NCAA rules:

If the OT #79 is the last man on the LOS, can he go done the field and catch a pass?

It is my belief that he can not do this in college football, that there is no longer such a thing as "Tackle Eligible".


Nor can he do it in the NFL; in the NFL you can have a player, with a number from 50-79 line up at the end of the line, but he has to be in the TE position and report before the play to the referee.

Thanks in advance.

Players numbered 50-79 can never be eligible (at the snap) to go downfield or touch a forward pass. NCAA 7-3-3

Players must be eligible by position (end of line or backfield) AND number.

No idea on NFL rule...I know they report, but never noticed whether they could be on the end of an unbalanced line.

Monday Night Football Jets v Dolphins. Couple years ago. Jets made incredible comeback to win (almost as good as the Colts). Jumbo Elliott caught a pass in the EZ for a TD. He looked like a kid that won the top prize at the candy store. His number for the Jets was (I believe in the 70s). Announcers said at the time he was a tackle eligible and had reported. Hope this helps.

Just some followup questions:

NCAA rules, if a team lines up a Fullback in a short yardage situatuion, and the Fullback is now a 300 lb lineman wearing #65. If this FB would go downfield, and a pass is thrown past the LOS; then that would also be a penalty-correct.

If it is a running play, then the numbers don't make a difference-correct.

Was there ever such a play in NCAA football as "Tackle Eligible". I believe the play was legal a long time ago, maybe in the late 60s-early 70s.

REPLY: Correct on the first two, and I believe the third also but not positive about that.

NFL allows tackle eligible because they have such small rosters so they don't have room for too many tight ends. They use offensive lineman, who report as eligible, or defensive linemen as the third tight end. Warren Sapp caught a TD pass this season. WH always announces tackle eligible over PA at NFL games. Guess a couple of officials should have listened to the PA at the end of the New York Giants playoff game last year.

They don't announce these over the PA system. Before the game, a team is allowed to report several numbers (don't know how many) of players who have ineligible numbers who will be lined up in eligible positions for field goals and extra points.

Yes they do. The white-hat always announces this in the NFL. If you listen closely during an extra-point or field goal you will hear WH announce it. They don't put the audio on the tv but only announce it in the stadium. This way the defense and officials are aware of who is declared legal. It is a 5-yard penalty to have an illegal number in a legal position and not declare it prior to the play.

I got this off of this website http://ww2.nfl.com/fans/rules/

If a player changes his eligibility, the Referee must alert the defensive captain after player has reported to him.

I believe these aren't the "real" rules from the rules book but instead a summary of them. WH informs the defensive captain by announcing it over PA.

It's been a couple of years since I've been to an NFL game, but I don't recall them announcing the numbers during PAT's and field goals. After the debacle in the Giants - 49's playoff game, the NFL stated that part of the problem was the NFL mechanic of getting this information BEFORE the game.

It could have changed as I haven't been to an NFL game in a couple of years.

REPLY: Mike and warrenkicker...you're both right. The PA announcer does announce when a 50-79 lines up as an eligible receiver if the play is <u>not</u> a try or FG. But on tries and FG's, he does not announce it, but does have (should have) written the numbers of any ineligibles who line up on the end of the line, i.e. in eligible positions.