Quote:
Originally posted by lds7199
Ok, would someone please post a rule reference for play #4? I had no idea that a QB could run beyond the line of scrimmage, retreat, and then throw a legal forward pass. Please post the rule references/case book plays that support this. Thanks!
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REPLY: Like many play situations, this one (for Federation at least) is legal because there's no explicit rule against it. So you won't find a specific reference in the Fed book for this play. But, as MJT points out, the restriction on the passer is solely related to where his feet are relative to the LOS when he passes the ball. Says nothing about where he or another runner might have been prior to the pass. Therefore...it's legal. Contrast this with the NCAA rule (7-3-2e) which explicitly forbids a forward pass thrown from behind the NZ once the passer or any runner in possession of the ball had gone beyond the NZ. In NCAA rules, this is an IFP.
For some of the newbies out there, this is a very important principle. If something is not expressly prohibited by the rules, it's legal. Therefore, don't go looking for a rule reference that says something is legal. You probably won't find it. For example, is it legal the fake a handoff? Of course, but don't go looking for a rule reference in either the Fed or NCAA books.