Penalty Question

[Rick KY]

I had the following play, and made the ruling in a JV game Saturday...

4th & 21 at B25, A1 pitched the ball backward to A2 rolling left. A2 stopped, turned and threw a legal forward pass (incomplete) about 20 yards beyond the NZ. B1 was rushing A2, the passer, with hands high as he let go of the pass. B1's hands then came down and grasped the face mask of A2 as he dragged him to the ground without letting go of the mask. The contact was late, after I said "Ball's Away!"

Originally I dropped my flag thinking face mask (15 yards), and gave the preliminary signals for PF Facemask. As I consulted the A captain it suddenly occurred to me that this was the passer, so I changed my ruling to roughing the passer, thus carrying an automatic first down for A. The PF Face Mask would not get A another series.

Was I correct in changing the foul called in this case?

[Bob M.]

REPLY: I believe you were. It was unnecessary contact against the thrower of a legal forward pass.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by Rick KY

4th & 21 at B25, A1 pitched the ball backward to A2 rolling left. A2 stopped, turned and threw a legal forward pass (incomplete) about 20 yards beyond the NZ. B1 was rushing A2, the passer, with hands high as he let go of the pass. B1's hands then came down and grasped the face mask of A2 as he dragged him to the ground without letting go of the mask. The contact was late, after I said "Ball's Away!"

Originally I dropped my flag thinking face mask (15 yards), and gave the preliminary signals for PF Facemask. As I consulted the A captain it suddenly occurred to me that this was the passer, so I changed my ruling to roughing the passer, thus carrying an automatic first down for A. The PF Face Mask would not get A another series.

Good call! Upgrading this call from PF to RTP should be the proper call in any rule set.

CANADIAN RULING:

Roughing the passer. 15y + AFD: A 1D/10 @ B-12½.