Controversial Play in MN 3A title game

[scrounge]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

I didn't slow the video down, but it looks fine to me. Until the rules committee makes a case play (Fed) or approved ruling (NCAA), I feel free to interpret the rule as allowing for momentum -- as long as the player the ball is being passed to is behind the passer, it is legal. Trying to rule on where on the field the ball was when it was released vs. where it was caught is nearly impossible for officials at the speed of the play absent replay.

You may feel free to interpret it that way, but I would say it's more ignoring rather than interpreting. I don't think there needs to be a case play or any odd clarification on 'momentum' when the black letter language is already very clear. As Middleman pointed out, it's the *initial* flight that counts, not some moving target with relation to the passer. The very definition of a backward pass says so:

"(rule 2-31) ART. 5 . . . A backward pass is a pass thrown with its initial direction parallel with or toward the runner's end line."

This ball was released at about the 34 and caught at about the 27. There is no possible way this was anything but a forward pass.

I can understand why it was missed, no one may have been at a great angle to see it with players all over the field and running very fast like this. But it was indeed a miss.