Forward handing or fumble?

[Ed Hickland]

So, Ed, I respectfully challenge your call from above,
especially, since your situation fails the definition of
handing on two fronts:
1. There was no "transfer" of player possession but a
loss of player possession in which a loose ball ensued
(fumble)

Zeke, I had trouble with that myself. However, the ball remains in team possession. While the definition is clear on "transfer" you have to interpret the fact the handoff may be bobbled which is not explicitly provided in the definition, though may be implicit.

2. Even if we deemed that the ensuing loose ball
recovered by anyone was a "transfer" of player possession,
the transfer was not "from one player to a teammate" (from
definition 2-19-1). I would think that even if A32 forward
handed cleanly to B56, that would not be an illegal action
(not too bright of an action, though).

Correct. A32 handing to B56 transfers both team and player possession. Not illegal, dumb, but not illegal.

Consider if A32 attempted to hand the ball forward to A78 and it is fumbled. The ball continues to roll forward and is picked up by A16.

Will the attempted foward handing be ignored?