HS rule question

gman4tide · September 15th, 2008, 05:19 PM

So as not to hijack the you make the call threads. I have a question. At the Hartselle-East L'stone game this past friday, East had a running back/tight end w/ the number 56. That's fine, but if he went out, would he be an eligible receiver? Either from the fb or te position. I don't remember them throwing a pass to him, but there were several of us in the stands that wondered about his receiver eligibility.

bamajake · September 15th, 2008, 05:55 PM

In high school football it is perfectly legal for No. 56 to line up in the tight end or fullback positions. However, he is never eligible as a receiver. In order to be an eligible receiver, a player must be eligible by poth position (a back or on the end of the line) and by number (1-49 and 80-99). In the NFL, a player with an ineligible number (50-79) can be legal if he reports in as an eligible receiver. That is how Mike Vrabel of the Patriots is able to catch passes. Because No. 56 did not have an eligible number, he cannot go out for passes.

By the way, I do not see this as hijacking the YMTC threads. Any time anyone has a question, ask away. Not only is it fun to discuss these things, it can shed some light on what is going on down on the field.

gman4tide · September 16th, 2008, 09:48 AM

Thanks. I felt like he couldn't go downfield from the te position. But the first play (and several there after) he lined up at fullback. And it got me to thinking about swing passes and screens...and I just didn't know the answer. Thanks again.

bamajake · September 16th, 2008, 10:54 AM

Actually, as I reread my post, I misspoke slightly. No. 56 would never be eligible for a forward pass. If the pass is a backward pass, he could, in fact, catch it.

tidehawk · September 16th, 2008, 12:44 PM

gman, don't feel like you are stepping on my toes. I love it when anyone brings up a rule interpretation or situation. Now piggy backing on the situation you brought up, a question: if #5 was lined up at fullback, could he catch a screen pass, i.e. a pass that does not cross the line of scrimmage?

tidehawk · September 16th, 2008, 12:44 PM

gman, don't feel like you are stepping on my toes. I love it when anyone brings up a rule interpretation or situation.

Now piggy backing on the situation you brought up, a question: if #56 was lined up at fullback, could he catch a screen pass, i.e. a pass that does not cross the line of scrimmage?

gman4tide · September 16th, 2008, 04:56 PM

That's a question someone else will have to answer. We (folks immediately around us) didn't know. And honestly I've never seen that before. IMO, the East coaches were doing a disservice to the team. The kid was obviously an athlete and got the ball on on a dive the first play of the game. I think it caught the d as off guard as it did the fans. But he lined up there and at te. Why not go ahead and change his number so he is at least eligible to go downfield? Also, if he was lined up at te and the pass went to the opposite side, would he be an ineligible down field if he got passed 5 yards? I guess its just strange because I haven't seen that other than special "jumbo packages". Kinda like my 5/6 team, weird to see #5 at center, #00 at guard and #34 at tackle and #57 at running back.

bamajake · September 17th, 2008, 09:53 AM

I have seen that happen before also gman. I have wondered the same thing. By giving him a number from 50-79, the coach is limiting what he can do. To answer your question, yes he would be ineligible even if the ball was thrown to the other side of the field. BTW, to answer Tidehawk's question, the only way that No. 56 could catch a pass, even if it is behind the line, would be if a player from the defense touched it first. Well, there is actually another case where he could catch a pass and that would be if it was an illegal forward pass. For example, if he was downfield and the quarterback threw it to him after the QB crossed the line of scrimmage, he could catch it. However, the pass itself would be illegal and a flag would hit the ground.

bamaump8 · September 25th, 2008, 05:33 PM

	Quote:	bamajake
	I have seen that happen before also gman. I have wondered the same thing. By giving him a number from 50-79, the coach is limiting what he can do. To answer your question, yes he would be ineligible even if the ball was thrown to the other side of the field. BTW, to answer Tidehawk's question, the only way that No. 56 could catch a pass, even if it is behind the line, would be if a player from the defense touched it first. Well, there is actually another case where he could catch a pass and that would be if it was an illegal forward pass. For example, if he was downfield and the quarterback threw it to him after the QB crossed the line of scrimmage, he could catch it. However, the pass itself would be illegal and a flag would hit the ground.

Umpires....gotta love 'em.