Football rule of the week 12/3

Figured this week with college bowl season and NFL playoffs just around the corner it would be good time to look at the High School definition of a catch. This in my opinion is a rule the NFL and college to a lesser extent have really muddied up as of late.

Rule 2-4

ART. 1 ... A catch is the act of establishing player possession of a live ball which is in flight, and first contacting the ground inbounds while maintaining possession of the ball or having the forward progress of the player in possession stopped while the opponent is carrying the player who is in possession and inbounds.

ART. 2 ... Catching is always preceded by touching the ball; thus, if touching causes the ball to become dead, securing possession of the ball has no significance.

ART. 3 ... A simultaneous catch or recovery is a catch or recovery in which there is joint possession of a live ball by opposing players who are inbounds.

Simultaneous possession goes to the O.

In HS do they have to relation possession all the way through to the ground? That is where I think it gets muddled in college and pro.

Another rule that is about two years old is the receiver is considered a defenseless player until he has had the chance to become a runner. Now good luck getting an explanation on when that will get called and what that looks like.

Simultaneous possession goes to the O.

 

In HS do they have to relation possession all the way through to the ground? That is where I think it gets muddled in college and pro.

 

Another rule that is about two years old is the receiver is considered a defenseless player until he has had the chance to become a runner. Now good luck getting an explanation on when that will get called and what that looks like.

Yes, unless forward progress is stopped in the air. Unlike pros if someone catches the ball gets hit backwards out of bounds it’s a catch and the spot is at the spot of the initial contact. In the pros if you knock a guy out before his feet come down he’s out of bounds.