Question for the board

[ChickenOfNC]

This came up in our local clinic last night:

Airborne receiver catches a pass and the defender forces him OOB where he first touches the ground OOB. I think we'll all agree that, by rule, if the WR would have come down inbounds without the contact, this a catch.

The question is about forward progress and clock status. The case book addresses the clock under 3.4.3 sit C, which is that the clock shall be stopped in this situation. However, it is unclear whether this would be the case if the airborne WR is driven backwards OOB. Do we give the receiver both forward progress AND a stopped clock?

I'm leaning toward him getting both. There is a case play addressing forward progress of an airborne receiver (somewhere in Rule 2) as it pertains to the end zone. The ruling is that is airborne above the endzone and a defender forces back to the field of play, it is a TD. So obviously an airborne WR forced backward is entitled to forward progress.

Some dissension in our group on this, so I thought I'd throw it out there.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by ChickenOfNC

Airborne receiver catches a pass and the defender forces him OOB where he first touches the ground OOB. I think we'll all agree that, by rule, if the WR would have come down inbounds without the contact, this a catch.

The question is about forward progress and clock status.

CANADIAN RULING:

The rulings depend on a few things, as outlined in the bullets below:

• Before the 3-minute warning
  • Pushed OOB further than the spot of catch
    • Forward progress is the spot where the ball crosses the plane of the sideline
    • Clock is stopped when the ball carrier lands OOB
    • Clock on the RFP
  • Pushed OOB behind the spot of catch
    • Forward progress is the spot of catch
    • Clock is not stopped
    • Clock on the RFP
• After the 3-minute warning
  • Pushed OOB further than the spot of catch
    • Forward progress is the spot where the ball crosses the plane of the sideline
    • Clock is stopped when the ball carrier lands OOB
    • Clock on the snap
  • Pushed OOB behind the spot of catch
    • Forward progress is the spot of catch
    • Clock is stopped when the official rules that forward progress was stopped
    • Clock on the RFP

[daggo66]

Why would you not give forward progress? What caused the clock to be stopped? (answer that and you have your answer as to when it should be started) You mention there is dissension among your group over how this would be ruled. I'd love to hear the arguements over why the player shouldn't be given forward progress and why the clock shouldn't be stopped.

[Warrenkicker]

The way I see it if you are giving forward progress then you are ruling he didn't go OOB prior to making the catch. And if you have forward progress then he didn't go OOB on his own. Say this play happened a yard further in-bounds and after he caught the ball he was driven back and OOB. Would you stop the clock just because he was pushed OOB? If you would then you should stop it in the force-out play. But I say that if you are marking forward progress then you can't also say that the ball became dead OOB.

[daggo66]

You always give forward progress, period. There is no rule that makes an exception. Forward progress and OOB have no interactive relationship. Ruling one, does not cause the other. Your example of a player being stopped IB and then pushed OOB makes no sense in regard to the clock. The play is over when forward momentum (progress) is stopped. Let's say a player is running toward his opponent's goal line, he reaches forward, extending the ball OOB over the goal line extended, but is knocked OOB at the 1 yard line. Do you not have a TD? Did you not award forward progress? Did you not rule that he was knocked OOB?

[Bob M.]

REPLY: When the receiver is driven backwards and OOB, of course you give him his forward progress. But remember that his forward progress was awarded inbounds and therefore there is no reason to stop the clock for a runner being OOB. Keep it running. If however there was a foul during the play, or if that forward progress was beyond the line to gain, you will be stopping the clock, but for a different reason. And that reason will cause the clock to next start on the RFP.

[gtwbam]

This topic is brought up as a case play in the 2008 High School Football Book
"Rules by Topic" Rules, Caseplays, Rationales Linked. For those of you that have the book, look on page 133 3.4.3 Situation C describes the following case play.

Receiver A1 controls a pass while airborne near A's sideline. B1 contacts A1 who then lands out of bounds in possession of the ball. The covering official rules a completed pass because B1's contact caused A1 to land out of bounds.

Ruling: The clock is stopped because of the receiver being out of bounds, not due to his forward progress being stopped inbounds; therefore, the clock will start with the snap.

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by gtwbam

This topic is brought up as a case play in the 2008 High School Football Book
"Rules by Topic" Rules, Caseplays, Rationales Linked. For those of you that have the book, look on page 133 3.4.3 Situation C describes the following case play.

Receiver A1 controls a pass while airborne near A's sideline. B1 contacts A1 who then lands out of bounds in possession of the ball. The covering official rules a completed pass because B1's contact caused A1 to land out of bounds.

Ruling: The clock is stopped because of the receiver being out of bounds, not due to his forward progress being stopped inbounds; therefore, the clock will start with the snap.

GT, I don't see anything in this example that states whether B1's contact drove A1 backward, laterally, or forward before going out of bounds. Unless there's more information to add I don't see anything that contradicts Bob M's interpretation.

[ChickenOfNC]

Guys, check out case play 4.3.3 (B)

[Warrenkicker]

(I misread a rule listing and must delete a statement)

I still say you can't rule forward progress stopped in-bounds as well as having the runner causing the ball to become dead OOB. If you stop the clock then you must mark the ball where it crossed the side line. 2-41-3 says the dead-ball spot is where the ball becomes dead by rule. 2-41-5 says the OOB spot is where it became dead by going OOB. These are different spots in this play and only one of them is a clear clock stopper.

But in my 12 years of officiating I still have yet to see a force-out play.