Another Rules Question

[sabach]

Can anyone explain to me the rationale of only giving a 15 yard penalty for pass interference (aka Passenger Ference) in college? I was watching several games this weekend and saw d-backs who were beat intentionally interfere to break up a touchdown knowing the penalty was only 15 yards as opposed to spot of the foul. The North Carolina coach was actually applauding his d-back for doing this in the end zone last week. I've wondered this for years why they don't apply the NFL rule. It doesn't seem to make sense to me. Anyone have any thoughts. Thanks in advance.

 

[Finwad32]

Can anyone explain to me the rationale of only giving a 15 yard penalty for pass interference (aka Passenger Ference) in college? I was watching several games this weekend and saw d-backs who were beat intentionally interfere to break up a touchdown knowing the penalty was only 15 yards as opposed to spot of the foul. The North Carolina coach was actually applauding his d-back for doing this in the end zone last week. I've wondered this for years why they don't apply the NFL rule. It doesn't seem to make sense to me. Anyone have any thoughts. Thanks in advance.

Why they have the rule that way, I dont know. That being said, I know that we teach this at the high school level and was taught it at the college level. If you're going to get beat deep, just flat out tacklet the WR, I'll take 15 over 50 and a TD anyday of the week.

 

[upperdeck]

they could always tack on a unsportsmanlike penalty too. but they never do.

 

[sabach]

Why they have the rule that way, I dont know. That being said, I know that we teach this at the high school level and was taught it at the college level. If you're going to get beat deep, just flat out tacklet the WR, I'll take 15 over 50 and a TD anyday of the week.

Exactly. I used to do this when I was a d-back in high school. Or, I mean I would have if I ever got burned.

 

[Finwad32]

they could always tack on a unsportsmanlike penalty too. but they never do.

You can't tack an unsportsmanlike penalty on top of PI, at any level. They're both live ball penalties, you'd have to choose one or the other.

 

[SUtyger]

Why they have the rule that way, I dont know. That being said, I know that we teach this at the high school level and was taught it at the college level. If you're going to get beat deep, just flat out tacklet the WR, I'll take 15 over 50 and a TD anyday of the week.

I thought the HS rule was 15 yards, but no automatic first down. This was changed in 2013. In addition, if the ref determined that it was intentional, they could tack on an additional 15 yards. In college it is 15 yards and automatic first down. That rule was changed in 1984.

There is an article from 1984 that talks about the change.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...plUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TY8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3575,5577813

 

[Finwad32]

I thought the HS rule was 15 yards, but no automatic first down. This was changed in 2013. In addition, if the ref determined that it was intentional, they could tack on an additional 15 yards. In college it is 15 yards and automatic first down. That rule was changed in 1982.

There is an article from 1984 that talks about the change.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...plUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TY8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3575,5577813

In High school, at least in New York, no 15-yarders, PI, Unsportsmanlike or Personal Fouls are automatic first downs. It goes by yardage. If the 15 yards does not bring you past where you needed to get to than you continue on with the down and distance.

 

[sabach]

In High school, at least in New York, no 15-yarders, PI, Unsportsmanlike or Personal Fouls are automatic first downs. It goes by yardage. If the 15 yards does not bring you past where you needed to get to than you continue on with the down and distance.

Wow. I forgot about that. Intentionally interfere on a 40 yard pass on 3rd and 20 and all the offense gets is 3rd and 5.

 

[SUtyger]

In High school, at least in New York, no 15-yarders, PI, Unsportsmanlike or Personal Fouls are automatic first downs. It goes by yardage. If the 15 yards does not bring you past where you needed to get to than you continue on with the down and distance.

I think that is what I said. I wanted to encompass both the HS and college rule.

 

[SWC75]

Mixed feelings. Do you want to assume the pass would have been caught without the interference? Do you also assume that the receiver would have been tackled on the spot with no YAC? On the other hand do you want a beaten defender to violate the rules and be rewarded for it by having the ball moved way back downfield? I think I prefer that the ball be placed on the spot of the foul unless that's less than 15 yards.

 

[sabach]

Mixed feelings. Do you want to assume the pass would have been caught without the interference? Do you also assume that the receiver would have been tackled on the spot with no YAC? On the other hand do you want a beaten defender to violate the rules and be rewarded for it by having the ball moved way back downfield? I think I prefer that the ball be placed on the spot of the foul unless that's less than 15 yards.

And if in the end zone, put the ball on the 1 or 2 yard line. I don't really see the reason for just a 15 yard penalty in high school but there does not seem to me to be any reason at all why college should not follow what you just said and make it a spot of the foul penalty.

 

[xc84]

I like the college rule better than the pro rule. I think in the pros the offense is over-compensated.

 

[Chris02M]

a combo of college and nfl rule would be best but giving more freedom to the officials is not what I want so make it 25 yards on anything more than 15 yards downfield.

 

[longtimefan]

And if in the end zone, put the ball on the 1 or 2 yard line. I don't really see the reason for just a 15 yard penalty in high school but there does not seem to me to be any reason at all why college should not follow what you just said and make it a spot of the foul penalty.

PI in college is a spot foul--if the foul occurred less than 15 yards down field. In all cases, it is an automatic first down.