1. A, 4/12, B-30. The QB completes a legal forward pass to a legal receiver at the B-20, where he is tackled. Just after the QB released the pass at the B-37, defensive player grabbed QB's facemask and immediately released it.
2. It is legal for a player to execute a BSB outside the FBZ with forceful contact if initiated with open hands or initiate a screening-style block which is not forceful.
3. During the Pregame Conference with the Referee and Umpire, the home head coach verified all his players are legally equipped. During a down, a home team player wears an illegal jersey which ends just below the numbers, exposing his midriff above his pants.
4. A, 2/5, A-35. An eligible receiver goes out of bounds at the A-45 to avoid contacting an official. He immediately returns inbounds at the A-48 and catches a legal forward pass at the B-45, where he is downed.
5. Time for the first half expires as the runner advances to the B-33, where he is tackled. After the runner gets up but before the Referee holds the ball in one hand over his head, a defensive player punches the runner. The offensive team accepts the penalty.
6. An onside kick off is attempted from the K-40, and the kick travels to the K-46, where a kicker recovers it. During the kick, no receiver blocks, and a kicker blocks a receiver at the R-49.
7. A defensive player intercepts a pass and runs it in for a TD. At the A-5, he turns back to an offensive player and holds the ball out toward an offensive player who is pursuing the interceptor. Still holding the ball out to the offensive player, the interceptor crosses the goal line.
8. The QB's forward pass is intercepted by a defensive player and run back for a touchdown. During the runback, an offensive player uses his shoulder to blindside block a defender.
The cases talk about grabbing teammates jerseys but what about on the line during a try when the linemen take a step to interlock their legs? Interlocking the legs is permissible by center and guard only.
CB9.2.1.h - An ineligible A Player can only legally touch a muffed pass if a B Player touches the ball first.
Context (part of rule or case): b. Grasp or encircle any teammate to form interlocked blocking.
This rule and the cases and the supporting explanations in 2.3.5 in helping to understand the difference and distinction between Illegal Use of Hands; Holding; and Pass Interference and where it applies. CB9.2.3.C- Defensive Players can legally block A Players who are targeted behind the LOS while the ball is in flight. They cannot tackle said players as it is defensive Holding.
Situation J: I understand what Situation J is saying; however, it is stated in a rule that this is permissible (permissible if it is part of a continuous block or charge after first contact was above the waist?
Situation B: I understand that a block below the waist should be an initial, immediate action following the snap but I want to confirm it is legal to take a sidestep and then block below the waist if the B lineman is in a gap?
Look at pad level - as long as the shoulder pads are not rising and then going down it is ok.
Yes it is permissible to have a block below the waist as long at the block started above the waist and it was continuous. Like the block in the back. If the initial contact if from the side and the block ended in the back. It would be a legal block.
No sidestep must be first move.
Context (part of rule or case): 9.3.2 Situation J - RULING: Legal block in (a). It is permissible for A1’s block to be below the waist if it is part of a continuous block or continuous charge after first contact was above the waist.
9.3.2 Situation B - B1 is in a gap and Al has to take a step to get to him before initiating contact below the waist but is continually moving toward B1 after the snap; it is viewed as a legal block in the case.
A kick ends when possession is gained or the ball is ruled dead. (6-4)
Context (part of rule or case): Receiver who has given legal or illegal fair catch signal shall not block until the kick has ended
I understand in the free-blocking zone. A block below the waist has to be immediate at the snap. So in this situation A1 drops back a step at the snap. Then re-enters the free blocking zone and clips B2 at the line of scrimmage. So once you leave the free blocking zone you can't re-enter and block below the waist?
9.3.6 Comment - I am confused reading this comment regarding whether or not an official sees the initial point of contact and if it should be ruled clipping.
The ball is mostly out of the zone and therefore there in no longer a FBZ. This would be a foul.
The first part of the comment talks about seeing the whole play then ruling whether it is a foul or not. The second part is that you did see the whole play and you are questioning on whether contact was behind or not. When in question it is a foul for clipping.
Context (part of rule or case): Situation A: Illegal Blocking
9.3.6 COMMENT: Clipping is a block against an opponent when the initial contact is from behind, at or below the waist, and not against a player who is a runner or pretending to be a runner. Such cases shall not be ruled clipping and/ or blocking in the back unless the game official sees the initial contact. When in doubt, the contact is legal and not from behind. When the contact is ruled to be from behind, and the game official has questions as to the initial point of contact, it shall be ruled clipping.
From 6-1-6: Any K player may recover the ball before it goes beyond R's free-kick line if it is touched first by any receiver. Such touching in the neutral zone by R is ignored if it is caused by K pushing or blocking R into contact with the ball or if K muffs the ball into contact with R. Any K player may recover a free kick if it has both touched the ground and goes beyond the plane of R's free-kick line. The two requirements may occur in any order.
Context (part of rule or case): The kicking team is eligible to recover a free kicked ball
Can we discuss the difference between a personal foul and UNS?
UNS = non contact football acts
PF = illegal contact
Some fouls might be either (throwing helmet - at a player vs down the field)
This may sound like a stupid question but what if a head coach ask to speak to the referee with I-pad in hand and wants to show the fight. Obviously this act is not allowed correct?
Only acceptable use of an I-Pad during a game is to correct the down (best to check with both sides)
Context (part of rule or case): Situation A: Fighting not fighting
With the ball on B's 2 yard line and between downs, a fight starts between A1 and B1. The game officials do not know which player struck the first blow. We still disqualify both A1 and B1 and signal personal fouls but the penalties cancel 10-2-5b,c.
Incomplete pass - dead ball foul (from succeeding spot) and live ball foul (from previous spot) - aren't these the same spot? Is the difference if there was also a live ball foul before the dead ball foul then the succeeding spot would be after that enforcement?
On an incomplete pass there is no succeeding spot. There is only a previous spot.
Context (part of rule or case): Situation F
Can we get an example for this please?
Usually these are some kind of personal fouls or roughing calls.
Context (part of rule or case): 9.5.1.E
Question: I understand that these acts are a 15 yard unsportsmanlike foul. Their no warnings at all penalty must be enforced? Also if the same foul happens a second time the player will be disqualified?
Players and coaches have been warned prior to the start of the season. All UNS must be penalized to keep control of the game.
Context (part of rule or case): Section 5 Noncontact unsportsmanlike conduct by players.
Art. 2 When the ball becomes dead in possession of a player, he shall not:
a. Intentionally kick the ball,
b. Spike the ball into the ground,
c. Throw the ball
high into the air or from the field of play or end zone,
d. Intentionally fail to
place the ball on the ground or immediately return it to a nearby game official. - (MG).
Illegal Participation Table
When an offensive player, or a kicking team player, goes out of bounds voluntarily or by accident, or delays his return after being blocked out by an opponent, he commits an illegal participation foul when he returns inbounds. The spot of the foul is where he returns inbounds.
Context (part of rule or case): A or K may not go out of bounds unless blocked out.
2-29-1 Definition of out of bounds player. An out of bounds player jumps from OB towards the field of play, and while airborne, touches the pass. Incomplete pass & no foul.
Context (part of rule or case): No player may INTENTIONALLY go out of bounds.
How is this different from first touching? Can R take possession at first batting?
First touching is a violation, and illegal batting is a foul.
Context (part of rule or case): EXCEPTION: A K player may bat toward his own goal line a grounded scrimmage kick which is beyond the neutral zone and may also bat toward his own goal line a scrimmage kick in flight beyond the neutral zone, if no R player is in position to catch the ball.
