Receivers running out of bounds or forced?

[SmilinBob]

I've seen the refs hat on the field and the SU receiver was out of bounds. Can you force a receiver out of bounds and if so, how far up before you can't touch him again? Are the SU guys actually running out of bounds on their own?

Also for the rules people...how far up can you block and when the ball is in the air can you continue to block? To me, this is offensive pass interference.

Just two things that have bugged the hell out of me this year and I'm trying to come to peace on this stuff because it's bugging the heck out of me!

 

[Finwad32]

My understanding of the rule is that forced or unforced out of bounds doesn't matter. Furthermore, forcing a WR out of bounds is not Pass Interference as long as it's within the 5-yards from the LOS. The yardage tends to get stretched on the field.

Now if you're making a play down the field and the WR leaves his feet to catch the ball, you can legally force them out of bounds in the air as long as contact starts after they've touched the ball.

 

[SmilinBob]

My understanding of the rule is that forced or unforced out of bounds doesn't matter. Furthermore, forcing a WR out of bounds is not Pass Interference as long as it's within the 5-yards from the LOS. The yardage tends to get stretched on the field.

Now if you're making a play down the field and the WR leaves his feet to catch the ball, you can legally force them out of bounds in the air as long as contact starts after they've touched the ball.

OK...thanks. Now I've seen the guys in question running out of bounds beyond the 5 yards so basically the ref only sees the kid out of bounds but not the bump that puts him there?

Also, I'm talking about the bubble screens and the like. If the ball is in the air, what gives the offense the right to block and stop the defense from trying to catch a ball in the air? Thanks again.

 

[CuseCrew08]

I was always under the impression that linemen/WR's could block down field on screens as long as the person receiving the screen was on or behind the LOS when they caught the ball. I could be totally wrong though.

 

[Finwad32]

OK...thanks. Now I've seen the guys in question running out of bounds beyond the 5 yards so basically the ref only sees the kid out of bounds but not the bump that puts him there?

Also, I'm talking about the bubble screens and the like. If the ball is in the air, what gives the offense the right to block and stop the defense from trying to catch a ball in the air? Thanks again.

These rulebooks can be like reading an insurance policy or legal documents, but, the answers are defined up until a point. At the end of the day, they leave wiggle room for interpretation, and I'm sure that's by design.

Directly from the rulebook: http://dfoa.com/attachments/article/69/2013-14_Football_Rule_Book.pdf

Illegal Contact and Pass Interference
ARTICLE 8. a. During a down in which a legal forward pass crosses the neutral
zone, illegal contact by Team A and Team B players is prohibited from the time
the ball is snapped until it is touched by any player or an official (A.R. 7-3-8-II).
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 is contact that interferes with a Team B eligible player. It is
the responsibility of the offensive player to avoid the opponents.

It is not offensive pass interference (A.R. 7-3-8-IV, V, X, XV and XVI):
1. When, after the snap, a Team A ineligible player immediately charges
and contacts an opponent at a point not more than one yard beyond the
neutral zone and does not continue the contact more than three yards
beyond the neutral zone.
2. When two or more eligible players are making a simultaneous and bona
fide attempt to reach, catch or bat the pass. Eligible players of either
team have equal rights to the ball (A.R. 7-3-8-IX).
3. When the pass is in flight and two or more eligible players are in the
area where they might receive or intercept the pass and an offensive
player in that area impedes an opponent, and the pass is not catchable P
ENALTY
—15 yards from the previous spot [S33].

 

[upperdeck]

My understanding of the rule is that forced or unforced out of bounds doesn't matter. Furthermore, forcing a WR out of bounds is not Pass Interference as long as it's within the 5-yards from the LOS. The yardage tends to get stretched on the field.

Now if you're making a play down the field and the WR leaves his feet to catch the ball, you can legally force them out of bounds in the air as long as contact starts after they've touched the ball.

this is college the rull us different than the pros.

you can push them out anywhere you want.. if they come back in immediately they are eligible. the old rule they didnt need to re-establish before they touched..i think the rule was changed this year so they do need to re-establish. There is no 5 yd rule in college only the pro's. if the WR goes out on his own he cant be the first to touch the ball, and that the same for the DB's too.

you can block anywhere you want if the ball is caught behind the line. college also allows for lineman to go down field differently than pro's rule.

 

[Finwad32]

this is college the rull us different than the pros.

you can push them out anywhere you want.. if they come back in immediately they are eligible. the old rule they didnt need to re-establish before they touched..i think the rule was changed this year so they do need to re-establish. There is no 5 yd rule in college only the pro's. if the WR goes out on his own he cant be the first to touch the ball, and that the same for the DB's too.

you can block anywhere you want if the ball is caught behind the line. college also allows for lineman to go down field differently than pro's rule.

I'm not going by Professional rules, I'm going by the NCAA rule book and the NYSPHSAA rule book.

You can't push them out anywhere you want unless you want to risk PI. If you do, and they come back in immediately they are technically eligible but that's up to the the Head Linesman, Line Judge, Field Judge, Side Judge or Back Judge. And if the hat comes off any one of their heads, which they always in my experience do immediately, they've already made the decision. And at that point, unless the defender or the official touches the ball first, it'll be Illegal Touching.

There is a 5-yard rule at all levels where contact is allowed, unless the Referee's and Umpires I've talked to interpret it differently. There is no yardage written in the NCAA or NYSPHSAA rule books but it is most certainly allowed up until that point so the Defender can execute a Jam.

Lineman, or ineligible receivers, are allowed to execute down field blocks on pass plays in the NCAA as long as contact is initiated within one yard of the line of scrimmage and does not continue beyond three yards by the time the ball is caught.

 

[SmilinBob]

I'm confused then. I'd swear the SU guys did come back into play and it was incomplete or he was pushed out because if he just ran out on his own they have a bit of a problem staying in bounds. I may be wrong or misremembering this.

As for those passes downfield/bubble and the like has to be changed imo because that grey area is never called. Have to look at some games and see how this rule is enforced.

Thanks for the info because this one has bugged me for a while. Now I have another thing to yell at the refs on TV for when SU is on the road.

 

[Chip]

you can push them out anywhere you want..

Does college not have the illegal contact down the field penalty? As I read your post I thought about how I can't recall it being called.

 

[upperdeck]

I'm not going by Professional rules, I'm going by the NCAA rule book and the NYSPHSAA rule book.

You can't push them out anywhere you want unless you want to risk PI. If you do, and they come back in immediately they are technically eligible but that's up to the the Head Linesman, Line Judge, Field Judge, Side Judge or Back Judge. And if the hat comes off any one of their heads, which they always in my experience do immediately, they've already made the decision. And at that point, unless the defender or the official touches the ball first, it'll be Illegal Touching.

There is a 5-yard rule at all levels where contact is allowed, unless the Referee's and Umpires I've talked to interpret it differently. There is no yardage written in the NCAA or NYSPHSAA rule books but it is most certainly allowed up until that point so the Defender can execute a Jam.

Lineman, or ineligible receivers, are allowed to execute down field blocks on pass plays in the NCAA as long as contact is initiated within one yard of the line of scrimmage and does not continue beyond three yards by the time the ball is caught.

there is no 5 yard rule in HS or college.. its not in the rule book because it doesn't exist..
in HS you cant bump a WR at all..
in college its anywhere until the ball is thrown.

the hat comes off to show where WR left the field so you can tell how soon he came back in.

 

[upperdeck]

Does college not have the illegal contact down the field penalty? As I read your post I thought about how I can't recall it being called.

nope. anywhere until the ball is thrown is ok.. HS no contact allowed at all