OPI - Illegal Touch

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by Canned Heat

Yes...it is wrong.
ART. 13 . . . An ineligible A player has illegally touched a forward pass if he bats, muffs or catches a legal forward pass, unless the pass has first been touched by B. PENALTY: Illegal touching (Art. 13) – (S16) – 5 yards plus loss of down.

(Courtesy of 2011 NFHS Football Rules Book - Page 62)

NFHS 7-5-10 advises, "it is forward pass interference if: (a) any player of A or B, who is beyond the neutralzone interferes with an eligible opponent's opportunity to move move toward, catch or bat the pass.

It would seem the revised Case Play (7.5.13) clarifies that an ineligible A player can be guilty of either (both) Illegal touching (when he "bats, muffs or catches a legal forward pass), but can also be guilty of Offensive Pass Interference, if in so doing he would, "interfere with an eligible opponents opportunity to move toward, catch or bat the pass".

Which penalty applies is a matter of judgement by the covering official.