Offensive Pass Interference?

[budjones05]

We have a WR Screen. A9 and A10 engage in a block prior to A11 catching the ball. The ball never crosses the Line of Scrimage. Can I have Offensive P.I.?

[jjrye22]

NCAA : No
7-3-8-b: Offensive pass interference by a Team A player beyond the neutral zone during a legal forward pass play in which a forward pass crosses the
neutral zone

Don't do NF myself, but I'm fairly sure it is the same

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by jjrye22

Don't do NF myself, but I'm fairly sure it is the same

It is. 7-5-7.

[bisonlj]

You just need to be careful the ball is not caught beyond the NZ. Another possible issue (although I've heard some officials let it go based on their own philosophy) is the ball goes off the hands of the receiver (who is behind the NZ) and the ball lands beyond the NZ. Thus it is a forward pass that crosses the neutral zone and you have eligible receivers blocking. Same thing applies to ineligible receivers downfield.

[JasonTX]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

You just need to be careful the ball is not caught beyond the NZ. Another possible issue (although I've heard some officials let it go based on their own philosophy) is the ball goes off the hands of the receiver (who is behind the NZ) and the ball lands beyond the NZ. Thus it is a forward pass that crosses the neutral zone and you have eligible receivers blocking. Same thing applies to ineligible receivers downfield.

Under NCAA this would not apply since the term "crosses neutral zone" is defined in rule 2-19-3. ...It has not crossed the neutral zone when it first strikes the ground, a player, an official or anything behind the neutral zone inbounds." What this means is the ball did not cross the neutral zone if it's touched behind the NZ, but a ball can still land beyond the NZ. The rules for PI only apply to those passes that cross the NZ, not where it lands.

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by JasonTX

Under NCAA this would not apply since the term "crosses neutral zone" is defined in rule 2-19-3. ...It has not crossed the neutral zone when it first strikes the ground, a player, an official or anything behind the neutral zone inbounds." What this means is the ball did not cross the neutral zone if it's touched behind the NZ, but a ball can still land beyond the NZ. The rules for PI only apply to those passes that cross the NZ, not where it lands.

Correct...good clarification for NCAA. One of those subtle differences that probably gets enforced the same way in HS and college either because the official applies the NCAA rule as a HS philosophy or because it never dawned on the HS official the pass technically went beyond the NZ.

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

You just need to be careful the ball is not caught beyond the NZ. Another possible issue (although I've heard some officials let it go based on their own philosophy) is the ball goes off the hands of the receiver (who is behind the NZ) and the ball lands beyond the NZ. Thus it is a forward pass that crosses the neutral zone and you have eligible receivers blocking. Same thing applies to ineligible receivers downfield.

But does not PI restrictions end for all eligible A's once A touches a legal forward pass?

[Theisey]

Originally Posted by Mike L

But does not PI restrictions end for all eligible A's once A touches a legal forward pass?

For NCAA they end when any inbounds player touches the pass (or if touched by an officials).

For NFHS, after any of these three conditions:

a. A players, when B touches a legal forward pass.
b. Eligible A players when A touches a legal forward pass. Ineligible A
players may not touch the pass, but can use hands or arms in a legal block to ward off an opponent.

c. B players when a legal forward pass has been touched by A or B.

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by Mike L

But does not PI restrictions end for all eligible A's once A touches a legal forward pass?

Yes, but the blocks down field were taking place before the ball was touched by A. If they didn't occur until after the ball was touched, you have nothing regardless of whether the pass ends behind or beyond the NZ.

[Bob M.]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

...Another possible issue (although I've heard some officials let it go based on their own philosophy) is the ball goes off the hands of the receiver (who is behind the NZ) and the ball lands beyond the NZ. Thus it is a forward pass that crosses the neutral zone and you have eligible receivers blocking. Same thing applies to ineligible receivers downfield.

REPLY: As JasonTx explained, it's not a foul in NCAA; and in Fed it's not a foul as long as ineligible A players don't touch (rule should probably say "muff, bat, or catch") the pass. So this can't be ruled OPI. It might be illegal touching. And you are correct that you might have ineligibles downfield if they were beyond the NZ before the pass was in flight.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

You just need to be careful the ball is not caught beyond the NZ. Another possible issue (although I've heard some officials let it go based on their own philosophy) is the ball goes off the hands of the receiver (who is behind the NZ) and the ball lands beyond the NZ. Thus it is a forward pass that crosses the neutral zone and you have eligible receivers blocking. Same thing applies to ineligible receivers downfield.

CANADIAN RULING:

Legal block, because the intent of the pass was a screen pass.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by budjones05

We have a WR Screen. A9 and A10 engage in a block prior to A11 catching the ball. The ball never crosses the Line of Scrimage. Can I have Offensive P.I.?

CANADIAN RULING:

Legal screen pass; no OPI.