PLAY: A82 (a legal receiver) runs a down-and-out pattern. He controls the ball with both feet in the air, after the pass by A16. While still airborne, he tosses the ball forward to A35 who continues on his merry way to the end zone. Ruling

Please!


No!


Not this one!

Okay, sorry, but this one has been beat to death over on the MCGriff board!

The play is perfectly legal. By definition, the first receiver never caught the first pass since he didn't touch the ground, the ball was never in player possession of the first receiver, and, therefore, he did not pass the ball to the second receiver.

I agree with BktBallRef ...

Agreed. Let me add this play as an example.

A7 passes the ball to A83 who secures the ball in the air but has yet to touch the ground. B46 clobbers A83 before A83 touches the ground and the ball pops loose. Ruling?

Incomplete pass. Correct?

Possession is established once A83 contacts the ground. Until then, it is still a pass.

Absolutely correct Mike. I have no catch unless I have one
foot or body part on the ground (even OOB on a forceout) and
the receiver has sufficient control of the ball. If in that
play that you outlined above, the receiver lost control of
the ball when he hit the ground, I still have an incomplete
pass.

While we're on the subject of rediculous pass plays, How
about this one (NHFS):

A85 is on a deep fly pattern and the ball leads him out
of bounds on the sidelines. Before making an attempt at
catching the ball, he leaps off of his left foot which last
touches OOB. While A85 is in mid-air, the ball bounces off
of his hands back into the field of play where A22 catches
the ball and runs for a TD.

If I'm understanding what I read correctly, this is not
a dead ball when A85 contacts the ball since he was not
in contact with anyone or anything that is OOB. I would
not think this was Illegal Participation either since he
made no attempt to re-enter the field of play to
participate in the play.

From what I can tell (in HS), a player does not need to re-
establish themselves in-bounds (like basketball) before
touching the ball.

Even though it reads like this, I'm pretty sure I'd call it
a dead ball and no one would ever argue.

Zeke5 / oub illegal participation
 

A reference for your pass play touched by airborne reciever.
Case book Rule 9.6.1D The ball remains live and the catch is legal. A85 was not OUB when he touched the pass; however, he is guilty of illegal participation.

Thanks for the reference!! ... but what if A85 was
ridden OOB by B22? My guess is that you would have a
TD with a potential DPI that would get declined?

I still think I'd wistle it dead, and no one think
twice about it.

McGriff board where can i find that one

Just click