Fouls During a Try After a Change of Team Possession
ARTICLE 4.
a. Penalties against either team are declined by rule. (Exception: Penalties for flagrant personal fouls, unsportsmanlike conduct fouls, dead-ball personal fouls and live-ball fouls treated as dead-ball fouls are enforced on the succeeding kickoff or at the succeeding spot in extra periods. See Rule 8-3-5.)
Approved Ruling 8-3-4 I. B15 intercepts Team A’s legal forward pass and is running at midfield when tackled by A19, who grasps and pulls B15’s face mask. RULING: The penalty is declined by rule and the try is ended.
Approved Ruling 8-3-4 II. B1 intercepts Team A’s legal forward pass and runs it to midfield. During the run of the interception, B2 clips in Team B’s end zone. RULING: The penalty is declined by rule.
b. A score by a team committing a foul during the down is canceled. (Exception: Live-ball foul treated as a dead-ball foul.)
Approved Ruling 8-3-2 VII. On a try attempt, B1 intercepts Team A’s legal forward pass in his end zone. He runs the ball across Team A’s goal line, and (a) there are no fouls during the run, (b) B3 clips during the run or (c) A2 fouls during the run. RULING: (a) Award Team B two points. (b) No score, the try is ended, and the penalty is declined by rule. (c) Award Team B two points, and the penalty is declined by rule (Rules 8-3-1 and 8-3-4a and 8-3-4b).
c. If both teams foul during the down and Team B had not fouled before the change of possession, the fouls cancel, the down is not repeated, and the try is over. (Exception: Penalties for flagrant personal fouls, unsportsmanlike conduct fouls, dead-ball personal fouls and live-ball fouls treated as dead ball fouls are enforced on the succeeding kickoff or at the succeeding spot in extra periods. See Rule 8-3-5.)
Approved Ruling 8-3-4 III. During a two-point try attempt, Team A is flagged for an illegal shift. B21 recovers a fumble and on the return, B45 clips and A80 punches an opponent. B21 carries the ball across the goal line. RULING: The score does not count, the fouls cancel, the down is not repeated and the try is ended. A80’s foul for fighting will be enforced on the succeeding kickoff or at the succeeding spot in extra periods. A80 is ejected.
Approved Ruling 8-3-4 IV. During a two-point try attempt, Team A is flagged for an illegal shift. B21 recovers a fumble and on the return, A80 punches an opponent. B21 carries the ball across the goal line. RULING: The score counts and the penalty for A80’s flagrant foul is enforced on the succeeding kickoff or at the succeeding spot in extra periods. A80 is ejected.
