[QuantumLeap]

WTF??? Has anyone ever heard of this rule???

UMass was around midfield when they showed punt on 4th down. But they faked it and the punter threw a nice pass to the receiver almost to the end zone. The Liberty defender obviously interferes and a flag was thrown.

However, the flag was picked up and the head ref says: "There is no defensive pass interference because the ball was thrown high and long on a 4th down". Why would that even be a rule? Is it because on 4th down the defender would mistake it for a punt?

So does that mean it's OK for a defender to interfere with a receiver if the ball is thrown "high and long" during a 4th down? What about when it's not in a fake punt situation and instead in an obvious attempt to go for fourth down? Is it still OK for the defender to interfere with the receiver?

[stackz125]

Maybe another explanation that means un-catchable?

[QuantumLeap]

Maybe another explanation that means un-catchable?

Except that the ball was thrown near the receiver. He would have caught it had he not been interfered with.

[dmncnlou]

I saw that. No one ever heard of that rule. Crazy to hear the ref explain that.

[LLXC]

I know this rule exists in the NFL. This is because the defense is trying to block everybody during a punt, so they would almost all be called for pass interference if the punter just threw the ball in their vicinity.

"Whenever a team presents an apparent punting formation and until the ball is kicked, 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."

[QuantumLeap]

I know this rule exists in the NFL. This is because the defense is trying to block everybody during a punt, so they would almost all be called for pass interference if the punter just threw the ball in their vicinity.

"Whenever a team presents an apparent punting formation and until the ball is kicked, 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."

Thanks. That gives a pretty good description of why they don't call that. The defense is trying to block and even sometimes beyond the line of scrimmage.

However, I feel there should be an exception for a receiver down field. The principle of this rule doesn't really apply in that case and it gives a defensive player the right to interfere with a legitimate receiver.

But college football also rewards a player for getting beat on a regular pass play encouraging him to interfere with a receiver to get the 15 yard penalty instead of the offense getting the ball at the spot.

A player should never get a lesser penalty for interfering with a receiver. Allowing the interference rewards bad play and penalizes good play.