attn: BktBallRef re backward pass

[Ed Hickland]

Originally posted by marys02052
what rulebook is that from?
high school or nfl?
someone quoted me the exact same rule numbers and all
and said it came from the fhsa.
i want the nfl rule only.

are there any interpretations that go along with the rule?
(only if you are quoting the nfl rule)

Mary,

I gained an education myself in researching this rule. Since the National Federation of High Schools Sports Association (NFHS) was previously quoted, let's bypass a repeat.

In substance NFHS, NCAA and NFL rules are all the same.

The NFL rule (courtesy of the Vikings web site http://www.purplepride.org/rules/digest4.cfm) states a backward pass is:

Any pass not forward is regarded as a backward pass. A pass parallel to the line is a backward pass. A runner may pass backward at any time. Any player on either team may catch the pass or recover the ball after it touches the ground.

Contrast that with the NCAA rule

F o r w a rd and Back w a rd Pa s s
A RTICLE 2. a. A forward pass is determined by the point where the ball first strikes the ground, a player, an official or anything beyond the spot of the pass. All other passes are backward passes. When in question, it is a forward pass rather than a backward pass when thrown in or
behind the neutral zone.

Generally, all three codes try to maintain consistency within the fundamentals of the game. Therefore, a backward pass is a backward pass in any code and no interpretation is necessary.