Illegal Forward Pass

[Jaysef]

NFS Rule 7-5-3 states ..."If offended team declines the distance penalty, it has the choice of having the down counted at the spot of the illegal incomplete forward pass or..."

Can someone help a simple minded Ump understand in what circumstance would B just want the down counted, and NOT the 5 yds, AND the down counted?

J

[Warrenkicker]

You never know when you are dealing with some of these coaches. Some may have some odd strategy which no one else can figure out.

But seriously a coach may have some simpathy for the other team and since an illegal pass is the end of a running play and thus the spot of the pass is the end of the run the rules book must specifically tell us what to do in that odd situation even though it may have never actually happen. It is a free 5 yards. However, if it is a half-the-distance thing a coach may actually cut the U a break and not have him try to divide some short amount of yardage in half.

[JasonTX]

At first thought the only time I can think of this being declined is when time expired in either half and they don't want to give team A an untimed down. Another situation came to mind. We have several teams in this area that are a pass only team. Those teams are much more successful being from the 10 yard line and out. It gives them a wider range a pass plays. A play could happen where the ill fwd. pass was on or inside the 5, so team B could decline the penalty and force team A inside the 5, an area that they may not be too comfortable with since they are limited on some pass plays.

[Jaysef]

My confusion lies within the statement that "B" could decline the distance penalty, and take the loss of down from the spot of the illegal pass...not declining the penalty all together. I had never come across a case where an offended team could decline part of a penalty. Found it odd.

[DJ_NV]

2006 Football fundamentals on p. 77, X. (1.) "The distance penalty for any foul may be declined."

Again, not sure when and why a coach/captain may ask for this for an IFP, but nevertheless it is allowed by rule.

[Warrenkicker]

If you would decline an IFP the ball would be placed at the spot of the pass and it would be the next down. The run preceeding an IFP is not part of a loose-ball play and the run ends at the spot of the pass. This is where the spot of the foul and the end of the run are the same. But declining this penalty at the end of the half used to possibly have some importance but now with the new rule that we can't extend the period due to the loss-of-down issue I don't think that this penalty will ever be declined again. It is free yardage with no negative side.