Illegal forward handling

[ThickSkin]

A fellow official and I were discussing this the other day as we had a JV team that ran the option pretty well.

Situation:
The QB meshes with the FB reading the DE, the DE took the pitch man so (Still riding the fullback) the QB and FB continue up field a good two or three yards. He ended up pulling the ball and being tackled. However, if he would have not taken the ball back, would this have constituted illegal forward handling? I said yes, he said no.

[BoBo]

Once the ball cross the neutral then it becomes illegal forward handing. Flag the spot of the foul and the enforcement would be 5 yards from the spot of the foul and loss of down.

[JDLJ]

I would not call that forward handing.

[andy1033]

In this play is it illegal forward handling?

[Welpe]

The play in the OP...which is 7 years old by the way, is not illegal forward handing because the ball was never handed off. If the ball was handed off, it would have been a foul for illegal forward handing.

[MNBlue]

Originally Posted by JDLJ

I would not call that forward handing.

Why? If the FB is in advance of the QB and they are beyond the LOS, isn't that pretty much the definition of illegal forward handing?

ART. 2 . . . No player may hand the ball forward except during a scrimmage down before a change of possession, provided both players are in or behind the neutral zone and it is to:

a. A lineman who has clearly faced his end line by moving both feet in a half-turn and is at least 1 yard behind his line when he receives the ball.

b. A back or a teammate who, at the snap, was on an end of his line and was not the snapper nor adjacent to the snapper.
Link to Article Note Penalty Case Ruling Rule Comment Image Diagram Table Figure Exception
ART. 3 . . . During a scrimmage down after a change of team possession, no player may hand the ball forward to a teammate.

PENALTY: Illegal handing (Arts. 2, 3) – (S35- 9) – 5 yards – and loss of down. The loss-of-down penalty does not apply when there has been a change of team possession.

[MD Longhorn]

I wouldn't expect an answer. When I post, I generally check back the next few days to see what kind of responses I got. I guarantee I never check back to see if someone replied to me and quoted me seven years later!

[andy1033]

If the qb is forward of the other back he can hand it to him beyond the LOS

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by andy1033

If the qb is forward of the other back he can hand it to him beyond the LOS

Thanks. That would be backward handling...

[Forksref]

I had this play several years ago in a JV game. The play was designed to have both the QB and running back have their hands on the ball at the same time. This worked fine for many plays until one time they got beyond the line of scrimmage and the running back got ahead of the QB. The QB then released the ball to the running back and we flagged it for illegal handing. The wing and I (WH) both flagged it.

[HLin NC]

Why are we resurrecting 7 year old threads? Its almost like the Romanian/Russian/ChiCom spammers are running amuck again

[Rich]

Originally Posted by HLin NC

Why are we resurrecting 7 year old threads? Its almost like the Romanian/Russian/ChiCom spammers are running amuck again

I'm OK with real posters asking questions about threads, no matter the age. It's an interesting topic, too, as I've never actually had illegal forward handing in a game in 20+ years.

[Welpe]

As Rich said, I left it open because it was a legitimate question and we currently don't have a policy on thread necromancy.

[DLH17]

I had Illegal Forward Handing in a game my first varsity season. The runner was about 10-15 yards beyond the LOS where he was contacted by a couple of would be tacklers. As the runner began to fall, he realized he had a teammate running to his left. As he slowed from contact, he simply reached forward and stuffed the ball into his teammate's bread basket who continued running.

[HLin NC]

I've never actually had illegal forward handing in a game in 20+ years

.

Was not my call but I was in a either a MS or JV game once where R did it on the kickoff. Only time I've ever seen it. Not as rare as Intentional PI but close, apparently.