Forward vs Backward Pass

[TXMike]

Good save by someone on the crew (R or L ?) on a play where it looks like H ruled a backward pass and muff but was actually an incomplete forward pass. From a Texas HS game last night.

YouTube - PASS

[bigjohn]

The coach would have loved it had the D picked it up and run it back for a TD.. Think the official still calls it?
I would hope so!

[HLin NC]

for incomplete

[ajmc]

As is usually the case, an official makes the call based on what he sees, not after weighing all the possibilities of what he thinks might happen after the fact. Those are considerations reserved for coaching.

[Sonofanump]

Rule if uncertain:

If incomplete it was forward, if complete it was backwards, if beyond the line of scrimmage, good luck.

[Mike L]

Our rule of thumb is it's always forward unless you KNOW it was backward.

[wwcfoa43]

Originally Posted by Mike L

Our rule of thumb is it's always forward unless you KNOW it was backward.

I prefer Sonofanup's description is that if unsure and complete then backward and if unsure and incomplete then forward. This uses the least harm and benefit of doubt principles:

1. If unsure and complete you want to give the offense the benefit of doubt if they decide to then throw a forward pass.

2. If unsure and incomplete you want to give the offense the benefit of the doubt and not have a fumble as a result.

Can seems like a bit of a contradiction but given that we cannot always be sure about our rulings we need to do the least harm when we are not sure.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Mike L

Our rule of thumb is it's always forward unless you KNOW it was backward.

Well, that's great except what happens if one person doesn't know and blows it dead when another crew member is CERTAIN it's backwards.

You can always fix it like this crew did, but you can't undo what becomes an inadvertent whistle.