NCAA: Eligible Receiver
 

Is there any formal definition of an "eligible receiver" in the NCAA rulebook? The reason I ask is that in a pregame the other day, another official stated that for the purposes of awarding an auto. 1st down for holding, etc. against an eligible receiver, he thought that the ball needed to be passed in that vicinity. Of course if the holding occurred while the ball was in the air then it's DPI, but what about if before the ball is thrown? Yes it's holding, but when does the "against an eligible receiver" provision apply?

My feeling is that if a Team A player is eligible at the start of the down by position and/or number, then he's an eligible receiver unless he does something to lose his eligibility like going OOB, regardless of the ball.

thanks

I think the answer to this question is no. The term is not defined in Rule 2, definitions. However, it is made clear, in my vew, in Rule 7, Snapping and Passing the Ball. The term "eligible player" is also used to mean the same thing in certain places in the rules.

I think this is correct but not complete. Remember if the ball is touched by team B, everyone on Team A becomes eligible. You have to weigh this against the rules (such as DPI) that make exceptions for the contact if the ball is touched by Team B (or an official). In other words, while A79 isn't eligible to begin the play, he becomes eligible when the ball is touched by B, but there can't be any DPI in that case. I can't think of much that could be called here that wouldn't already be an auto first down, but I think the rule is added as a catch-all.

Perhaps there was a weird play once where they didn't have a first down and were correct, but the committee felt they should allow it.

If any foul occurs against an eligible receiver, even a foul such as a minor FM foul, it will be an automatic 1st down, as long as the pass crosses the LOS and the foul occurs before being touched. The pass does not have to be in the direction of the player fouled.

Rule 9-3-4-e says "When a legal FPass crosses the NZ during a FPass play and a contact foul that is not pass interference is committed, the enforcement spot is the PS. Penalty 5, 10, or 15 yards from the PS, plus 1st down if the foul occurred against an eligible receiver prior to the pass being touched.