Pass Interference?
 

Looking for some general opinions. I've been officiating for about 5 years now, so I'm getting a pretty good feel for most aspects of officiating. But IMO, pass interference is one of the toughest calls we make. I'll try to describe a play I had today (middle school).

Team A runs a reverse, and the guy getting the ball pulls up to pass. He has a WR wide open about 40 yards down field. He heaves it as far as he can, but obviously doesn't have the arm to enable the WR to keep running his route. So the WR is standing there waiting on it. The DB was probably 15 yards in front of the WR and starts stumbling back toward the WR, the whole time looking back at the ball. He gets to the WR about a second before the ball. They both sort of stumble together, feet tangled, both looking up for the ball. They both fall, incomplete pass. I rule no foul, incidental contact. Of course, crowd, coaches, etc. go nuts.

I'm sure one could have the opinion that it was the defender who initiated the contact. But he didn't run through the guy, and they were both playing the ball. Again, just looking for some general opinions/philosophies on PI.

nuttin honey
 

Feet tangled while both playing the ball, I've got nothing.

Agreed. Need more than that.

From your description, without seeing it, I got nothing.

I usually look at the type of pass it was, this was a very poorly thrown ball basically putting it up for grabs, no foul.

Good no call. incidental contact.

Under NFHS rules, how poorly the ball was thrown has no bearing on PI. There is no "catchable ball" rule in NFHS.

Also, if the WR was stationary (if I'm reading the post correctly) then he's got a right to that patch of turf. If he was stationary and they both go up for the ball, then it's free game. But if he's planted on his feet, then I'll let a little contact go on the part of the defender if he's going up for the ball because he too has a right to the ball, but he's got to do it with no more than incidental contact.

I still don't understand how their feet could've gotten tangled if the WR was standing still, but again maybe I'm reading it wrong.

That being said, a good rule of thumb for PI is that it almost always occurs above the waist. Tangling of feet is always a good no call unless you can clearly judge intent.

Also, I'd much rather have no flag for a borderline PI, then a flag for a borderline non-PI anyday.....

A rule to live by
 

I recently attended a meeting with an NCAA official where he stated something that may seem overly obvious, but is a good thing to remember: pass interference does not occur below the waist.

I am sure that there are some crazy examples where it could happen (like tripping, etc), but 99% of the time, if contact occurs below the waist then it is a no call. To me, this difference helps make PI much easier to define.

I had this play a week or so ago in a 7-7 varsity game with seconds left. A has the ball 3 and 7 from their 36. The ball is thrown over the middle, the receiver is running his route. He is looking for the ball, defender is beaten 2 yards behind the receiver. Another defensive player steps into the receivers route and stands there. The receiver runs right into the stationary defender, ball falls incomplete.....

What did you have?

I was the J, the back judge without hesitation called DPI.

Was he standing in the receiver's route ... or was he standing in his route, but where the ball was coming?

He stepped into the route, ball was coming down, receiver was already looking back for the ball, never saw the player in his way.

Question then...slot receiver runs a 5-7 yard down-and-out pattern...outside linebacker reads the play, but as he makes his cut slips and falls to the ground. Receiver ends up tripping over linebacker (he's looking back for the ball and doesn't see linebacker go down)...DPI or Incidental?

PI can be a very tough call. Things to think about....

1- Both teams have equal right to catch the ball as long as they don't interfere with the opportunity of the other team to catch the ball.

2- It is the responsibility of the receiver to avoid initial contact with the defense.

3- As mentioned earlier, tangling of the feet/legs is not interference.

4- No matter what you call, one team is going to be very unhappy.

REPLY: Chicken...good no-call.

Did he interfer with the receiver running his route? I'm sure you are going to say no flag, but in that thinking why wouldn't a line backer "slip" anytime he can so the receiver trip over him. I know we are talking about a judgment call and it's hard to determine without seeing it. A B player can not impede or interfer with the receiver right to run his route and get to the ball. I think it is DPI.

Actually it was our receiver who was tripped and the LJ said it was incidental contact even tho the ball was in the air and past the LOS...my question to him was exactly what you said "Why wouldn't we always "slip" in front of receivers then...

In the example I originally stated this is exacty why DPI was called, the defender intentially stepped in the route and made no attempt to get the ball.