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 Plays & Rulings |
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Plays & Rulings from 10/8/02 CSFOA Meeting
Play: After a first down play that results in second and five for A at B's 30 yard line, there are two dead-ball fouls.
(a) B fouls first and then A
(b) A fouls first and then B
(c) the fouls occur simultaneously or their order cannot be determined
Ruling:
a) The 15-yard penalty on B is enforced to B's 15, resulting in a first down. Then A's penalty brings it back to B's 30. Result: 1st & 10 for A at B's 30.
(b) The 15-yard penalty on A is enforced back to B's 45. Then B's penalty returns it to B's 30. Result: 2d & 5 For A at B's 30.
(c) The fouls cancel. Result: 2d & 5 For A at B's 30.
Play: A88 is the snapper on the end of the line of a swinging-gate formation, and is positioned sideways to the ball facing the sideline.
(a) Is A88 legally on his line?
(b) Is he an eligible receiver?
Ruling:
a) he is not legal, as he has not met the definition of a lineman
b) he has not met both requirements of position and number (2-30-9; 7-5-6a).
Author's Note: Notice that the illegal snap provisions of 7-1-2 and 7-1-3 are NOT violated because the snapper is positioned facing the sideline. Instead, A88 violates the position provisions of 7-2-3 and/or 7-2-5a, which is a foul simultaneous with the snap.
Play: K1 attempts an onsides kick which bounces twice, and then takes a big hop. Teammate K2 jumps high at R's 45 yardline, possesses the ball while airborne, and lands there. Before K2 is down, R1 snatches the ball away from him and falls down at R's 48 yard line.
Ruling: Team K is awarded a new series at R's 45. The ball is dead whenever K catches or recovers a free kick anywhere. Because the ball is recovered beyond R's free kick line and there has been no First Touching, K may legally possess the kick (4-2-2f; 5-1-5b).
Play: Fourth and long. The potential punter muffs the snap and decides to pass the ball which is caught by A51 behind the line.
Ruling: Illegal touching. The five yard penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul - where A51 caught it. The loss of down provision gives the ball to B, 1st & 10.
Plays & Rulings from officiating.com - 6/24/02
Play: K12’s legal free kick is short and lands at Team R’s 48 where it is scooped on the bounce by K49 who takes it to Team R’s 30 yard line before being tackled.
Ruling: Team K is entitled to retain the ball, but cannot advance it. The ball is dead when K49 recovers it and it belongs to Team K at Team R’s 48-yard line.
Play: Third and seven with 45 seconds remaining in the game and Team A trailing. A23 sweeps left and gains four yards. As he is about to be tackled, he throws the ball backwards and out of bounds at the 48 yard line in an obvious attempt to stop the clock.
Ruling: Legal play. Fourth and four for Team A and the clock starts on the snap.
Play: On third down at Team A’s 35 yard line, A12 drops back to pass. He is unable to find a receiver and is under a heavy rush. Standing at his own 28 yard line, he throws the ball into an area where there are no eligible Team A receivers.
Ruling: Illegal forward pass for intentional grounding. Five yard penalty from the spot of the pass plus loss of down. Fourth down for Team A from its 23 yard line.
Play: On a kickoff, K27 kicks the ball near the sideline and it rolls out of bounds at Team R’s 20 yard line. Team R’s captain elects to take the ball at his 35 yard line and asks for it to be placed in the middle of the field.
Ruling: Team R’s request is denied. If the selected option is to take the ball 25 yards beyond where it was kicked, it must be placed at the hashmark nearest the sideline where it went out of bounds.
Play: Fourth and five at Team B’s 22 yard line. The ball carrier sweeps to his left, gains three yards to the 19-yard line, and fumbles. The ball rolls out of bounds at the 16 yard line.
Ruling: First and 10 for Team A at the 16 yard line. Had there not been a fumble, the play would have ended short of the line to gain.
Play: Team A lines up with eight men on the line of scrimmage. The end, A89, leaves his position on the line (no false start) and is in motion three yards behind and parallel to his own goal line when the ball is snapped.
Ruling: Foul for illegal motion. The motion man must be five yards behind the line of scrimmage at the snap unless he clearly established himself as a back.
Play: After runner A26 crosses the goal line for a touchdown, B73 slugs A18.
Ruling: B73 is disqualified. The penalty will be enforced on the try; there is no option to have the penalty enforced on the kickoff or in any succeeding extra period.
Play: Second and 15 from Team A’s five yard line. A6 drops back to pass and is sacked five yards deep in the end zone by B87 who twists A6’s face mask in the process.
Ruling: The 15-yard penalty is enforced from the goal line. Second and five from Team A’s 15 yard line.
Play: Near the end of the first quarter, A10 is discovered to be:
(a) wearing an uncovered, hard, metal knee brace
(b) not wearing a tailbone protector.
Ruling: A 15-yard penalty is assessed from the succeeding spot and charged as unsportsmanlike to the head coach.
Play: K2’s field goal attempt is short and:
(a) bounces past R32
(b) caroms off R32’s chest at his two yard line and rolls into the end zone
Ruling: Touchback. While the ball was loose, it remained a kick and become dead when it broke the plane of the goal line.
Play: B25 tackles runner A31 with:
(a) a crossbody block at the knees
(b) a block from behind and below the waist
(c) a trip with his foot
(d) his arms and shoulder
Ruling: All are legal tackles (2-41-1).
Play: Team K’s third down punt is blocked. The ball goes out of bounds short of the line to gain.
Ruling: Team R’s ball at the out of bounds spot. The clock will start on the snap. The receiving team always gets the ball if a punt goes out of bounds. The number of the down, or whether the ball crosses the neutral zone, or who touched it last has no bearing on this ruling (5-1-3e, 3-4-3c).
Play: B32 intercepts Team A’s legal forward pass. He advances, fumbles, and the ball is recovered by A20 who is tackled inbounds.
Ruling: Team A is awarded a first down because the change of possession breaks the continuity of downs and starts a new series. The clock starts on the ready because of Team A’s first down; the change of possession has no bearing on the starting of the clock (5-1-3d, 3-4-2).
Play: At the start of overtime, Team A elects to have the ball placed at the left hashmark. A dead ball foul is committed by:
(a) Team A
(b) Team B and Team A now wishes to spot the ball in the center of the field
Ruling: Legal.
Play: Second and 10 on Team B’s 20 yard line. As Team A leaves their huddle and comes to the line, Team B realizes they have only 10 players on the field. B41 enters the field after the ball is snapped. During the play B41:
(a) begins to participate
(b) stops running when he realizes his error and doesn’t participate at all in the play
Ruling:
a) because B41 participated, he is guilty of illegal participation, a 15-yard, live-ball foul. b) B41 should be flagged for a nonplayer, five-yard foul for illegal substitution because he didn’t participate in the play.
Play: B69 is the nose guard (opposite the center) and A72 is the right offensive tackle. After the ready and before the snap B69 lurches into the neutral zone and quickly returns to his position without making contact. Immediately following B69’s first movement, A72 flinches and lifts his hand from the ground.
Ruling: A dead ball foul (encroachment) occurs when B69 enters the neutral zone. The clock starts on the ready only if it were running at the time the officials stopped play (7-1-6, 3-4-2).
Play: On a try, quarterback A12 sweeps right, crosses the neutral zone, and hands the ball forward to A41 who carries the ball into the end zone for an apparent score.
Ruling: Team B will accept the penalty, nullifying the score. Since the penalty for handing the ball forward beyond the neutral zone includes loss of down, the try ends and the distance penalty is not enforced.
Play: Team A trails by ten points. During Team A’s touchdown run B73 commits a personal foul and time in the fourth period expires.
Ruling: The game is over only if the points would not affect playoff qualification.
Play: Team A breaks their huddle and moves to the line. As the quarterback is barking signals, the referee thinks Team A has 12 players on the field. As the referee counts or recounts Team A players, the ball is snapped. A split second later, the referee is certain Team A has 12 players on the field.
Ruling: The referee should throw the flag (live-ball foul, illegal participation, 15 yards) and allow play to continue.
Play: On fourth down from their 20 yard line, Team K’s punt barely crosses the neutral zone where it is untouched. R23, waiting for the ball to roll dead, is legally blocked above the waist by K64, causing R23 to touch the ball. In an attempt to get to the loose ball, K39 pushes R83 in the back above the waist, and K29 recovers and downs the ball at the Team K 27 yard line.
Ruling: The key here is that R23 is deemed not to have touched the ball, since he was blocked into it by K64. Thus, Team K may not legally touch the ball. K39’s block in the back is a 10-yard block in the back (new rule for 2002), and K29’s touching is first touching (6-2-5, 3-4-3c, 9-3-5b, 10-4-2b).
Play: To start an overtime series, B23 intercepts a forward pass at his own four yard line and his momentum carries him into the end zone. He then carries the ball out of the end zone and is tackled at the three yard line.
Ruling: The ball is dead when Team B gains possession and Team A’s series is over. Team B starts its series from the original 10 yard line (OT 5-1-1).
Play: At the snap A36 is positioned so that he is neither on the line nor in the backfield. He runs a down-and-out pattern and catches a legal forward pass for a 10-yard gain.
Ruling: Team A has committed three fouls: illegal formation, ineligible receiver downfield, and offensive pass interference. The latter includes loss of down (7-2-3, 7-5-10b, 7-5-12).
Play: When K11 kicks off:
(a) six teammates are to his left and four teammates are to his right
(b) eight teammates are to his left and two teammates are to his right
Ruling: Legal formations in both cases.
Play: During the pregame, Team A’s head coach shows the umpire a cast being worn by center A53, who has a broken arm. Team A’s head coach then produces a physician’s written note. The umpire then inspects the cast and rules it is not properly padded or there is something else that makes the cast illegal.
Ruling: The umpire’s judgment prevails; A53 may not play while wearing it.
Play: Runner A33 is downed behind his scrimmage line on a play during which B49 commits a personal foul downfield.
Ruling: The foul occurs on a running play and the basic spot is the end of the run. The foul is by the team not in possession, so the penalty is from the basic spot. Hence Team B is penalized 15 yards from the end of the run.
Play: Fourth and five from Team B’s eight yard line. A13 throws the ball backward to A 27 but the ball hits his shoulder pad and strikes the ground. In the scramble the ball bounces to the two yard line.
Ruling: Because A27 muffed the ball, it remains a backward pass until it is possessed or becomes dead. Thus, any Team A player may advance the ball. It also remains live when recovered by an opponent (7-4-2).
Play: B76 commits a substitution infraction on a play where A42 runs for a touchdown. After the ball is dead, A62 commits a personal foul.
Ruling: The penalty for B76’s foul does not carry over and is automatically declined. The penalty for the dead-ball foul is enforced on the try. These fouls do not offset, since one is live-ball and the other is dead-ball (8-4-2, 10-2-4, 10-4-4b).
Play: Team K’s kick try is blocked at the line of scrimmage. The ball rolls:
(a) behind the neutral zone where it is recovered by K34 who carries the ball over the goal line
(b) beyond the neutral zone where it is recovered by K34 who carries the ball over the goal line
Ruling: In both cases, the ball is dead when it is apparent the kick will not score.
Play: R45 is returning a kickoff. At Team K’s five-yard line he is hit from behind and fumbles the ball which goes into Team K’s end zone. The ball:
(a) is recovered by R21
(b) is recovered in the end zone and downed there by K63
(c) strikes the ground beyond the end line
Ruling:
a) touchdown
b) touchback; first and 10 for Team K at its own 20 yard line
c) touchback; first and 10 for Team K at its own 20 yard line
Play: After the referee whistles the ready, all Team A players move to the line and are set. A split second after center A53 legally moves the ball to snap it, B72 times the snap perfectly as he reaches in and knocks away the ball from A53. The ball hits the ground and B61 recovers.
Ruling: Once A53 legally moves the ball as part of the snap, it is legal for Team B players to touch the ball. Result: No foul, Team B takes over.
Play: Third down on Team A’s 30 yard line. A16’s forward pass is tipped by:
(a) eligible A3
(b) B2 at Team A’s 24 yard line.
The pass travels to Team A’s 35 yard line, where it is caught by eligible A82 and advanced to Team A’s 45 yard line. Before A16’s pass is released, ineligible A76 wandered downfield to Team A’s 35 yard line.
Ruling:
a) A76 is flagged for being an ineligible receiver illegally downfield, he is also guilty of offensive pass interference
b), there is no foul because the ball was deflected by a Team B player
Play: Second and seven at Team A’s 35 yard line. After a running play ends inbounds at Team A’s 40 yard line, B79 and A63 are flagged for fighting. It is not possible to determine who threw the first punch.
Ruling: The penalties cancel. Third and two at Team A’s 40 yard line. B79 and A63 are ejected. The clock starts on the ready-for-play signal. Following the ejections, the down and distance remain the same since the penalties cancel (9-4-1, 10-2-4B).
Play: On a two-point try attempt A86 holds B46 in the end zone during a legal forward pass that crosses the neutral zone. Eligible A27 catches the pass in the end zone. Team B accepts he penalty.
Ruling: Team A is penalized for offensive pass interference rather than holding. It includes loss of down, so the try is not replayed (7-5-10 Pen, 8-3-4).
Play: A12 throws a legal forward pass to eligible A30 who catches the ball and then fumbles. B23 recovers and returns the ball to his 39 yard line where A42 tackles him by twisting the face mask. B71 blocks below the waist from the front during B23’s run.
Ruling: B71’s block below the waist is illegal because it is not in the free blocking zone or against a runner. Team B’s “hands are clean,” so they may keep the ball by declining Team A’s foul. The penalty for B71’s foul is enforced under the all-but-one principle (9-3-2, 10-2-2, 10-4-3).
Play: Wide receiver A80 blocks the safety downfield just as quarterback A18 throws a legal forward pass. B10 intercepts and returns the ball for a touchdown.
Ruling: Fouls by the opponents of a team which scores a touchdown are automatically declined (10-5-4).
Play: While his team is on defense, B67 clips an opponent by pushing him from behind below the waist.
Ruling: Defensive players are never allowed to block from behind below the waist. The 15-yard penalty, if accepted, will be enforced according to the “all-but-one” principle (9-3-5).
Play: On third down and 17, quarterback A12 drops back to pass and is sacked for a seven yard loss. During the play linebacker B63 holds eligible receiver A84 10 yards beyond the neutral zone.
Ruling: This is defensive holding on a running play. The penalty is from the end of the run and does not include an automatic first down. Third and 14 for Team A (10-4-3).
Play: K17’s kickoff caroms off R30’s chest at his two yard line. The ball is nearly at rest on R’s three yard line when R22 hastily tries to grab it, instead muffing and forcing the ball into and out of Team R’s end zone.
Ruling: Touchback. Force is never a factor on a kick going into Team R’s end zone. While the ball was loose, it remained a kick. By definition, a kick does not end until a player has possession or the ball is dead by rule.
Play: Second and 18 at Team B’s 40 yard line. After throwing a legal forward pass, quarterback A12 is roughed by B61. A84 catches the ball and runs to Team B’s six yard line where he fumbles. B12 recovers the fumble, advances the ball to his 28 yard line where he fumbles. A29 recovers and is downed at the 30 yard line.
Ruling: Team B is penalized from the previous spot. The penalty for a roughing foul is enforced from the previous spot because there was a change of team possession during the down. Since Team A is awarded a first down, the clock starts on the ready – the change of possession does not affect the starting of the clock (9-4-3 Pen, 3-4-2a).
Play: B45 intercepts a pass in his end zone and, in trying to get out, fumbles the ball which is recovered by either team in the field of play. While B45 had the ball, A35 committed a personal foul.
Ruling: Enforce the 15-yard penalty for Team A’s foul from the goal line. First down for Team B at their 15-yard line.
Play: Team A’s ball at Team B’s 36 yard-line. A25 loses yardage and is downed at Team B’s 45 yard-line. During the play A63 clips behind the line at the Team B 39 yard line.
Ruling: The foul occurs on a running play and the basic spot is the end of the run. The foul is by the team in possession beyond the basic spot, so the penalty is from the basic spot. Thus Team A is penalized 15 yards from the basic spot, which is Team B’s 45 yard-line.
Play: Fourth and 10 on Team K’s 20 yard line. A27 punts as his team is flagged for an illegal formation. The ball is declared dead inbounds. The penalty is accepted.
Ruling: Team K’s ball, fourth and 15 at their 15 yard line. The clock starts on the ready. Although there was a legal kick, neither team was awarded a new series.
Play: With the game clock running, Team K is in a scrimmage kick formation with fourth and eight at Team R’s 35 yard line. The 25-second clock expires. Team R declines the penalty for the delay-of-game foul.
Ruling: The clock starts on the ready because the penalty is declined. If the delay foul were accepted, the clock would start on the snap (3-4-3).
Play: With five seconds remaining in the first half, A8 completes a pass to A82. Time expires during the down and B32 piles on after the play.
Ruling: The 15-yard penalty is enforced on the second half kickoff.
Play: A25 loses six yards to his own 34 yard line and during the play A37 blocks B63 in the back above the waist at the 35 yard line.
Ruling: The penalty for clipping is 15 yards. The basic spot on this play is the end of the run because it is a running play, so the penalty is enforced from the end of the run (2-5-1b, 9-3-5 Pen, 10-4-3).
Play: About stopping and starting the clock – After making the line to gain, A20 is tackled inbounds by B87 who grasps and twists his facemask.
Ruling: There are two reasons for stopping the clock. Team A made a first down, and there is a penalty to administer. After the penalty is enforced from the end of the run, the clock will start on the ready, since neither of these reasons require starting the clock on the snap.
Play: On a third down play, A43 is hit and fumbles short of the line to gain. The ball crosses the line to gain before going out of bounds, last touched by B41.
Ruling: Following the forward fumble out-of-bounds, the succeeding spot is the out-of-bounds spot which gives Team A a first down. The clock starts on the snap.
Play: Third and 10 on Team A’s 20 yard line. Team A comes to the line with A49 at right tackle. Only four players on the line are numbered 50-79. Quarterback, A7, takes the direct hand-to-hand snap from the center.
Ruling: The numbering infraction is a foul at the snap, enforced from the previous spot.
Play: K’s punt from the 50 yard line hits the ground at Team R’s five yard line and at Team R’s two yard line K53 bats the ball backward. The ball rolls to a stop on Team R’s four yard line and is properly blown dead there.
Ruling: Legal batting by K53. Team R will snap from their four yard line, first and 10. K53’s touching on Team R’s two is also first touching.
Play: After a punt return, the game clock shows 1:39 to play, but the referee knows the game clock showed 2:55 to play when the ball was snapped for the punt. He: (a) notices it immediately
(b) doesn’t notice the discrepancy until after two plays have been run and the clock shows 1:01.
Ruling:
a) the referee should order the game clock reset to correct the timing error
b) it is too late to make a correction because the error was not discovered before the second live ball after the error
Play: Quarterback A12 passes the ball backward to tailback A29 who never gets possession of the ball. Defensive lineman B78 recovers the ball.
Ruling: The ball remains a backward pass after A29 muffs it. B78 may advance unless he was down when he recovered the ball.
Play: Regulation play ends with Team A having no timeouts remaining. Team A requests a charged timeout:
(a) just before he overtime is to start
(b) during the overtime
Ruling: In both cases, the request is granted and Team A has exhausted their timeouts for that overtime period.
Play: On a try during which Team A commits offensive pass interference, B39 intercepts the ball and returns it:
(a) to midfield where he is tackled
(b) for a touchdown.
Ruling:
a) the penalty is declined by rule and the try is over
b) Team B is awarded two points and the penalty is declined by rule
Play: Team A’s kickoff lands at the six-yard line and bounces high in the air. Receiver B81 gets possession of the ball at his three-yard line and his momentum carries him into the end zone where he is tackled.
Ruling: Safety; the momentum rule does not apply because the ball was recovered, not caught (8-5-2a Exc.).
Play: Fourth down on Team K’s 40 yard line. K15 punts. Deep receiver R29, realizing the kick is short, is running forward trying to reach the kick, but has to go around K58, who came within an eyelash of contact.
Ruling: R29 has the right of way. If the covering official judges K58 obstructed R29, it is kick catching interference.
Play: In the first half, Team A’s coach is flagged for cursing an official. In the second half:
(a) the field is clear and Team B is ready when the halftime intermission ends, but Team A is five minutes late returning from the locker room
(b) A10 plays with an unapproved cast or other illegal equipment
(c) five assistant coaches are in the two-yard belt in front of the team box
Ruling: In each case the 15-yard unsportsmanlike foul is charged to the head coach resulting in his disqualification.
Play: K13’s punt comes to rest at the 50 yard line and K32 immediately places his hand on the ball and quickly removes it. R43 grabs the ball and races into the end zone.
Ruling: The ball became dead when K32 touched it while at rest and there is no touchdown.
Play: A21 realizing his team only has ten players on the field, comes onto the field:
(a) just before the ball is snapped
(b) just after the ball is snapped, but does not participate
Ruling:
a) As long as the act of his coming onto the field does not deceive the defense, it is a legal substitution. However, A21 must be within 15 yards of the ball before the snap and not violate the shift or motion rules
b) A21 is an illegal substitute, a five-yard penalty which, if accepted, is a live-ball foul enforced as a dead-ball foul (non-player) from the succeeding spot.
Play: On the first play from scrimmage, only wideout A80 (lined up as a back) and guard A66 wear towels. Each towel is white with no markings and measures one inch by 11 inches.
Ruling: Illegal equipment for both.
Play: Team A’s ball, second and seven at its own 45 yard line. A 34 gains three yards to the 48 yard line. After the play is over, Team B piles on and then A89 commits a personal foul.
Ruling: Enforce the penalties for both fouls in order of occurrence. Team B’s penalty takes the ball to Team B’s 37 yard line, yielding a new series since Team A is beyond the line-go-gain after enforcement. Then A89’s penalty returns the ball to Team A’s 48 yard line, where it will be first and 10.
Play: At the end of regulation play with the score tied, Team A has used all three of its second-half time outs, while Team B has used only one.
Ruling: Team A has one timeout for the extra period while Team B has three.
Play: Fourth and 19 on Team A’s five yard line. A7 is in punt formation in the end zone. Under a heavy rush, he heaves the ball forward and to the ground in an area where there are no eligible receivers.
Ruling: The result is a safety regardless of whether the play or penalty is chosen. Acceptance of the penalty results in a safety as the enforcement spot is in Team A’s end zone. If Team B wants to decline the penalty and take the result of the play, the result is identical (safety) as A7’s run ended in his end zone.
Play: Second and 10 on Team A’s 40-yard line. Two subs enter the game and three leave the huddle, one of the departing players stays on the field in front of his team bench and goes downfield to catch a touchdown pass.
Ruling: Using a replaced player or substitute in a substitution or pretended substitution to deceive opponents before the snap or free kick is illegal participation. The 15-yard penalty is enforced from the previous spot leaving Team A second and 25 on their 25-yard line (9-4-6c and 9-6-4 A-B).
Play: Team A successfully kicks the extra point on the try. Team B:
(a) commits a substitution infraction
(b) roughs the kicker
Ruling: In both (a) and (b), Team A could elect to go for two points after Team B is penalized, or it could keep the point and have the penalty enforced on the kickoff or in a succeeding extra period.
Play: Second and 10 on Team A’s 30-yard line. A 10’s forward pass from his 24 yard line is first touched by ineligible A76, who tried to make the catch at his:
(a) 28-yard line
(b) 35-yard line
Ruling:
a) illegal touching, third and 17 from Team A’s 23-yard line (enforced five yards from the spot where A76 touched the pass)
b) offensive pass interference; third and 25 from Team A’s 15-yard line (7-5-13).
Play: Team A lines up as if to try a field goal and A11 is in kicking position. The ball is snapped to holder A22 who has his right knee on the ground. Without lifting the right knee, A22:
(a) hands the ball to A11
(b) throws a forward pass to eligible A83
Ruling: A22 must rise before handing off or passing. In (a) and (b) the ball is dead and the down is ended (4-2-2a EXC; 4.2.2A, B, C)
Play: Tight end A82 goes five yards downfield and blocks the cornerback in the left flat. After A82’s block, quarterback A12 completes a deep pass down the right sideline to eligible A24.
Ruling: Offensive pass interference by A82. 15-yard penalty from the previous spot and loss of down (7-5-11b).
Play: Runner A22 is tackled inbounds at the 50 yard line. A second or two later, A33 and B27 begin punching each other. During the fight, subs A13 and B15 leave their team boxes and enter the field, but neither fights.
Ruling: A33 and B27 are flagged (personal fouls) for fighting, A13 and B15 are flagged (unsportsmanlike conduct) for leaving their team areas. Each offender is penalized 15 yards and all four are disqualified, but may remain within their team areas.
Play: During the pregame, Team A’s head coach shows the umpire a cast being worn by center A53, who has a broken arm. Team A’s head coach then produces a physician’s written note. The umpire then inspects the cast and rules it is not properly padded or there is something else that makes the cast illegal. A53 ignores the officials and plays.
Ruling: Unsportsmanlike conduct, 15 yards, succeeding spot, charged to Team A’s head coach. In addition, A53 cannot continue to participate unless the problem is corrected.
Play: Team K’s fourth-down scrimmage kick crosses the neutral zone, and as the ball is rolling along the ground K67 kicks it out of bounds.
Ruling: Because the basic spot is the previous spot in this situation, the penalty (if accepted by Team R) will be 15 yards from the previous spot, and fourth down will be replayed.
Play: A29 is lined up as a back within the free blocking zone when the ball is snapped. Lineman B62 “shoots the gap” and is clipped by A29 behind the neutral zone and within the free blocking zone before the ball crosses the neutral zone.
Ruling: Foul by A29. Penalize Team A 15 yards from the spot of the foul. A29 is not a lineman and hence is not allowed to clip anywhere on the field.
Play: Team K snaps the ball at Team R’s 31-yard line and attempts a field goal that is unsuccessful. The ball, untouched by Team R, rolls dead at the three-yard line.
Ruling: Team R takes possession first down and 10 at the three-yard line.
Play: Team K snaps the ball at Team R’s 32-yard line and attempts a field goal, which is unsuccessful. The ball is rolling on the ground when K83 is the first to touch it, at the 12-yard line. The ball goes out of bounds at the 10-yard line.
Ruling: An unsuccessful field goal is treated the same as a punt. Team R has a choice between the spot of first touching at R’s 12-yard line, or the out-of-bounds-spot at R’s 10-yard line (6-2-5).
Play: Ahead by six points in the fourth quarter, Team A has the ball, fourth and one at Team B’s 30 yard line. A12 is at the 28 yard line when he illegally hands the ball forward to A35 who is tackled at Team B’s 25 yard line with one second showing on the game clock.
Ruling: Team B will accept the penalty of five yards and loss of down. Team B will have the ball first and 10 at its own 33 yard line. The fact Team A would have made a first down is inconsequential. The clock was stopped to administer a penalty. Team B will be awarded a new series after the penalty enforcement and the clock will start on the snap. (5-1-2b).
Play: On fourth down, K40 attempts to punt the ball, but to avoid tacklers he runs three yards beyond the neutral zone and punts from his 33 yard line. K89 touches the ball at the 50 yard line and R36 recovers it at his 45 yard line where he is downed.
Ruling: Team R’s ball at the 45 yard line. The penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul. This is a live-ball foul and the loose ball is a fumble. The 15-yard penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul. Fourth down for Team K from their 18-yard line.
Play: Team K is in a scrimmage kick formation, third and 17, at its 42 yard line. K53 snaps the ball to K12, the deep back; immediately after releasing the ball, K53 is blocked by noseguard R79. K12 muffs the snap and downs the bal at his 25 yard line.
Ruling: Foul by R79 for roughing the snapper when Team A is in a scrimmage kick formation; automatic first down. That Team A did not kick the ball has no bearing on the ruling (9-4-5).
Play: After the second-down play, the downmarker skips third down and goes right to fourth down. On what appears to be fourth and five (should have been third and five), A32 runs for four yards. The officials realize the error:
(a) before the referee signals a first down for Team B
(b) after the referee signals a first down for Team B, but before the chains are moved.
Ruling:
a) A correction will be made. Team A’s ball fourth and one.
b) Once the referee signaled a first down for Team B, it was too late to make an adjustment; movement of the chains is not a factor. Team B’s ball (5-1-1A).
Play: On fourth down, Team A commits an illegal shift. Ball carrier A23 is stopped short of the line to gain, and B76 piles on after the ball is dead.
Ruling: If Team B declines the penalty for Team A’s illegal shift, it will keep possession of the ball and will have first down and 10 following enforcement of the penalty for its dead-ball foul.
Play: K3 punts and R35 signals for a fair catch. R26 catches the ball and is immediately tackled cleanly by K25. R26 fumbles when hit and the ball is recovered by K44.
Ruling: The ball became dead when caught by R26 and regardless of when the whistle was blown, R26 fumbled a dead ball and there can be no recovery by K44. The contact by K25 is not a foul because R26 did not signal for a fair catch.
Play: Third and 10 on Team A’s 20 yard line. Team A comes to the line with A49 at right tackle. Only four players on the line are numbered 50-79. Quarterback A7 yells “Shift,” and drops back 10 yards in a shotgun formation with a tailback on each side. He takes the long snap after a three-second count and throws a touchdown pass to A88.
Ruling: A legal play. At the snap, although the ball was passed, Team A was in a scrimmage kick formation and the numbering requirement does not apply.
Play: Immediately after A53 snaps from a scrimmage-kick formation and before A53 can look up to defend himself, B72 tries to shoot the gap between A53 and guard A66. In the process, B72 places a hand on and pushes down on A53’s right shoulder, causing him to fall.
Ruling: Legal play by B72 because he did not play directly through A53.
Editor’s Note: In their excellent publication, Officials Study Guide to NFHS Football Rules, George Demetriou and Rogers Redding point out that some shotgun formations are scrimmage kick formations, and that the snapper is protected in those situations.
Play: Fourth and three on the 50-yard line. At his 20-yard line, R41 gives an invalid fair catch signal while the punt is in flight well downfield. R41 then catches the kick at his 15-yard line.
Ruling: The ball is dead when possessed by any player. The five-yard penalty is assessed from the previous spot (the 50-yard line); Team K’s ball, first and 10 on Team R’s 45 yard line (6-5-7 Pen).
Play: K’s punt bounces on Team R’s 10 yard line and is then grabbed on one hop by R24 on his six yard line. R24 retreats into his end zone and is immediately tackled there for a safety. After R24 gained possession and while he was being tackled in the end zone, his facemask was incidentally grabbed by K53.
Ruling: The penalty is marked off five yards from the goal line and Team R has a first and 10.
Play: R24 is standing with one foot out of bounds when he receives Team K’s free kick before or after it touches the ground inbounds. When R24 touches the ball it is:
(a) beyond the sideline plane
(b) over the field of play and not over the sideline plane
Ruling:
a) A foul by Team K for a free kick out of bounds. The ball is out of bounds because it touches a player who is out of bounds.
b) R24 caused the ball to be out of bounds (6-1-8C)
Play: Fourth and three at Team R’s 20 yard line. As Team K kicks a successful field goal, R72 slaps K66 in the head at the line of scrimmage.
Ruling: Team K has the option of accepting the three points or canceling the score and retaining the ball after the penalty is enforced. The clock starts on the snap when a new series is awarded following a legal kick (8-4-3, 3-4-3c).
Play: Team K’s scrimmage kick crosses the neutral zone and is caught by deep receiver R29 at his 18 yard line. R29, unaware that short receiver R38 has given a valid fair catch signal, carries the ball for several yards and steps out of bounds
Ruling: The fair catch signal is a team commitment not to advance the ball, but only the signaler is prohibited from blocking. Team B has the ball first and 10 because the foul is between series (6-5-1, 6-5-2, 6-5-5).
Play: Second and 10 on Team A’s 20 yard line with 6:33 to go in the second period. A14 releases a forward pass when his passing hand is beyond the neutral zone and the rest of his body is not beyond the neutral zone.
Ruling: Legal play. A passer has crossed the neutral zone when either foot is beyond the neutral zone when the pass is released (7-5-1 and 7-5-2b).
Play: Team K kicks off from their 40-yard line. The kick is rolling on the ground when R20 at his 18-yard line kicks the ball which goes out of bounds at the 12-yard line.
Ruling: The result of the play gives the ball to Team R at the out-of-bounds spot. If Team K accepts he penalty for illegally kicking the ball, the enforcement is from the previous spot, which is the basic spot on a free kick (loose-ball play) (6-1-8c, 9-7-1, 10-4-2b).
Play: Team A is out of timeouts with first and goal on Team B’s eight yard line. A87 catches a pass and is tackled inbounds on Team B’s one yard line. During the down, A87 was flagged for pass interference and the penalty is accepted and marked off to Team B’s 23 yard line. The referee properly starts the game clock on the ready and time for the period expires before the ball can be snapped.
Ruling: The period must be extended for an untimed down because the foul occurred during the last timed down and the penalty was accepted.
Play: Third and seven at Team A’s six yard line. After the ball is dead following a gain to the nine yard line, B73 slugs A21 and then A56 slugs B73. After the ball is ready for play, Team A is flagged for violating the 25-second count.
Ruling: A56 and B73 are both ejected from the game. First down and 15 for Team A from its seven yard line. Team B’s foul gives Team A a first down at its 24, but the penalty for Team A’s foul puts the ball back at the 12 (half the distance). It is first and 10 because Team A’s foul was between series. The delay foul takes place after the ready-for-play signal, so the established line to gain remains fixed when the ball is moved back five yards to the seven, first and 15 (5-2-3).
Play: R39 CATCHES Team K’s long punt and returns it for five yards when he is hit and fumbles. K62 recovers the fumble and returns the ball to Team R’s 45-yard line where he fumbles. The ball rolls forward and out of bounds at Team R’s 40-yard line.
Ruling: First and 10 for Team K at Team R’s 40-yard line. Team K may advance its opponent’s fumble. Team K will have a first down at the out-of-bounds spot. The clock starts on the snap when either team is awarded a new series following a legal kick (4-3-2, 7-4-2, 3-4-3c).
Play: On a third down play lineman A70 runs three yards beyond the neutral zone without contacting an opponent. He then circles back and comes behind the neutral zone before A12 throws a legal forward pass that crosses the neutral zone. The ball is caught and the receiver tackled inbounds.
Ruling: Ineligible receiver downfield. Clock starts on the ready. Had A70 contacted an opponent downfield he could have been guilty of offensive pass interference. Ineligible receivers may not go beyond the expanded neutral zone until the ball is thrown. The penalty enforcement is the only reason for stopping the clock, so it starts on the ready (7-5-12, 3-4-2).
Play: Team A snaps the ball at Team B’s 40-yard line and punts. During the kick, B39 clips at his 26-yard line. To keep the ball from going into the end zone, A30 reaches across the plane of the goal line and bats the ball backward and out of bounds at the four-yard line.
Ruling: Team K has not fouled, because the batting occurred after the ball was dead. The result of the play is a touchback. The clipping penalty is during a loose-ball play and is enforced from the previous spot (8-5-3a1, 10-4-2b).
Play: On the last play of the second quarter, A19 loses five yards. B63 commits a personal foul:
(a) during the play
(b) after the ball is dead
Ruling:
a) if Team A accepts the penalty the period is extended for one untimed down
b) the half ended before the foul and the penalty will be enforced on the second-half kickoff.
Play: K12’s legal free kick is short and lands at Team R’s 48 where it is scooped on the bounce by K49 who takes it to Team R’s 30 yard line before being tackled.
Ruling: Team K is entitled to retain the ball, but cannot advance it. The ball is dead when K49 recovers it and it belongs to Team K at Team R’s 48-yard line.
Play: Third and seven with 45 seconds remaining in the game and Team A trailing. A23 sweeps left and gains four yards. As he is about to be tackled, he throws the ball backwards and out of bounds at the 48 yard line in an obvious attempt to stop the clock.
Ruling: Legal play. Fourth and four for Team A and the clock starts on the snap.
Play: On third down at Team A’s 35 yard line, A12 drops back to pass. He is unable to find a receiver and is under a heavy rush. Standing at his own 28 yard line, he throws the ball into an area where there are no eligible Team A receivers.
Ruling: Illegal forward pass for intentional grounding. Five yard penalty from the spot of the pass plus loss of down. Fourth down for Team A from its 23 yard line.
Play: On a kickoff, K27 kicks the ball near the sideline and it rolls out of bounds at Team R’s 20 yard line. Team R’s captain elects to take the ball at his 35 yard line and asks for it to be placed in the middle of the field.
Ruling: Team R’s request is denied. If the selected option is to take the ball 25 yards beyond where it was kicked, it must be placed at the hashmark nearest the sideline where it went out of bounds.
Play: Fourth and five at Team B’s 22 yard line. The ball carrier sweeps to his left, gains three yards to the 19 yard line, and fumbles. The ball rolls out of bounds at the 16 yard line.
Ruling: First and 10 for Team A at the 16 yard line. Had there not been a fumble, the play would have ended short of the line to gain.
Play: The ball is at the right hash mark and A25 is running in place or in motion near the (right) sideline at the snap. After the snap he runs nine yards downfield and blocks linebacker B62 below the waist toward the hash mark. The runner gains 12 yards.
Ruling: Foul for an illegal crackback block. A25 is restricted because he is in motion at the snap, and the block is illegal because it is within the 10-yard area and toward the original position of the ball. 15-yard penalty from the spot of the foul.
Play:After runner A26 crosses the goal line for a touchdown, B73 slugs A18.
Ruling: B73 is disqualified. The penalty will be enforced on the try; there is no option to have the penalty enforced on the kickoff or in any succeeding extra period.
Play:Second and 15 from Team A's five yard line. A6 drops back to pass and is sacked five yards deep in the end zone by B87 who twists A6's face mask in the process.
Ruling: The 15-yard penalty is enforced from the goal line. Second and five from Team A's 15 yard line.
Play: Fourth down for Team A at their eight-yard line. Under a heavy rush, A19 drops back into his end zone to pass. A79 is in the end zone where he catches A19's legal forward pass.
Ruling: The play ends when A79 is tackled . If A79 is tackled in the end zone, Team B must take a safety - no option. If A79 is tackled at the one-yard line, Team B may decline the penalty and have first and goal at that spot. The penalty for A79's foul results in a safety since the spot of the foul is in the end zone. If Team B accepts the penalty for the illegal touching, which includes loss of down, it is a safety since the foul (where the ball was touched) is in the end zone (7-5-13).
Play:K21 is in his end zone to punt the ball. He muffs the snap, the ball strikes the ground, and R87 bats it. The ball strikes a pylon at the intersection of the goal line and a sideline.
Ruling: The result of the play is a safety. However, there is a foul by R87 for batting the ball, so the penalty is enforced from the previous spot, with no automatic first down (9-7-2, 8-5-2b, 4-3-2).
Play:B69 is the nose guard (opposite the center) and A72 is the right offensive tackle. After the read and before the snap B69 lurches into the neutral zone and quickly returns to his position without making contact. Immediately following B69's first movement, A72 flinches and lifts his hand from the ground.
Ruling: A dead ball foul (encroachment) occurs when B69 enters the neutral zone. The clock starts on the ready only if it were running at the time the officials stopped play (7-1-6, 3-4-2).
Play: On a try, quarterback A12 sweeps right, crosses the neutral zone, and hands the ball forward to A41 who carries the ball into the end zone for an apparent score.
Ruling: Team B will accept the penalty, nullifying the score. Since the penalty for handing the ball forward beyond the neutral zone includes loss of down, the try ends and the distance penalty is not enforced.
Play: Team A trails by ten points. During Team A's touchdown run B73 commits a personal foul and time in the fourth period expires
Ruling: The game is over only if the points would not affect playoff qualification.
Play: On first and 10, Team A's quarterback runs beyond the neutral zone, retreats behind the neutral zone where he throws a forward pass from his 40 yard line. B37 contacts eligible A86 who catches the pass and runs for an apparent touchdown.
Ruling: The pass is legal and pass interference rules apply; although the penalty will be refused with preference going to the result of the play. The clock will start when the ensuing kickoff is legally touched (7-5-10, 10-5-4).
Play: On fourth down from their 20 yard line, Team K's punt barely crosses the neutral zone where it is untouched. R23, waiting for the ball to roll dead, is legally blocked above the waist by K64, causing R23 to touch the ball. In an attempt to get to the loose ball, K39 pushes R83 in the back above the waist, and K29 recovers and downs the ball at the Team K 27 yard line.
Ruling: The key here is that R23 is deemed not to have touched the ball, since he was blocked into it by A39. Thus, Team K may not legally touch the ball. A39's block in the back is clipping, and K29's touching is first touching (6-2-5, 3-4-3c, 9-3-5b, 10-4-2b).
Play: To start an overtime series, B23 intercepts a forward pass at his own four yard line and his momentum carries him into the end zone. He then carries the ball out of the end zone and is tackled at the three yard line.
Ruling: The ball is dead when Team B gains possession and Team A's series is over. Team B starts its series from the original 10 yard line (OT 5-1-1).
Play: At the snap A36 is positioned so that he is neither on the line nor in the backfield. He runs a down-and-out pattern and catches a legal forward pass for a 10-yard gain.
Ruling: Team A has committed three fouls: illegal formation, ineligible receiver downfield, and offensive pass interference. The latter includes loss of down (7-2-3, 7-5-10b, 7-5-12).
Play: On what appears to be fourth down, Team K punts and R41 is tackled on his 25 yard line. The officials now realize the previous play should have been third down: after the second down play, the down marker was incorrectly set to fourth down.
Ruling: A correction cannot be made because the error was discovered after a change of possession. It's Team R's ball on their 25 yard line.
Play: On fourth down, the kick by punter A72 is partially blocked, crosses the neutral zone, and is forced back behind the neutral zone where A89 kicks the ball out of bounds.
Ruling: Foul for illegally kicking the ball. The foul takes place behind the basic spot, so the enforcement is from the spot of the foul.
Play: Fourth and five from Team B's eight yard line. A13 throws the ball backward to A27 but the ball hits his shoulder pad and strikes the ground. In the scramble the ball bounces to the two yard line.
Ruling: Because A27 muffed the ball, it remains a backward pass until it is possessed or becomes dead. Thus, any Team A player may advance the ball. It also remains live when recovered by an opponent (7-4-2).
Play: B76 commits a substitution infraction on a play where A42 runs for a touchdown. After the ball is dead, A62 commits a personal foul.
Ruling: The penalty for B76's foul does not carry over and is automatically declined. The penalty for the dead-ball foul is enforced on the try. These fouls do not offset, since one is live-ball and the other is dead-ball (8-4-2, 10-2-4, 10-4-4b).
Play: On a try, quarterback A12 sweeps right, crosses the neutral zone, and hands the ball forward to A41 who carries the ball into the end zone for an apparent score.
Ruling: Team B will accept the penalty, nullifying the score. Since the penalty for handing the ball forward beyond the neutral zone includes a loss of down, the try ends and the distance penalty is not enforced.
Play: A32 is split far toward the sideline and is in motion toward the ball at the snap. A quarterback sneak play has taken the ball beyond he neutral zone when A32 blocks linebacker B57 in the front at the knees. A32 is three yards beyond the neutral zone when he makes his block.
Ruling: This is an illegal block because A32 was not stationary at the snap (9-3-2).
Play: After the referee whistles the ready, all Team A players move to the line and are set. A split second after center A53 legally moves the ball to snap it, B72 times the snap perfectly as he reaches in and knocks away the ball from A53. The ball hits the ground and B61 recovers.
Ruling: Once A53 legally moves the ball as part of the snap, it is legal for Team B players to touch the ball. Result: No foul, Team B takes over.
Play: Eligible receiver A88 pushes linebacker B56 five yards beyond the neutral zone and breaks open on a deep corner route. A10's pass is well over the head of A88 and lands out of bounds about 20 yards beyond him.
Ruling: A88 is guilty of offensive pass interference. The penalty is 15 yards from the previous spot, and loss of down. That the pass was uncatchable does not affect this ruling (7-5-10a).
Play: Second and seven at Team A's 35 yard line. After a running play ends inbounds at Team A's 40 yard line, B79 and A63 are flagged for fighting. It is not possible to determine who threw the first punch.
Ruling: The penalties cancel. Third and two at Team A's 40 yard line. B79 and A63 are ejected. The clock starts on the ready-for-play signal. Following the ejections, the down and distance remain the same since the penalties cancel (9-4-1, 10-2-4B).
Play: A12 throws a legal forward pass to eligible A30 who catches the ball and then fumbles. B23 recovers and returns the ball to his 39 yard line where A42 tackles him by twisting the face mask. B71 blocks below the waist from the front during B23's run.
Ruling: B71's block below the waist is illegal because it is not in the free blocking zone or against a runner. Team B's "hands are clean," so they may keep the ball by declining Team A's foul. The penalty for B71's foul is enforced under the all-but-one principle (9-3-2, 10-2-2, 10-4-3).
Play: Wide receiver A80 blocks the safety downfield just as quarterback A18 throws a legal forward pass. B10 intercepts and returns the ball for a touchdown.
Ruling: Fouls by the opponents of a team which scores a touchdown are automatically declined (10-5-4).
Play: While his team is on defense, B67 clips an opponent by pushing him from behind below the waist.
Ruling: Defensive players are never allowed to block from behind below the waist. The penalty, if accepted, will be enforced according to the "all-but-one" principle (9-3-5).
Play: Second and six at Team A’s 10-yard line. B8 scrambles back into his end zone and throws a forward pass to eligible A25 who catches it and is tackled at A’s 16-yard line. A70 held in the end zone.
Ruling: By rule this is a safety if the penalty is accepted (9-3-3-b-2-Pen).
Play: Team K’s field goal attempt strikes K36 beyond the neutral zone at Team R’s 13 yard line and rolls into the end zone. R48 picks up the ball and tries to advance it out of the end zone but fumbles. The ball is recovered in the end zone by K75.
Ruling: Team K is guilty of first touching, but that is not a foul. Since the ball can no longer score, it is dead as soon as it breaks the plane of the goal line and is a touchback. The 20 yard line is more advantageous than the spot of first touching.
Play: Second and 12 from Team A’s six yard line. Quarterback A19, in his end zone, is unable to find an open receiver. Under a heavy rush he throws the ball away. His forward pass hits lineman A71 in the back, also in his end zone, and falls incomplete.
Ruling: Because A71 did not bat, muff or catch the ball, there is no foul for A71 being touched by the ball. Thus the only foul is for intentional grounding, which would include loss of down if the foul occurred in the field of play. In this case acceptance of the penalty simply results in a safety as does the result of the play, since the run ended in the end zone (7-5-2-c, 8-5-2-c).
Play: Second and 18 at Team B’s 40 yard line. After throwing a legal forward pass, quarterback A12 is roughed by B61. A84 catches the ball and runs to Team B’s six yard line where he fumbles. B12 recovers the fumble, advances the ball to his 28 yard line where he fumbles. A29 recovers and is downed at the 30 yard line.
Ruling: Team B is penalized from the previous spot. The penalty for a roughing foul is enforced from the previous spot because there was a change of team possession during the down. Since Team A is awarded a first down, the clock starts on the ready – the change of possession does not affect the starting of the clock (9-4-3 Pen, 3-4-2a).
Play: Before the snap and with the game clock running, B79 jumps into the neutral zone and gets back without making contact. His action causes lineman A65 (lined up directly across from B79) to lift his hand from the ground, and he falls forward into the neutral zone without making contact.
Ruling: This is a dead-ball encroachment foul against the defense. The foul was the only reason for stopping the clock, so it will start on the ready-for-play signal.
Play: On a two-point try attempt A86 holds B46 in the end zone during a legal forward pass that crosses the neutral zone. Eligible A27 catches the pass in the end zone. Team B accepts he penalty.
Ruling: Team A is penalized for offensive pass interference rather than holding. It includes loss of down, so the try is not replayed (7-5-10 Pen, 8-3-4).
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