Pass Interference
 

Would you call DPI on a defensive player whi wile making a break on the pass, cuts in front of the waiting receiver, but in doing so makes some light contact with the offensive player as the ball arrives.

Had a very close call in my game last week and just looking for other views on this situation.

Thanks.

No. Both the defender and receiver have equal right to the ball in flight. If the defender is making a legit attempt to get to the ball witout restricting the receiver the contact should be ignored.

Editted to add - moving in front of the receiver should not be confused with going through the receiver.

REPLY: The term 'incidental contact' is frequently used. It does not mean insignificant contact. Incidental contact can be quite severe. What it does mean is contact 'associated with' a player's attempt to move toward or catch the pass. In the play you described, the contact was incidental. It should be ignored.

If the defender is legitimately playing the ball, then I tend to give him (and the offensive player with regards to OPI) a lot more latitude than I would if the player is not looking for the ball--though OPI happens quite frequently with a push-off by a receiver while looking back, so it's more of a guideline for Team B. Yes the defender has an equal right to the ball, but not at the expense of signficant physical contact with the receiver who has established position.

Personally, I would rather have a no call that should've been flagged than have a flag for being too overly-technical. It took me awhile to learn, but if you have to think about it, then it wasn't there. True PI will scream at you. If you're second-guessing yourself if PI was there or not and you didn't have a flag, then chances are pretty good that you had a good no-call. A close call is most likely no call.

Just remember, hands on mean nothing. Ask yourself, what did he do with his hands?

Also, PI almost always occurs from the waist up.

Just my .02

No. The reasons stated above explain my reason.

Peace

Had an assistant in a junior high game today chirp about what he thought was a DPI call (and which I thought was incidental contact) and not let it go. Demanded an explanation at halftime, said "How could you not call that?" I said, "Coach, I didn't see it that way."

That didn't appease him for some reason.

My partner, a state finals official, made it clear that he'd gotten his explanation and as he'd been chirping the whole first half, that any more would have him watching the second half from the bus through binoculars.

In any case, I just read a good pass interference article in the latest Officials Quarterly. It specifically said, "Incidental contact is never pass interference." It's a good read, if you get OQ.

Good advice, balanced by the stupid advice to put white tape on the ball of a flag cause, God forbid, people may see that you have a flag on your belt. Sheesh.

Yeah, I kind of disregarded that little bit of advice.

Officials have flags. Who knew?

I know, I know, off topic. But I don't see a problem with wrapping the ball of the flag.

I wrap the ball of my flag in white tape. I've always thought the SEC officials looked a little unprofessional all those years with the yellow flag hanging out of their back pocket (nice to see them tucked away now). Just always struck me as odd to have a black and white uniform, broken by a yellow speck.

After reading the article I realized that I've been throwing my flag incorrectly for years. :eek:

Please explain....

The article in OQ states:

When throwing the flag, the official does not want to grat the flag by the weighted end. ... The flag should be thrown by the tail in a whipping motion casting the weighted head toward the target.

REPLY: Personally, I think that's a great way to make the flag go anywhere but toward the intended target. Also in this article, believe that the author suggests that on defensive fouls, we always "sky" the flag rather than throw it to the spot, since the spot of the foul will never figure into enforcement. I've not seen it done that way. Anyone else? I think it's still important to throw the flag toward the spot of the foul if for no other reason but to let everyone know what we saw as the foul.

Working as the U I'm not throwing too many flags for great distance. It's usually just an underhanded toss to mark the spot near the LOS. If I have a false start or other dead ball foul I'll "sky" the flag.

I wear my flag on my belt. A little yellow ball sticking out doesn't imply anything except that, yes, I do carry a flag.

I carry a center-weighted flag in my back pocket. I call it my USC flag, since that's the only time I've ever had to pull it out (after throwing another flag).

I'll sky the flag on an illegal formation as well.

I will toss a flag on the defense at or near the spot. Only dead ball fouls do I sky the flag (false starts, encroachments, etc.)

while I don't have a problem with the yellow showing on anyone else for the previously stated reasons, I personally don't like it as part of my uniform. For years I had it taped but then the tape got too heavy and as I ran it would start to come out slightly. Now I swear by the flags that Honig's has that have the built-in white ball at the top. They have enough weight to go far, too.
The reason I like the white is because even though I wear it in the front, when I think twice about throwing and put my hand on it, it looks like a beanbag or something similar. Had a few comments in years past as to why I didn't throw because someone (coach or player) saw me reach and decide better. Haven't had that question in a long time--though more than likely that I don't reach anymore unless I'm really pulling but the white helps reduce the perception of second-guessing in my opinion.

I have been taught to also sky flags which are fouls at the snap but are live-ball such as illegal formation, illegal motion, USC, sideline warnings to be sure that both sides see that something did happen because just dropping it at your feet can be seen by one sideline but not by the other if the field has any crown. I will throw flags toward the foul against a defensive player just like an offensive player just as Bob M. suggests because that helps later show better who committed the foul and about when it happened so it is easier to review on film.