Rule 7, Case 7

Quiz / Scenarios

1. A, 4/Goal, B-8. The QB’s pass is complete to an eligible receiver in B’s end zone. During the play, the receiver pushed off the free safety to give the receiver room to make the catch.

Answer: D

2. 2/10, A-40. The QB drops back to the A-30 and throws a pass that is caught by the tailback, an eligible receiver at the A-33. The tailback throws a forward pass downfield. At the B-23, a cornerback interferes with another eligible receiver, preventing a catch.

Answer: C

3. A, 3/4, B-26. Team A uses a hurry-up offense as it quickly moves to its line of scrimmage. A flanker, who is still in the game after running a pass pattern in the middle of the field on the previous play, did not enter his team’s huddle and goes to a position about a yard inside the sideline before the ready for play signal. Before the snap, a cornerback comes over and covers the flanker. At the snap, the flanker goes downfield and catches a pass at the B-20 where he is tackled. The covering official rules the flanker’s act was not an attempt to deceive. By rule, the result is

Answer: B

4. It is forward pass interference if any player hinders an opponent’s vision without making an attempt to catch, intercept or bat the ball, even though no contact was made.

Answer: B

5. On 3rd down, The QB drops back to attempt a pass. As his arm is moving forward, he is hit; and the ball pops backward into the air. A defensive player tries to catch the ball and muffs it, and A56 catches the ball behind the line of scrimmage and is tackled immediately.

Answer: D

6. Fourth down. The punter is in position 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage, in position to receive the long snap. On the line of scrimmage are three K players numbered 50-79 and four K players numbered 80-99. Legal formation.

Answer: B

7. An offensive lineman contacts a defensive player at the line of scrimmage and drives him back 4 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, when the QB throws a legal forward pass to an eligible receiver beyond the line of scrimmage. No foul for ineligible A player downfield or for offensive pass interference because the offensive lineman had continuous contact.

Answer: B

8. Pass interference restrictions on a legal forward pass end for:

Answer: D

Point of Emphasis

Formations

Linemen are legally on the line of scrimmage when they face their opponent’s goal line and have head or foot breaking the imaginary plane through the waist of the snapper. It has become fairly common to see guards or tackles line up a yard or two off the ball to aid in pass blocking or pulling. Doing so provides a significant advantage for the offense and should be addressed at the first opportunity by coaches and game officials.

Rule

Questions

Insights

7.1

7.1.1

7.1.2

Snapper may tilt the ball upward on its point prior to the snap but not change the placement of the ball. He may also spin or lift and spin to get the laces correct. Cannot change ends of the ball or advance the ball. Warn, get Umpire involved, then flag.

7.1.3

7.1.4

7.1.5

7.1.6

7.1.6.b/c Any attempt to contact the ball throughout the duration of the snap action is an encroachment on the defense.

Context (part of rule or case): Defense attempts to disrupt snap

7.1.7

On third and 10 from A's 40-yard line, all team A players are set. While quarterback A1 is calling signals, defensive back B1, starting from a position eight yards behind his line of scrimmage, runs towards the neutral zone. B1 stop directly in front of tackle A4 but does not enter the neutral zone. In response A4 flinches. A4 is guilty of a dead-ball foul for false start.

7-1-7c After ready for play, Offensive linemen may not rise from their stance to get a new play if their hand(s) were on or near the ground...below their knees. 

Question: How does the covering official make a judgement call for disconcerting act? Any action by the defense that is not normal through shifting. Either jumping towards the neutral zone of interfering with the cadence.

7-1-8

7.1.9

Disconcerting Act - Signal 23 hand behind head. May warn, may penalize! 

7.2

7.2.1

Clarification on the enforcement scenarios:
1) K's illegal formation enforced from the previous spot and rekick (4-13, K,15) and then the personal foul enforced. Wouldn't the 15 yards make it first down for K on the K,30?
2) K's illegal formation enforced from the end of the run (not included in the scenario), but that would make it R's ball no matter what because the kick was finished before the PF occurred. 

Context (part of rule or case): Situation B: Illegal formation on K, followed by R's personal foul and disqualification after the kick

7.2.2

7-2-2 Guards can lock legs with the snapper.

7.2.3

 

7-2-3 and 7-2-5 Formations Points of Emphasis as indicated above.

7.2.4

What does a legal snap look like on a swinging gate play? 

Must be a quick and smooth movement.

7.2.5

What if they are not in a scrimmage kick formation? Or shift out of a scrimmage kick formation? Also: "must assume an initial position...between the ends and remains ineligible..." (Question 2: if A sets into a Scrimmage Kick formation between 1st and 3rd down and the snapper is wearing 0-49, 80-99 - the rest of the line has to be 50-79?)

Exceptions 1 & 2

The numbering exception does not apply to the swinging gate unless there is a holder and kicker in place by rule. If there is no kicker than the offensive line must be numbered 50-79.

7.2.6

7.2.7

The quarterback by voice command has signaled his teammates to assume a set position while he is standing upright behind the center. The quarterback steps forward and places his hands under the center to receive the snap.


(b) which is made after he is motionless, but prior to one second having elapsed. 

Player going in motion from the LOS.

Question: The ruling in (b) was a illegal shift. How does an official determine 1 second pause before a snap? Comment : If the quarterback drops his hands under the snapper without stepping forward, it is a shift and not motion? Correct.

Need to see where the player was before the motion started and check depth of motion if they were not in the backfield when they started. Correct. The player must shift into the backfield then go into motion.

Context (part of rule or case): Illegal Motion, Shift

7.2.8

7.3

7.3.1

7.3.2

Language here is throwing me off. Forward handing, 2-19-2: Forward handing occurs when the runner releases the ball when the entire ball is beyond the yard line where the runner is positioned. Could someone demonstrate this to me? 

Mostly on Free kicks this may occur. Or pressure situation. Forward progress may help in shutting down everything after.

Context (part of rule or case): Comment on Forward Handing

7.3.3

7.4

7.4.1

7.4.2

7.4.3

7.4.4

7.5

Pass Interference Table

7.5.1

7-5-2d Review the mechanics when this exception comes into play. 

Only legal to spike the ball to save time not yardage. Game awareness and presence. Make sure it is an actual forward pass and hits the ground before killing the play. Never assume.

Context (part of rule or case): Illegal Forward Pass

Spiking to conserve yardage vs spiking to conserve time

7.5.2

Table 7-5-2

7.5.3

7.5.4

Table 7.5.4

7.5.5

7.5.6

DPI only if ball is beyond NZ - Mechanics - "Behind/Beyond" 

7.5.7

7.5.8

7.5.9

7.5.10

The key is "interferes with opportunity to MOVE TOWARDS, CATCH, OR BAT THE PASS." 

7.5.11

Would we call the holding call even though the pass was away from the inflicted receiver? Would we use some discretion to understand if the hold changed the QBs play? 

It would be your judgement on whether to call a hold away from the play. It should be pretty obvious otherwise talk to the player and let them know. Once you call this away from the play you will open it up to be called all the time. 

Context (part of rule or case): Situation A: B grabs A11's jersey but pass is not to A11.

7.5.12

7.5.13

Table 7-5

Flanks must assist Umpire with this call if they are away from the action.