Throw Hits Lineman - Safety?

[cshs81]

QB is scambling in the end zone, throws it before being tackled and the pass hits his offensive lineman who is outside of the end zone.

Is the penalty on the qb and therefore a safety or is it on the lineman and no safety?

[Welpe]

You didn't specify a ruleset so I'll assume Federation.

If you judge that the quarterback committed intentional grounding, you would have a safety since the penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul and the foul occurred in the endzone.

Now if the lineman (or any ineligible receiver) intentionally touches the pass, they have committed illegal touching. Illegal touching is enforced using the all but one principle. Since this is a loose ball play, the basic spot is the previous spot. If the touching occurred beyond the basic spot, the penalty is enforced from the basic spot. If the penalty occurred behind the basic spot, the penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul. Illegal touching would only be a safety if it occurred in the endzone.

If the lineman did not intentionally touch the pass, say it hit him in the back, you would have no foul for illegal touching.

In conclusion, your possible penalty scenarios are.

a) Intentional grounding by the QB, legal touching by the lineman. If penalty is accepted, it is a safety.

b) Intentional grounding by the QB, illegal touching by the lineman. If the IG penalty is accepted, it will be a safety. If the illegal touching is accepted, it will be enforced via the all but one principle that I outlined above.

c) No intentional grounding, legal touching. No fouls. Result of the play.

[kdf5]

Originally Posted by Welpe

...If the touching occurred beyond the basic spot, the penalty is enforced from the basic spot. If the penalty occurred beyond the basic spot, the penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul. Illegal touching would only be a safety if it occurred in the endzone...

Very nice reply and summary! I'm sure you meant "behind the basic spot is enforced from the spot of the foul" in your second sentence.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by kdf5

Very nice reply and summary! I'm sure you meant "behind the basic spot is enforced from the spot of the foul" in your second sentence.

Thank you and good catch, yes I did mean behind! I've corrected my original post.

I seem to have issues keeping my beyonds and behinds straight on this forum.

[Bob M.]

Originally Posted by Welpe

...b) Intentional grounding by the QB, illegal touching by the lineman. If the IG penalty is accepted, it will be a safety. If the illegal touching is accepted, it will be enforced via the all but one principle that I outlined above...

REPLY: One issue with the above ruling: If you rule intentional grounding (an illegal forward pass), I don't believe you can have illegal touching. Since illegal touching is by an 'ineligible,' and since eligibility applies only to legal forward passes (NF 7-5-6), I don't think illegal touching is possible.

[Welpe]

Ah I didn't realize that about eligibility. Thank you for the correction Bob. I still have much to learn.

I also forgot one other possible scenario. No intentional grounding but illegal touching. Penalty is enforced via all but one.