Would the NFL ruling on illegal touching on Monday Night by the quarterback, who was under center, be correct in Fed rules. Is he on the line or off under center/shotgun?

Didn't see the call, was working a game, but under FED rules a QB is a back, and an eligible receiver.

McNabb was under center, took the snap made a quick drop and threw a backward pass to Westbrook I think.

The guy Westbrook wanted to throw to wasn't open and so he started to run back towards McNabb who had taken off downfield a bit.

Close to being tackled, Westbrook threw a pass to McNabb who caught it and ran a few yards.

No flag was thrown at first until Tice went crazy on the sideline threw the red flag getting the officials to discuss the call. Illegal Touching was ruled on McNabb.

I think this would be a legal play under FED rules. It's a similar play my team has run for years and it has never been ruled anything but a completed pass.

[Edited by gsf23 on Sep 21st, 2004 at 03:33 PM]

I was wondering the same thing. I never heard of this at the NFHS level, I am pretty sure this is just an NFL rule.

Only one back is allowed to break the imaginary line of the snapper and he must be in position to receive a hand to hand snap. This is the QB.

In NFHS the QB is a back and therefore eligible to receive a pass.

I'm sure this friday when we see a halfback pass to the QB we'll have some coaches yelling that he wasn't in a shotgun. Just great, another weird difference in the NFL that fans will start yelling about.

It was actually # 83 Mitchell who took the backward pass from McNabb.

However, if Mitchell was in an eligible receivers position at the snap, I think the officials screwed up. Here is the NFL rule on that.

A T-formation quarterback is not eligible to receive a forward pass during a play from scrimmage.

Exception: T-formation quarterback becomes eligible if pass is previously touched by an eligible receiver.

Maybe Mitchell was covered up?

Hmm... interesting.

Maybe that exception is if a FORWARD pass is touched by the eligible receiver. Since this was backward, maybe the exception doesn't apply?

Unless I'm mistaken, you can't have two forward passes on one play in the NFL...

My guess is that the exception refers to a forward pass that gets deflected by an eligible receiver... That is, if the QB throws the ball, ball is deflected by the WR, then the ball can be caught by the QB...

But then, I've never seen the NFL rulebook...

You're misinterpreting the rule.

This rule refers to a forward pass being tipped by an eligible receiver.

Had my first multiple forward passes last night, it was fun! No coaches said anything but the fans next to the press box were cackling. The clock guy, who has done a pretty bad job this year, came up and asked about it after the game. This is about the 3rd time he came after the game to comment about something, I usually try to clear somethings out about timing during this time also.

NO QUESTION! Of course they will ask/yell, Murphy's law!

Like 2 weeks ago, DPI on 4th and goal. After we reported automatic first down, the Defensive captain, yells at us "hey wait, this isn't the NFL, there's no automatic first downs!" I told him just trust me on this one, and ask his coach about it. It never stops amazing me!

Someone tried telling me this week that a personal foul and that a 15 yard facemask are both auto first downs in HS ball.

REPLY: Obviously that person has read his rule book...unfortunately it was the NCAA rule book!

Hope you don't mean this is illegal or something?