes. A snap becomes a backward pass when the snapper releases it.

Backward Pass (7-2-1)

• Ball carrier may hand or pass ball backward at any time, except to throw the ball intentionally out of bounds to conserve time.

• PENALTY: 5 yards, spot of foul, loss of down if by Team A.

Backward Pass & Fumble(7-2-2)

• Caught or recovered by any inbounds player: continues in play. Exceptions:

1. Team A fumble on a try caught or recovered by player other than fumbler: No team A score.

2. Team A fumble on 4th down, before a change of possession caught or recovered by Team A player other than fumbler: Ball is dead.

G

RULING: Ball dead. No score for A.

A7 fumbles at the 3.During the Try

A79 recovers inthe end zone.

G

Touchdown. Any playermay advance a backwardpass.

41 muffs backward passfrom QB. End 83 recoversthe ball and advances into the end zone

During the Try or 4th Down

41

QB

83

G

Ball dead at spot of fumble.

41 receives backward passfrom QB, runs, then fumbles.End 83 recovers the ball and advances into the end zone.

During the Try or 4th Down

41

QB

83

G

After the holder muffs the snap, the kicker recovers the ball and advances into the end zone.

On the Try

K H

Touchdown. 2 points for Team AThe snap is a backward pass.

RULING: Ball dead at the spot of the fumble.

A8 fumblesshort of theline to gain.

4th & 8A79 recoversbeyond theline to gain.

A8

G

RULING: Touchdown.

A7 fumbles at the 3.On 3rd down

A79 recovers inthe end zone.

Forward Pass (2-19-2)

• First strikes anything beyond the spot of the pass.

• WIQ: Pass thrown in or behind the neutral zone is forward rather than backward when.

• Intentional forward movement of passer’s hand or arm starts the forward pass.

• WIQ: Ball is passed not fumbled.

Legal Forward Pass (7-3-1)

• Pass by Team A;

• One forward pass during down;

• Before team possession changes;

• Pass is thrown from in or behind neutral zone. [Remember: player has not crossed until entire body has been beyond the neutral zone.]

Illegal Forward Pass (7-3-2)

• Thrown by Team A beyond the neutral zone.• Thrown by Team B. • Thrown by Team A after change of team

possession.• Second forward pass by A during down.• Thrown after runner in possession goes or

has been beyond the neutral zone.• Thrown to conserve time, with conditions.• Throw to save loss of yardage, with

conditions.

Illegal Forward Pass to Conserve Time

1. If not thrown immediately to the ground after gaining control, or

2. If thrown after ball has touched the ground.3. If thrown where no eligible Team A player

has reasonable opportunity to catch (WIQ-player has opportunity).

• PENALTY: Five yards from spot of foul and loss of down. Clock?

• Starts on the ready.

A.R. 7-3-2 III

• On third down near the end of the half, field goal holder muffs the snap. Either he or the kicker recovers the ball and immediately throws it forward to the ground.

• RULING: Illegal forward pass. 5 yards from spot of pass, loss of down, and clock starts on the ready.

A.R. 7-3-2 IV

• Ball is snapped over the QB’s head. He recovers the ball and immediately throws it forward to the ground.

• RULING: Illegal forward pass. 5 yards from spot of pass, loss of down, and clock starts on the ready.

A.R. 7-3-2 V

• On 3rd down near the end of the half, A1 muffs the snap. A1 or A4 catches the muffed ball and immediately throws it forward into the ground.

• RULING: Legal play.

A.R. 7-3-2 VII

• Seconds remaining in the half and the ball is ready for play. Team A quickly lines up and the ball is legally snapped to quarterback A12 who throws it forward directly to the ground. Team A’s formation was not legal at the snap.

• RULING: Illegal formation. 5 yards from the previous spot. Clock?

• Starts on the snap.

Illegal Forward Pass to Save Loss of Yardage

• If thrown where no eligible Team A player has reasonable opportunity to catch (WIQ-player has opportunity). PENALTY: Five yards from spot of foul and loss of down.

• Exception: Not illegal if thrown to: Avoid loss of yardage, and; Passer is or has been outside the tackle

box, and; Ball lands beyond the neutral zone.• Clock starts on the snap.

Change of possession.Illegal forward pass by B.

Illegal forward pass.

Neutral Zone

Pass thrown to save loss of yardage.Ball lands behind NZ.

Second forward pass by A. Illegal.

Eligible to Touch (7-3-3)

• All Team B players

• Team A players (two conditions):

1. Right number: other than 50-79, and

2. Right position:

• On end of line of scrimmage,

• Legally in the backfield, or

• In position to receive hand-to hand snap.

After 25 shifts intobackfield, 98 becomeseligible.

73 remains ineligible bynumber.

Eligibility Lost (7-3-4)

• Eligible offensive player who goes out of bounds becomes ineligible. Exception:

1. Blocked out of bounds by opponent, and,

2. Attempts to return inbounds immediately.

• PENALTY – Loss of down at previous spot.

85 returnsimmediately.

87 runs behindthe bench.

ILLEGAL

Eligibility Gained (7-3-5)

• All players become eligible when a legal forward pass touches:

• A Team B player

• An official

65 eligible after touch by B.

65 ineligible ifnot touched by B.

Catch, Interception, Recovery(2-2-7)

• Catch is gaining possession of a live ball in flight.

• Catch of opponent’s fumble or pass is interception.

• Gaining possession of a live ball after it strikes the ground is recovery.

• To catch, intercept, or recover a player who leaves his feet must have possession when first returning to ground in bounds or when forward progress is stopped.

• Loss of ball simultaneous to returning to ground is not a catch, interception or recovery.

Completed Pass (7-3-6)

• Caught by a player of the passing team who is inbounds (must maintain control of the ball while going to the ground).

• Simultaneous catch: ball becomes dead and belongs to the passing team.

G

XAirborne receiver grasps ball,falls to ground inbounds, andball comes loose touching the ground.

A.R. 7-3-6-XI

RULING: Incomplete pass.

G

XAirborne receiver grasps ball,falls to ground inbounds,ball comes loose, and receiverregains control before balltouches the ground.

A.R. 7-3-6-XII

RULING: Completed pass.

G

Airborne receiver grasps ball,first touches in bounds with toe,falls to ground out of bounds,ball comes loose, and receiverregains control before balltouches the ground.

A.R. 7-3-6-XIII

RULING: Incomplete pass.

X

Incomplete Pass (7-3-7)

• Pass touches the ground or is out of bounds.• Player leaves his feet, receives the pass and

first lands on or outside the boundary line.1. Incomplete legal forward pass belong to the

passing team at the previous spot.2. Incomplete illegal forward pass belongs to

passing team at spot of foul. Exception: If the offended team declines the penalty for an illegal pass thrown from the end zone, the ball shall next be put in play at the previous spot.

Safety or B’s ball at the previous spot.See A.R. 7-3-7 II

4th & 9Team A throws an illegalpass from its end zone.

Safety or B’s ball at the 20.

A.R. 7-3-7 III3rd & 9. B interceptsand is downed at the 20.

Illegal Contact andPass Interference (7-3-8)

• Illegal contact by either team prohibited:

When legal forward pass, Crosses the neutral zone, From time of snap until ball is touched

by any player or an official.

Crosses Neutral Zone (2-19-3)

1. When a legal forward pass first strikes the ground, a player or an official or anything beyond the neutral zone.

2. It is beyond or behind the neutral zone where it crosses the sideline.

Offensive Pass Interference (7-3-8-b)

Legal forward pass crosses the neutral zone.

Contact beyond the neutral zone. Contact that interferes with a

Team B player.

Offensive pass interference.

80 pushes off. Offensive pass interference.

Not Offensive Pass Interference

• Immediate charge at snap and,• Contact not more than one yard beyond

neutral zone, and • Contact does not continue more than 3

yds.• Both players making a simultaneous and

bona fide attempt to catch the pass. • Offensive player impedes an opponent in

the area while the pass is in flight, and pass not catchable.

Catchable Forward Pass(2-19-4)

Untouched legal forward pass, Beyond the neutral zone, and Eligible Team A player has reasonable

opportunity to catch.

• WIQ: Pass is catchable.

Simultaneous and bona fide attempt to catch the pass.

Defensive Pass Interference(7-3-8-c)

Contact beyond the neutral zone, Intent to impede is obvious, Catchable forward pass, and Only after a legal forward pass is

thrown.

Illegal if 20 makes contact before the ball is touched.

Obvious intent to impede.

Illegal if intent to impede is obvious.

Not Defensive Pass Interference

Immediate charge at snap and, Contact within one yard beyond neutral

zone. Both players making a simultaneous and

bona fide attempt to catch the pass. Team B player legally contacts an opponent

before the pass is thrown. When Team A potential kicker from

scrimmage kick formation simulates a kick by throwing the ball high and deep.

Comments on Interferencefrom (7-3-9)

• Either team may interfere:1) Behind the neutral zone.

2) Beyond the neutral zone after the pass has been touched.

• Interference rules apply only when a legal forward pass crosses the neutral zone.

• Physical contact is required for interference.• Each player has territorial rights. Interference

only if intent to impede is obvious.

Use of Hands or Arms by Defense

• 9-3-4-c

• 9-3-4-e

9-3-4-c

• Defensive players may use hands and arms to push, pull, ward off or lift offensive players obviously attempting to block them. Defensive players may ward off or legally block an eligible pass receiver until that player occupies the same yard line as the defender or until the opponent could not possibly block him. Continuous contact is illegal.

9-3-4-e

• When a legal forward pass crosses the neutral zone during a forward-pass play and a contact foul that is not pass interference is committed beyond the neutral zone, the enforcement spot is the previous spot.

• PENALTY: 10 or 15 yards from the previous spot, plus first down if the foul occurred against an eligible receiver before the pass was touched.

A.R. 7-3-8 I

• A Team B player, defending against a legal forward pass beyond the neutral zone, has his back to the ball and is waving his arms in the face of an eligible player of Team A, who, in his attempt to catch the pass bumps into the Team B player.

• RULING: Pass interference by the Team B player. He was not making a bona fide attempt to catch or bat the pass.

RULING: Offensive pass interferenceif legal forward pass beyond theneutral zone.

A.R. 7-3-8 V

Before the ball is thrown,A88 moves directly in frontOf B1 who pushes A88.A88 then uses his handsto contact B1.

A88 B1

QB

RULING: Offensive pass interferenceif the legal forward pass crosses theneutral zone. If B1’s block was belowthe waist and beyond the neutral zone,the live-ball fouls offset.

A.R. 7-3-8 VI Before the ball is thrown,A88 slants inside where linebackerB1 attempts to block him. A88uses his hands to shove B1 away.

A88

B1

QB

RULING: No foul.

A.R. 7-3-8 IX

A88 and B2 are running closely together.Before or after the ball has been thrown.Either one or both fall when their feet become entangled. Neither player was tripped intentionally.

A88B2

QB

RULING: No foul because the ballhas not been thrown.

A.R. 7-3-8 IX

Before the pass is thrown, A88 and B1 arerunning shoulder to shoulder and side to side. A88 breaks to the inside. B1 does notmove, and A88 collides with him.

A88B1

QB

RULING: Defensive pass interference.

A.R. 7-3-8 IX

Before the pass is thrown, A88 and B1 arerunning shoulder to shoulder and side to side. A legal forward pass is thrown towardThe goal post. While the ball is in the air,A88 breaks toward the catchable pass.B1 does not move, makes no attempt to go for the pass, and A88 collides with him.

A88B1

QB

Penalty Enforcement:Offensive Pass Interference

• 15 Yards from the previous spot.

Penalize A 15 yds from the 25 and repeat the down.

Penalty EnforcementDefensive Pass Interference

• Foul less than 15 yds from previous spot: spot foul, first down.

• Foul 15 or more yds from previous spot: A’s ball 15 yds from previous spot, first down.

• Half-the-distance rules do not apply. (10-2-3)• No penalty enforced from outside the 2- yd

line shall place the ball inside the 2.• Half-the-distance if previous spot on or inside

the 2 or on try from the 3.

Half the distance if previous spot was on or inside the 2.

Half the distance does not apply (10-2-3).

15 yards from previous spot. 1st & 10 at B’s 10.

Ineligibles Downfield(7-3-10)

• Applies to originally ineligible player.• Must be in or behind the neutral zone until the ball

has been thrown.• Exceptions:

1. Charges immediately after snap.

2. Contacts an opponent not more than 1 yd beyond neutral zone.

3. Does not continue contact more than 3 yds beyond the neutral zone.

4. Remains stationary when contact is lost.

Illegal.

Illegal.

More than3 yards.

Illegal Touching(7-3-11)

• No originally ineligible player.

• Intentionally touch a legal forward pass.

• Until it has touched an opponent or an official.

• PENALTY: 5 yds form previous spot (no loss of down).

Intentional touching is illegal.

Illegal touching. Ball has not touched an opponent.

Unintentional touching not illegal.

And That’s All