Ilegal Forward Pass or not ??

[TXMike]

"Forward" depends on who is doing the action. It is "forward" if it is in the direction your team would go to score a TD. I.e. Ball is at the 50 and batted by A to the B45, that is forward. If B had batted at the 50 to the B45, that is backwards.

NCAA rules - The clock stopped for an apparent awarding of a 1st down to Team B. That is what determines when it will restart. It restarts on the snap after awarding a 1st to team B so that is when it will be started in this play.


[Edited by TXMike on Jan 22nd, 2004 at 11:43 AM]

[Middleman]

Thank you. I understand.

[Bob M.]

Originally posted by Middleman

...I am assuming that by "forward to B-74" Mr. ares meant "toward the goal line being defended by Team A."

Since the ball was still in Team A possession at the time of the bat by B-94, would not that bat be considered backward, not forward? Therefore it would have been legal under both codes and B gets to keep the ball at A's 39? Or is the "forward" direction of the bat established by the player who batted the fumble, not the team in possession?

Just curious.

REPLY: The NCAA code actually defines (in rule 2) the terms "forward" and "backward." 2-8-1 says, "ARTICLE 1. Forward, beyond or in advance of, as related to either team, denotes direction toward the opponentÂ’s end line. Converse terms are backward or behind." So ares' comment above is right on the mark.

[ares]

To Middleman:

because without the foul B would keep the ball and get a first down. That would start the clock on snap. And Rule 3-2-5-c states that if reasons ocur that if incidents that would start the clock on ready occur in conjunction with any other situation that starts the clock on the snap, the clock will start on the snap.

ares