Offensive Team Requirements—Prior to the Snap
ARTICLE 3. Each of the following (a-d) is a dead-ball foul. Officials should blow the whistle and not allow the play to continue. After the ball is ready for play and before it is snapped:
b. Nine-Yard Marks.
1. Each Team A substitute must have been between the nine-yard marks. Team A players who participated in the previous down must have been between the nine-yard marks after the previous down and before the next snap.
Approved Ruling 3-3-4 I. Before the snap, a legal substitute of either team running from the bench requests a timeout before being within the nine-yard marks. He then requests a timeout again after being within the nine-yard marks. RULING: Initial timeout request not granted. Second request granted (Rule 7-1-3b).
2. All Team A players must have been between the nine-yard marks after a charged team timeout, an injury timeout, a media timeout or the end of a period.
PENALTY—[a-d] Dead-ball foul: Five yards from the succeeding spot. [S7 and S19 or S7 and S20].
