Please when answering, note if the rule is different at the 3 levels (HS, College, Pro)


The defense hold an eligible pass receiver, but there is no forward pass on the play. The QB is either sacked, or decides to run the ball.

Should there be a flag?

I hold been told previously that it is only a foul if the offense throws a forward pass beyond the neutral zone. That has been the way I have called it, waiting to throw a flag until I saw a pass being thrown. I passed on throwing a flag on that same type of play twice yesterday in my game.

I just saw a defensive holding enforced in the NFL on a sack.

Interpretations please!

NCAA It is a foul and should be called. The hold may have prevented the potential receiver from getting open and therefore defense had time to get the sack.

It's a hold in NFHS rules, as well. You can't have DPI, but you can certainly have a hold.

Zebra29, think of it this way, maybe the reason they did not a throw a pass is because the player was not open because he was held. That is why you need a flag on the field no matter what level of ball it is.

I understand that logic fully.

I'm not trying to pass the buck on this one, but for some reason, I was trained that if the QB does not throw the ball, there could not be holding on the defense, since it was not a passing play.

I understand. If who trained you is still around, ask him the question I just posed to you and see what he says. I personally have never heard of it being called that way.

Can't speak for Fed but for NCAA there is somewhat of a distinction in that if not thrown and crossing the NZ, there is no auto 1st like there is if he is held and legal fwd pass crosses the NZ.

If I see a defender latch onto a receiver I have defensive holding, pass or not, especially if I am reading that it is a pass play.

There can be defensive holding on a designed running play, too, although it's a lot more rare than on a passing play.

A defender can hold, for example, a pulling guard to open a path for another defender who is now not blocked because of the hold. This is holding and should be called.

Defensive holding is not an automatic first down in NFHS rules.

If the hold occurs during the pass you have DPI not hold

Nowhere in this thread did anyone say a pass was in the air. DPI restrictions begin at the time of the PASS, so a hold prior to the ball being thrown cannot be DPI.

Just making a point that if the hold occurs during a pass it is DPI.

If the receiver was number 54, he's ineligible.

Just making the (irrelevant) point that if (in a completely different scenario that has no relation to this one) the receiver was numbered improperly, he'd be ineligible.

In Federation, you could have illegal use of hands if there is contact after a receiver is no longer a blocker 9.2.3d but if the Defense grasped the receiver it would be holding.

Not necessarily true, the hold can be away from the direction of the pass and as of 2005 that is not DPI but a hold.