legal backwards pass

Question
QUESTION: Player A pitches the ball to player B that is trailing, but both players are in motion towards the opponents endzone. The ball is pitched reward, but because of momentum, the ball is actually received at a position downfield of where player A released it. The pitch takes place beyond the line of scrimmage. Is this a legal backwards pass, or an illegal forward pass. Here is a link to a message board thread where this is discussed. Perhaps you can ease the confusion? http://www.gsufans.com/tsc/showthread.php?10489-Did-anybody-else-notice.../page3

ANSWER: Jerry
Thank you for your question.  It is a little confusing as I am not sure I know exactly what you are asking in the above question, but have looked at your link. The link is of 4 frames from a panning [moving] video and the perception is skewed.  the actual video would be what we need to look at because one cannot tell if it is a fumble or backward pass.  Additionally, I need some more information after reading someof the comments on the link [i.e. where was the line of scrimmage what yardline was the ball snapped on, what was the down and was this actually passed or was it fumbled, which team is the offensive team?]

Let me try to take you through your question as I  White Player#4 catches a loose ball that had been in a teammate's possession.  This is not a forward pass or there is no conclusive photographic evidence to support a forward pass.  A video clip would be better to view before giving a final opinion.

Based on your question above and my understanding of it, This play is legal and it appears to be either a backward pass or a fumble - either way White # 4 is permitted to recover/catch it.  If it is a fumble and a 4th down play then White number 4 could not advance it.

Thanks for the question, if you have additional information I would be morethan happy to consider it.
Victor Winnek
NCAA Football Official

PS  The term "A" pertains to the offensive player so when referring to offensive players we need to refer to them  A players[i.e.  A-12 passes to A-4].  The Defensive  team is referred  to as team B (i.e. defensive players B-4, B-75, etc).

The term pitch is not a term of art.  We talk about passes as being either forward or backward. [all forward passes to be legal must be from behind the line of scrimmage; backward passes may be made anywhere on the field.]  The term momentum applies to a catch or recovery by a team B player who recovers/catches a loose ball between the goal line and 5 yardline and who is downed in his own endzone.  


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I'm sorry I didn't provide enough info... here is a link to a video clip of the play in question, which is actually a PAT attempt. The play occurs at the :56 mark.
The message board is basically divided into two camps. 1) That the play was an illegal forward pass because the ball went forward relative to the field position... or 2) That the play was a legal backwards pass because the ball went backwards relative to the players positions.

Answer
Jerry,
The link I looked at showed the play one time http://www.carolinalive.com/sports/story.aspx?id=513656.  From the view, it appears to be legal and appears to be a backward pass.  The officials correctly ruled this a backward pass.

The play was a blocked PAT/Kick.  This was not a fumble, therefore the 4th down fumble rule does not apply.  The ball was recovered by Team B, the defensive team that blocked the ball.  After the recovery B-1 ran with the ball and as being tackled he passed the ball backward to B-4.  B-4 caught the ball and ran.  There is no indisputable video evidence to show the pass was clearly forward. In this instance it is important to know that from an officiating stand point All such passes are considered backward passes since there is no indisputable video evidence to show ball first strikes B_$ beyond the spot from where B-1 passed it.  Additionally, while we don't officiate "intent"  it seem clear B-1 is "intending' to pass the ball to trailing B-4.  The video does show B-1's wrist abduct as he throws the ball min a backward motion.  To rule this a forward pass would have been an incorrect call.


Rule 2-9-1&2 defines passing under the NCAA Rules:
Passing

ARTICLE 1. Passing the ball is throwing it. A pass continues to be a pass until it is caught or intercepted by a player or the ball becomes dead.

Forward and Backward Pass
ARTICLE 2. a. A forward pass is determined by the point where the ball first strikes the ground, a player, an official or anything beyond the spot of the pass. All other passes are backward passes. When in question, it is a forward pass rather than a backward pass when thrown in or behind the neutral zone.
b. When a Team A player is holding the ball to pass it forward toward
the neutral zone, any intentional forward movement of his hand or arm
starts the forward pass. If a Team B player contacts the passer or ball after forward movement begins and the ball leaves the passer抯 hand, a forward pass is ruled regardless of where the ball strikes the ground or a player (A.R. 2-19-2-I).
c. When in question, the ball is passed and not fumbled during an attempted forward pass.
d. A snap becomes a backward pass when the snapper releases the ball.