Forward handoffs

Tundra Ref · #1 (**permalink**) Thu Sep 23, 2004, 08:02am

I need clarification of this rule. The way I understand it, the ball can be handed off in front of the hander (the QB) to the receiver of the hand off if the receiver is a TE or lineman, but not if the receiver is a back or split end. Is this correct? I sometimes hesitate on this call because with all the other things to key on, when you do see a forward handoff, determining whether the receiver was a TE or not gets lost in the shuffle. Any advice on how to catch this better? (I appologize for the term 'receiver' being used here; I realize this term is usually reserved for passes.)

cmathews · #2 (**permalink**) Thu Sep 23, 2004, 08:50am

In the backfield the ball can be handed forward to anyone. There are some things that need to happen for a lineman to recieve such a handoff but anyone else is ok in the backfield.

jransom · #3 (**permalink**) Thu Sep 30, 2004, 10:21am

Recently had a youth game where an administrator from another league approached us at halftime about the legality of "the end around". We explained the handing rules as follows:
1. Any player may hand the ball backward to anyone at anytime anywhere on the field.
2. A forward hand-off may occur only in or behind the neutral zone on a scrimmage down (and only before team possession has changed). The only restrictions on who can receive a forward hand-off are on lineman. All ends & backs are ok unless an end also happens to be the snapper or adjacent to the snapper. Any A player that is restriced by position can still receive a forward handoff if they have met 2 conditions: a. they have done an about-face so that they are facing their own goaline, b. they are at least 1 yard behind the LOS when they get the ball.
3. The direction of the handoff is determined by the relationship of the yardline(s) of the ball and the player handing the ball.

NFHS rules ref: 7-3 and 2-19

Jonathan

[Edited by jransom on Sep 30th, 2004 at 11:24 AM]

BktBallRef · #4 (**permalink**) Thu Sep 30, 2004, 10:56am

Quote:

Originally posted by Tundra Ref
I need clarification of this rule. The way I understand it, the ball can be handed off in front of the hander (the QB) to the receiver of the hand off if the receiver is a TE or lineman, but not if the receiver is a back or split end. Is this correct?

No, it's not. The ball can certainly be handed off to these players. Use the guidelines jransom wrote.

Just curious, how did this misconception come about?