What is the ruling?

[DJ]

The offense runs a pass play from the 30 yard line. The receiver runs a corner pattern to the pylon, gets past the defender, who's trailing him. At the 2, the defender leaps in the air, twists, intercepts the ball with both hands, and then, before his feet hit the ground, throws it with both hands to a teammate who's trailing the play as well at the 8. The teammate catches the ball and goes 90 plus yards for a touchdown.

question 1- what would you rule on this play?
question 2- what would you rule if the play were exactly the same, but the ball was dropped by the 2nd defender?

[JasonTX]

1. Touchdown
2. Incomplete pass

The interception isn't complete until that second player has possession with 1 foot inbounds. The first player never had possession so his act is simply a muff and the ball continues in play.

[Texoma_LJ]

I'll take the second part...Incomplete pass. We have touching but not a catch yet.

[Patton]

Since hes feet never hit the ground, he never had possession by rule. Therefore, he essentially legally batted the ball to his teammate and the play is legal. In your second example, it would simply be an incomplete pass.

[MRIGUY]

Wouldn't you have illegal batting due to rule 9-7-4 "a ball in player possession shall not be batted forward by a player of the team in possession.... Couldn't you have an illegal forward pass due to rule7-4-2a illegal forward passes are: " a pass after team possession has changed during the down." spot foul.

[Axe Man]

MRIGuy, you have answered your own question. "Possession" is the key. Possession is not established until one foot is in contact with the ground.

On a side note, this play works very well in corec flag football when a male is inelligible to catch a pass. Male goes up, secures the ball, directs it to a female. Wonderful play when done right.

[mcrowder]

Last time I played Coed Rec, we had a rule that specifically disallowed such an action.

[MRIGUY]

According to the defintion of 2-32-1, A ball in player possession is a live ball "held" or controlled by a player after he has caught or recovered it. And a ball in team possession is a live ball in player possession, so it sounds to me that you must have an illegal forward pass or batting.

[Axe Man]

From the origional post, "At the 2, the defender leaps in the air, twists, intercepts the ball with both hands, and then, before his feet hit the ground, throws it with both hands to a teammate who's trailing the play as well at the 8." The key to this play is that the player never possessed the ball while in contact with the ground. Check out 2.4.1

[JasonTX]

Originally posted by MRIGUY
According to the defintion of 2-32-1, A ball in player possession is a live ball "held" or controlled by a player after he has caught or recovered it. And a ball in team possession is a live ball in player possession, so it sounds to me that you must have an illegal forward pass or batting.

The key here and you quoted it above "after he has caught or recovered it" The catch is not completed until 1 foot comes down in bounds with control of the ball. The second receiver is the only one that catches the ball. The first one simply deflected the ball.