To my recollection a defensive player cannot contact an eligible receiver downfield according to 9-2-3d...

A defensive player shall not: Contact an eligible receiver who is no longer a potential blocker.

That means a defender can contact an eligible receiver on the line and hold him up but once he gets past the line of scrimmage no contact is allowed.

Does anyone have a different interpretation?

I would agree. Once the receiver is clearly head and shoulder by the defender and attempting to move away from here, he's not longer blocking IMHO.

I agree with your interpretation, but I also think you have to use some judgement as to what constitutes "holding him up." A couple of "chucks" is probably OK, but not letting the receiver off the line at all is probably going too far.

Here's a twist. What's the call when the QB, seeing his wideout getting repeatedly chucked, wings the ball over to his wideout, (with the ball sailing beyond the LOS)? Chances are the wideout is also using his hands, etc. to ward off the defender. Makes for an interesting call - or no call.

I use the axiom "Once he's even, he's leavin" meaning that once even yardline-wise with the defender, he is longer a potential blocker and is free to run his route unmolested.

If I've got both the receiver and the defender chucking each other and the ball flies over their heads, I've got nothing.

### assuming a DB is strong enought to keep a receiver from leaving the line is even possible, it is a no call until a pass is in the air. Then you most probably have a DPI call. That will depend on just what the receiver is doing. Remember, he can't block at all. He can't push off either. You could have a no foul, you could have double foul.
Agree?

If the receiver is making no attempt to block, (i.e., is not using his hands at all), and is simply trying to get around the defender to run his route you might have a case for defensive holding (or PI if the pass is in the air), if the defender is using his hands. If the defender is quick and is simply blocking the path of the receiver with his body then I would tend to call that good defense. The Demetriou book "Judgement Calls" has a good section on this type of scenario. Also some other good discussion on other judgement situations.

For NCAA, you can "chuck" as long as the Team B player is between the receiver and the endline, and before the pass is thrown. Chucking downfield past the LOS is not illegal.

Gotta keep it above the waist though.