Snap is part of Loose Ball Play???

[BktBallRef]

Sorry MJT but the NFHS doesn't agree with you.

[Ed Maeder]

NFHS doesn't agree with itself in many cases! I'm with MJT on this one.

[MJT]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

Sorry MJT but the NFHS doesn't agree with you.

The test answer does not agree with me, but I am correct in my definitions and what they mean. They are right out of the book, and indisputable. Here they are again and they are pretty clear when you consider all three. Everyone who has taken the part I or part II tests know they are worded in a way that some of them can be proven to be T or F.

2-40, A snap is the legal act of passing or handing the ball backward from its position on the ground.
2-31-1, Passing the ball is throwing a ball that is in player possession. In a pass, the ball travels in flight.
2-19-1, Handing the ball is transferring player possession from one player to a teammate in such a way that the ball is still in contact with the first player when it is touched by the teammate. Handing the ball is not a pass. Loss of player possession by unsuccessful execution of attempted handing is a fumble.

[jaybird]

Agreed MJT. Regardless of the answer key, we can't go (totally) wrong by using rule references and especially Rule 2!

[wisref2]

MJT - you might want to continue looking. I don't have my books with me, but I'm sure there is a statement in the rule book that states that a snap is considered a backward pass. Maybe under Fundamental Statements?

[Ed Maeder]

As a matter of fact the Fundamentals state in VII 3. "A handed ball is not a pass."

[Robert Goodman]

Is there any practical significance to this distinction? If the ball is being snapped hand-to-hand, and is transferred successfully, is the point that some foul may occur during the snap (not much opp'ty because the snap must be "quick") such that you'd have to distinguish between enforcement spots?

At one time NFL rules (which treat "pass" differently) defined the snap as a backward pass that puts the ball in play, and defined "pass" as being done by a player in possession of a live ball -- leading to the absurdity that the ball would have to be live before it could be made live.

Robert