Enforce or not???

[Mike51]

NF A1 drops back to pass. The ball is clearly thrown forward as a screen pass develops. A1 is under heavy rush, I as the WH, monitor any contact on him. No one hits him and I see the ball on the ground. OK, incomplete, I think, but here no whistle. Rookie HL gives the backwards pass signal, (you know points toward the backfield) A25 picks up the ball and runs for about 15-20 yards before being tackled. HL drops his flag.

Umpire tells me the pass is incomplete, as does the BJ.

I go to him and ask "wasn't that a forward pass"? "Yes, but it was in the backfield" he replies. "OK, so now it is incomplete", I tell him. His flag was for a five yard face mask on the tackle. I waved off the flag, put the ball back at the LOS and continued.

Should the penalty be enforced? would it make a difference if the facemask had been the 15 PF variety.

TIA

[Jim D]

There is a difference between "should you" and "would you". Yes, technically you should have enforced it, but I think you were wise to wipe it off since this penalty would never have happened had the covering official done his job correctly. If were the more flagrant foul, you'd probably have no choice but to enforce it.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by Mike51

A1 drops back to pass. The ball is clearly thrown forward as a screen pass develops. A1 is under heavy rush, I as the WH, monitor any contact on him. No one hits him and I see the ball on the ground. OK, incomplete, I think, but here no whistle. Rookie HL gives the backwards pass signal, (you know points toward the backfield) A25 picks up the ball and runs for about 15-20 yards before being tackled. HL drops his flag.

Umpire tells me the pass is incomplete, as does the BJ.

I go to him and ask "wasn't that a forward pass"? "Yes, but it was in the backfield" he replies. "OK, so now it is incomplete", I tell him. His flag was for a five yard face mask on the tackle. I waved off the flag, put the ball back at the LOS and continued.

Should the penalty be enforced? would it make a difference if the facemask had been the 15 PF variety.

TIA

CANADIAN RULING/PHILOSOPHY:

Since we do not have the 5-yard incidental version, and a facemask is always a UR foul, the penalty should be enforced, even if the HL didn't properly rule an incomplete pass.

[Rich]

I'll tell you what I personally would do:

Since it's a five yard incidental facemask, I'd wave off the flag and line up for the next play. If it was a 15-yard facemask, I'd enforce it as a dead ball foul from the previous spot.

[raider]

If an official allows play to continue after the ball is dead by rule, no live ball penalties are enforced except personal fouls. (See pg 172, Redding study guide, 2007).

Since the face mask was only the 5 yard variety, it is waved off.

-Raider

[Jim D]

Excellent find, Raider. In fact, it goes on with an example of the exact play of a forward pass incorrectly ruled (and overturned after a confernce of the crew) as backward with a 5 yard face mask. The answer given says to ignore the 5 yard face mask. In the case of a holding foul, it also says to ignore but to enforce a clip since it is a personal foul.