A question on the Part I test ask," A1 intentionally throws a backward pass out-of-bounds to conserve time it is intentional grounding" At first I said TRUE but after thinking too much, I now wonder if that might be false. If he throws a backward pass is it not the same as a controlled fumble.

I'd say false and thats one savy player.

There's no such animal as a "controlled fumble." It's simply a fumble that goes OOB and the clock is stopped. it is not a foul.

Agreed.

Where do you spot the ball?
 

Spot the ball at the inbounds line where the ball crossed the sideline?

If you know he did it intentionally, could the Referee invoke Rule 3-6-3, and start the clock on the ready?

3-6-3 wouldn't apply. To invoke 3-6-3 you must have a flag. since there is no foul there can be no 3-6-3.

Just to throw in a long winded response...

I don't know how much weight you all give to the "Official's Study Guide to NFHS Football Rules 2004 Edition" but they address this specific question and give a couple of examples...

"It is also legal for any player on either team to throw a backward pass any time anywhere on the field (7-2-1). If a player deliberately throws a backward pass out of bounds to conserve time, it is legal and the clock will start on the snap."

Except that I think they meant to cite 7-4-1. Also, 7-5-2 is where intentional grounding and illegally conserving time are defined and notice that they specifically defined as illegal FORWARD passes. There's nothing defined as an illegal BACKWARD pass so A1 didn't do anything illegal to conserve time. Therefore, it's a legal way to stop the clock.

Sorry about that rambling but it's the one rule I know so I had throw it out there!

-Sean---

NCAA
 

I know most people are reading for NF rules, but I find it interesting to read the differences - also with the Canadians out there...

NCAA says (7.2.1)

A runner may hand or pass the ball backward at any time, except to throw the ball intentionally out of bounds to conserve time.
PENALTY Five yards from the spot of the foul; also loss of down if by Team A before team possession changes during a scrimmage down (A.R. 3-4-3-III) [S35 and S9].


James

I came up with the controlled fumble off the cuff. I could not think of anything else to call it.

Definitely a legal play. One of the tenets of the rule book is that if it isn't clearly ruled illegal then it is legal. Severals years back the Fed. had to change the timout rule to: only can call time out during a deadball period because some one found out that the rules didn't forbid calling timeout during a play. Think about that! Live ball timeout was never called to my knowledge.

No problem. ;)

also if you think about it, they are called illegal FORWARD passes in the book. 8-)

Rule 3-6-3 does require an illegal act and throwing the ball backwards out of bounds is legal. Consider the situation, A is trying to conserve time most likely because they trail in the score. They have a spike available to conserve time. They probably will not do it more than once and even if they do it will hurt their offense. So why bother to try to penalize them when they are doing it to themselves.