Determining the Enforcement Spot and the Basic Spot
ARTICLE 2.
e. For Team B fouls during a legal forward pass play: Penalty enforcement for Team B for personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct is at the end of the last run when it ends beyond the neutral zone and there is no change of team possession during the down. (Rule 7-3-12)
Approved Ruling 7-3-12 I. A11 throws a forward pass intended for A88. During the play defensive end B88 is flagged for a head-slap to tackle A79. The pass to A88 is (a) complete for a 10-yard gain to the A-30 where A88 is tackled. (b) incomplete or intercepted. RULING: (a) The penalty is enforced at the end of the run, which is the A-30; first and 10 for Team A at the A-45. (b) The penalty is enforced at the previous spot, first and 10 for Team A at the A-35. (Rule 9-1 Penalty)
Approved Ruling 9-1-2 III. A11 completes a forward pass to A88 who is tackled in the field of play. During the play defensive end B88 is flagged for a personal foul against A79. RULING: The 15-yard penalty is enforced at the spot where A88 is tackled (Rules 7-3-12 and 9-1 Penalty).
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 I. A kickoff untouched by Team B goes out of bounds after illegal touching by Team A. Team A is flagged for holding or a personal foul during the kick. RULING: Team B has these options: It may snap the ball at the spot of the illegal touching; accept a five-, 10- or 15-yard penalty from the previous spot with Team A re-kicking; snap the ball five, 10 or 15 yards beyond the spot where the ball went out of bounds; or snap the ball 30 yards beyond Team A’s restraining line.
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 II. A Team A fumble or backward pass is loose in Team A’s end zone, where A33 kicks or bats the ball. RULING: Penalty—Safety (Rule 8-5-1b).
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 III. A55 clips in Team B’s end zone during a scrimmage kick that touches B44 in the field of play. RULING: Penalty—15 yards. Enforcement is either at the previous spot (Team A retaining possession) or at the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B.
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 IV. Team A punts from its end zone and the ball is returned to the A-30. A23 clips B35 in Team A’s end zone during the return. RULING: Penalty—15 yards from the basic spot, which is the end of the run (the A-30). Team B’s ball, first and 10.
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 V. Team A punts from its end zone and the ball is returned to the A-30 where it is fumbled. A23 clips in Team A’s end zone during the fumble. The ball is recovered in the field of play. RULING:Penalty—15 yards from the basic spot, which is the spot of the fumble, the A-30. Team B’s ball, first and 10.
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 VI. Team A’s untouched punt from its end zone goes out of bounds at Team A’s 40-yard line. A2, in his end zone, clips Team B before the ball is kicked. RULING: Penalty—Safety (Rule 9-1 Penalty) or Team B may snap the ball at the Team A 25-yard line after enforcement of the penalty from where the ball went out of bounds.
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 VII. Team A snaps at its one-yard line, and ball carrier A1 is downed on his five-yard line. Team B commits a personal foul in the end zone while the ball is in play. RULING: Penalty—15 yards from the basic spot (five-yard line).
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 VIII. During a punt B1 holds A2 behind or beyond the neutral zone after the kick crosses the neutral zone and before it has touched Team B. RULING: Penalty—10 yards. Subject to post-scrimmage kick enforcement if Team B is next to snap the ball.
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 IX. During A1’s run, B25 fouls 10 yards beyond the neutral zone. After advancing 30 yards, A1 fumbles. B48 recovers and carries the ball across Team A’s goal line. RULING: Penalize Team B from the basic spot, which is the spot of the fumble. Team A retains possession of the ball (Rule 5-2-3).
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 X. First and 10 at the A-30. A1 advances the ball to the B-40, where he is downed. During the run B1 clips on Team A’s 45-yard line. RULING: Penalty—15 yards at the B-40, which is the basic spot. First and 10 at the B-25.
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 XI. First and 10 at the A-40. A1 advances to the B-40, where he fumbles. During A1’s run or during the fumble B2 commits a personal foul at the 50-yard line. B1 recovers the fumble and returns the ball across Team A’s goal line. RULING: Penalty—15 yards from the basic spot, which is the end of the related run (Team B’s 40-yard line) and first down for Team A.
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 XII. During the return of a scrimmage kick, B40 blocks A80 in the back above the waist at the B-25. Team B’s ball carrier is downed with the ball in his possession at Team B’s 40-yard line. RULING: Team B foul, illegal block in the back. Penalty—10 yards from the spot of the foul. Team B’s ball, first and 10, from its 15-yard line.
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 XIII. Team B intercepts a legal forward pass, and the player who threw the pass is fouled during the return. RULING: Team B’s ball, first down and 10, after enforcement of the penalty (Rules 2-27-5, 5-2-4 and 9-1).
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 XIV. B1 intercepts a legal forward pass (not a try) deep in his end zone and is unable to get out of the end zone, where he is downed. During the run, B2 clips A1 (a) at the B-25 (b) at the B-14; (c) in the end zone. RULING: The basic spot is the B-20. (a) First and 10 at the B-10. (b) First and 10 at the B-7. (c) Safety. (Rules 8-5-1b, 8-6-1 and 10-2-2d-2a).
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 XV. B17 intercepts a legal forward pass (not a try) deep in his end zone and, as he attempts to run the ball out, A19 clips in the end zone. After the foul and before B17 leaves the end zone, B17 fumbles with A26 recovering on the two-yard line. RULING: Penalty—15 yards from the goal line. Team B’s ball, first and 10 at its 15-yard line (Rule 10-2-2d-2c).
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 XVI. After a safety, Team A punts the ball at Team A’s 20-yard line. The ball goes out of bounds untouched by Team B. RULING: Team B captain has the choice of the down being repeated at the A-15, or of putting the ball in play at the 50-yard line or five yards beyond the inbounds spot.
