Roughing the "passer"

[HLin NC]

Adam, you are correct. Given the parameters of the post, for NFHS, you've got nothing.

[Welpe]

NCAA

The definition of a passer was just changed recently removing the requirement that the forward pass must be legal. So if a QB is beyond the line when he throws but his hit late, roughing the passer applies still.

If it's 10 yards down field before he throws a forward pass, I'd be quite hesitant to throw for roughing unless he was very obviously hit late to the point I'd have thrown for a late hit anyways.

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by Adam

NFHS
I'm writing off the top of my head (for the sake of learning since I'm a FB rookie), but my understanding is that for RTP to be called, you have to have a legal forward pass. None of these situations fit that.

Is it the same if the QB is behind the LOS? I saw a play this year in a subvarsity game where a team ran an option play out of shotgun. The QB pitched the ball (not a forward pass) to the RB, and was hit by a defensive lineman right after he pitched it. A flag was thrown for roughing the passer. Our team was on defense, and we asked how it could have been roughing the passer if there was no forward pass.

[HLin NC]

If the ball is pitched forward, it's a forward pass. Don't confuse generic football terms with rule terminology. A forward pass doesn't have to be a pretty, lofted spiral a la Dan Marino.

[Texas Aggie]

The RTP protection is designed for a pocket passer, or at least one that resets himself to throw a pass if outside the pocket. I'm not going to suggest to not call it in ANY other situation, but tread very lightly. As stated, if its a plain PF, just call that.

[MD Longhorn]

No NFL answers yet.

NCAA - what if you have a passer in semi-open field, that has JUST crossed the line of scrimmage --- enough that when he throws it, you have a flag for illegal forward pass. Is that guy still protected as a passer? (And as a given, if you have a PF, you have a PF... this refers to hits NOT considered PF, but for which you would have called RTP in the pocket).

[maven]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

No NFL answers yet.

NFL does not have a roughing the passer rule, but rather a roughing the quarterback rule. Since the passer is not the QB, he is afforded no additional protection.

If I don't have this exactly right, APG will be along shortly to correct me.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by zm1283

Is it the same if the QB is behind the LOS? I saw a play this year in a subvarsity game where a team ran an option play out of shotgun. The QB pitched the ball (not a forward pass) to the RB, and was hit by a defensive lineman right after he pitched it. A flag was thrown for roughing the passer. Our team was on defense, and we asked how it could have been roughing the passer if there was no forward pass.

Did he pitch it forward?

[jchamp]

Originally Posted by Welpe

If it's 10 yards down field before he throws a forward pass, I'd be quite hesitant to throw for roughing unless he was very obviously hit late to the point I'd have thrown for a late hit anyways.

My thoughts on this sort of play is that players still have protection against unnecessary roughness, but if it's a clean hit, well, that's what all the armor is for. Since the OP described the tackle as something that I would normally consider a clean hit, I'm not going to penalize the defense for this.
If B takes two steps after the ball is gone and drives himself into the A illegal passer, I've definitely got PF for UR, in addition to IFP. We'll be replaying the down.