[OverAndBack]

Few things:

Here are the philosophies given to us (they're state philosophies and not association philosophies, I do believe) on Pass Interference.

1. If there is any question whether player contact is incidental, the ruling shall be no interference.

2. Defensive players have as much right to the path of the ball as eligible offensive players.

3. Both layers have a right to the ball and there must be "an obvious intent to impede" to rule pass interference.

4. There can be no pass interference at or behind the LOS or if the pass does not cross the neutral zone, but defensive actions such as tackling a receiver can still result in a penalty for defensive holding.


Now, all that said - yes, the U is rarely going to make this call. This was a four-man game with two wings in their first year (one in his fourth game) and an umpire with more experience at other positions (and only two youth games at U). The short pass was into the flat after the U had gotten to the line and turned after checking line play. First instinct was "he came through the receiver, that's pass interference" and the flag was out.

Mechanically and situationally (A was up comfortably at that point in the 4th quarter), yes, it would have been better to have never even seen it, but that'll come. Just wanted to make sure that I have the philosophy correct so that in a similar situation later where it is someone's call to make, they don't second-guess themselves.