DPI or Not

[mtridge]

Team lines up for a punt. The defender jabs the flanker and turns and keeps contact with him down the field. K is running a fake and throws the ball to the flanker while the defender never looks back to realize it is a pass. He pushes the receiver/flanker while the ball is in the air. Do you call this pass interference or not?

[JRutledge]

If there is confusion or they are trying to confuse the receiving team by making them think they are punting (throwing it high), probably not. If it is just a fake and the ball was thrown n the direction, then it is likely. Then again not all contact is a foul either. HTBT to be totally sure either way.

Peace

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by mtridge

Team lines up for a punt. The defender jabs the flanker and turns and keeps contact with him down the field. K is running a fake and throws the ball to the flanker while the defender never looks back to realize it is a pass. He pushes the receiver/flanker while the ball is in the air. Do you call this pass interference or not?

Since you clearly state that the pass is to that receiver, that's a no-brainer DPI. The defender has 3 strikes:

Strike 1: defender is beat
Strike 2: defender is not playing the ball
Strike 3: defender makes contact while the ball is in the air.

Why on earth would you NOT call it?

[HLin NC]

A team lining up to punt is not required to punt. B is still responsible to know the status of the ball.

[CT1]

Seems like I remember the NCAA putting in a rule to address this very play that absolves the defense from DPI on passes thrown in a way which resembles a kick.

Or was that just a proposal that never made into the book?

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by CT1

Seems like I remember the NCAA putting in a rule to address this very play that absolves the defense from DPI on passes thrown in a way which resembles a kick.

Or was that just a proposal that never made into the book?

That rule is in the NCAA rule book:

Originally Posted by NCAA 7-3-8-c4

c. Defensive pass interference is contact beyond the neutral zone by a Team B player whose intent to impede an eligible opponent is obvious and it could
prevent the opponent the opportunity of receiving a catchable forward pass. When in question, a legal forward pass is catchable. Defensive pass interference occurs only after a legal forward pass is thrown. It is not defensive pass interference:

... snip...

4. When a Team A potential kicker, from scrimmage kick formation,
simulates a scrimmage kick by throwing the ball high and deep, and
contact by a Team B player occurs.

[APG]

The NFL has a similar rule to the NCAA one.

Rule 8, Section 5 Pass Interference

Article 3 Permissible Acts by both teams while the ball is in the air.

...

Note 3: Whenever a team presents an apparent punting formation, defensive acts that normally constitute pass interference are permitted against the end man on the line of scrimmage, or against an eligible receiver behind the line of scrimmage who is aligned or in motion more than one yard outside the end man on the line, provided that the acts do not constitute illegal holding. Defensive holding, such as tackling a receiver, still can be called and result in a five-yard penalty from the previous spot, if accepted. Offensive pass interference rules still apply.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by mtridge

Team lines up for a punt. The defender jabs the flanker and turns and keeps contact with him down the field. K is running a fake and throws the ball to the flanker while the defender never looks back to realize it is a pass. He pushes the receiver/flanker while the ball is in the air. Do you call this pass interference or not?

If the defender interferes with a pass, it's pass interference.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by AllPurposeGamer

The NFL has a similar rule to the NCAA one.

Rule 8, Section 5 Pass Interference

Article 3 Permissible Acts by both teams while the ball is in the air.

...

Note 3: Whenever a team presents an apparent punting formation, defensive acts that normally constitute pass interference are permitted against the end man on the line of scrimmage, or against an eligible receiver behind the line of scrimmage who is aligned or in motion more than one yard outside the end man on the line, provided that the acts do not constitute illegal holding. Defensive holding, such as tackling a receiver, still can be called and result in a five-yard penalty from the previous spot, if accepted. Offensive pass interference rules still apply.

The NFL rule is not similar to the NCAA rule at all. The NCAA rule only applies if the flight of the ball looks like it could have been a kick. (Which is VERY rare, especially after this rule was written). The NFL rule only requires that they be in scrimmage kick formation to for this rule to apply.

[bisonlj]

We had a coach use this play in a game a few years ago. He even described it to us in pre-game and told me before the snap they were going to run. He went nuts when we didn't flag it. The reason? The receiver out ran the defender and there was no contact.

I do like the NCAA rule that doesn't allow this silliness. But if it happened in a HS game I would have to call it if the defender was contacting the receiver even if the pass was thrown high like a punt.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

But if it happened in a HS game I would have to call it if the defender was contacting the receiver even if the pass was thrown high like a punt.

You would not have to call it if you judged that the contact was "clearly away from the intended receiver." IMO, on this play the offense does not get the benefit of any doubt concerning the intended receiver. 7.5.11A (a), 7.5.11B