[Beemer]

Citing an exception to a rule seems like it wouldn't go over well with a coach. As a referee could make up any "exception" to a rule so that he's right. I'm trying hard this year to interact better with coaches, so how does this sound for a proper explanation:

"Coach you are correct under normal circumstances, however there is an exception to the rule that allows this play to be legal when the ball is being inbounded. Should the ball have been in play when he passed it, a violation would have occurred."