handing the ball backward - Fed & NCAA
 

Normally I wouldn't ask a question here I already know the answer to, but in case it comes up again this season in our league, I'd like to be able to cite as authority a discussion group like this one, and I might as well do it before traffic gets heavy. Thanks in advance.

The ball is snapped hand-to-hands between the legs to A1, who was standing legally in a position "sidesaddle" to the snapper. A2, beginning in a position on the line of scrimmage adjacent to the snapper, bucket steps, never turning more than about 90 degrees from forward, to go behind and around A1. A1 hands the ball to A2 during that movement. At the moment A1 lets go of the ball, as well as the moment A2 first touches it, A2 is ahead of neither A1 nor the ball.

Legal handing of the ball?

Wouldn't it be much more proper to cite the authority of the rule and case book?

Not with some people! The league prez referred to a thread in Fed's football officiating forum, and it seemed to do no good for me to point out that the discussion in that thread was only about handing the ball forward.

NFHS 2-19-3 specifically explains when "Backwards Handing" occurs, and contrasts NFHS 2-19-2 which describes "Forward Handing".

Perhaps focusing on the actual Rule might help.

I did. Quoted it to them in e-mail. They just passed the buck around. The president said the field officials decide, the field officials said ask the administration. Demonstrated handing the ball backward in the gym, seemed to convince them, then they forgot. Plus, they look down the page of the Fed rulebook to where the beginning of the article is no longer in frame, thus severing the rigmarole about turning to face backward from its context, which is handing the ball forward.

What might've convinced them was something on the level of what they were looking for, i.e. a thread here. Opinion from someone beats factual quote from somewhere, it seems. So I'd like that in case it comes up again this year.

Sometimes, you just have to accept that, "You can lead a horse to water, but it's totally up to the horse if it wants to drink."