Would you flag it?

[Warrenkicker]

NF Rules (I know this isn't a foul in NCAA)

B is ahead by 9. There is a pass into the endzone and is 6 to 8 feet (uncatchable for NCAA) over A's head. As the ball gets even with A, B pushes A in the back but does not knock him over (just a small push). During the play the game clock runs out in the fourth quarter. How many out there would call this DPI? The winner of the game got a playoff game and the loser was done.

[yankeesfan]

if it was an obvious pass interference i would of called it. they can have 1 more play and game over. looks better to call it than to leave it go. it was probably a pretty good game, why let it go?

[Bob M.]

REPLY: If the push occurred as the ball got even with the Team A receiver, I would have left the flag in my pocket. Not too much different than a pass thrown to a receiver who has run a hook pattern. Ball passes just over his fingertips. Immediately afterwards, the defender makes a hit on the receiver attempting to break up the pass. Was the pass in flight when the contact occurred? YES. Was the contact prior to any touching of the pass by A or B? YES. Will you call that pass interference? I HOPE NOT.

[FredFan7]

I'd let it pass.

There is no un-catchable pass rule in the NFHS. This was directly asked to the interpreter at this year's rules meeting.

[Forksref]

Total judgment play. I'd have to see it. The lack of uncatchable rule in NF would make me take a good look at the play before I let it go.

[ThickSkin]

Originally posted by Bob M.
REPLY: If the push occurred as the ball got even with the Team A receiver, I would have left the flag in my pocket. Not too much different than a pass thrown to a receiver who has run a hook pattern. Ball passes just over his fingertips. Immediately afterwards, the defender makes a hit on the receiver attempting to break up the pass. Was the pass in flight when the contact occurred? YES. Was the contact prior to any touching of the pass by A or B? YES. Will you call that pass interference? I HOPE NOT.

I agree with this. Since there is no foul for an uncatchable ball and the ball was even with A. I would have left my flag in my pocket.

[JDLJ]

NF 7-6-10-a "It is forward-pass interference if any player of A or B...interferes with an eligible opponent's opportunity to move toward, catch or bat the pass." Once the pass has gone by the receiver, even though it still nay be in the air, the opportunity for that receiver to catch or bat the ball is over. This happens all the time in games in the plays like Bob M mentioned. The pass gets by A and then B hits A. As long as the hit is after the pass has passed by A, we correctly let it go.

[Warrenkicker]

Well I didn't flag this. However I did go over to the defender and tell him that he was foolish to have done what he did. I hope he understood what I said because he could have cost his team with that useless push.

[simpson]

Warrenkicker -
Our team had almost the exact same play 2 weeks ago. Salina Central at Topeka Seaman game with Rick Bowden (State association exec for you non-Kansans) in attendance. Pass over receivers' head near the endline, defender hits the receiver right as the ball is overhead, maybe even an instant before - our BJ has no flag. The home team fans were very vocal wanting a flag. After the game, Bowden told the crew it was a great "no-call". He did say that he thinks the rule should be changed for non-catchable passes, but he was glad we weren't "over-officiating" the game.

You could have thrown the flag on that play and probably been justified (depending on how obvious the push in the back was), but not flagging it is OK. Sounds like you got it right.

BTW - Did you guys work Tuesday night? Do you have a game Friday or Saturday? Our crew worked last night at Rossville (I was in South Dakota so they used a guy who subbed a few games for us to fill out the crew.) Haven't heard yet about Friday or Saturday.

[Warrenkicker]

Duane - It is good to hear the Bowden would have agreed with my call as well. In this situation it would have only prolonged a game by one play when it was already decided. Just another chance to get somebody injured. That actually happened a couple of years ago here in Wichita when a defender took a cheap shot on a starting QB and injured him enough that he couldn't play in the playoff game the next week.

We still haven't gotten any games. And since it is only this first week when they assign crews I don't think any of us will get a game. It's a little funny when you work so many games and many of them tell you after the game that your's was the best crew they have seen all year and you still don't get anything. Of the 15 teams we had this season 10 of them qualified including Northwest, Carroll, Wellington, Rose Hill, Conway Springs and Garden Plain. We had a great schedule but just not close games.

Almost 60% of the officials who become qualified for the playoffs get games. I would agree that last year the crew I was on fell into that 40% but not this year. We did a good job but just don't have the history that many of the other crews have. I will be very interested in finding out how many recommendations we got after the championship games.

[booker227]

People, there is no such thing as an uncatchable ball, under any circumstances, in high school football.
Second, it was a good no-call!