The horse-collar foul is enforced as a live-ball foul.
If the game is interrupted due to weather during the last three minutes of the second period, and the delay is at least 30 minutes, the opposing coaches can mutually agree to shorten halftime intermission, provided there is at least a one-minute intermission (not including the three-minute warm-up period).
A player or nonplayer can trip an opponent.
The penalty for illegal kicking or batting is 10 yards.
At the snap, at least five A players numbered 50-79 shall be on their line of scrimmage and no more than four A players may be backs.
At the time the ball is kicked on a free kick, at least four K players must be on each side of the kicker.
It is legal for a player positioned directly behind the snapper, either under center or in shotgun/pistol, to conserve time by intentionally throwing the ball forward to the ground immediately after receiving the snap that has neither been muffed nor touched the ground.
The play clock is set to 25 seconds when an official's time-out is taken for an injury to a defensive player or a defensive player has an equipment issue.
Following a legal kick when either team is awarded a new series, the play clock will be set to 25 seconds.
It is not a foul for non-contact face-guarding on a forward pass.
Twenty-five seconds will be on the play clock and start on the ready-for-play signal prior to a try following a score.
The kicker or place-kick holder may be blocked as soon as the kick has touched the ground or any other player.
A disconcerting act foul is a 10-yard penalty.
When a backward pass strikes the ground, the ball becomes dead.
A simultaneous catch or recovery involves joint possession of a live ball by opposing players while one or both are inbounds.
A foul is a rule infraction for which a penalty is prescribed.
A down begins when the ball is marked ready-for-play.
A player is in the free-blocking zone when any part of his body is in the zone at the snap.
The entire team may come near the sideline between downs to communicate with the coaches.
A horse-collar foul is grabbing the inside back or side collar, or the nameplate area (directly below the back collar), of either the shoulder pads or the jersey of the runner and subsequently pulling (backward or sideward) the runner to the ground, even if possession is lost.
The basic spot, at the option of the offended team, may be the succeeding spot for fouls by K during a legal free or scrimmage kick down (other than kick-catch interference) prior to the end of the kick when K will not be next to put the ball in play.
The down is ended when a live ball goes out of bounds.
A ball without any stripes is legal for use if both coaches agree to use it.
The passer continues to be a passer until the legal forward pass ends or the passer moves to participate in the play.
If a player is not properly equipped, that player is removed from the game for at least one down.
A back may not wear a jersey with a number 50 through 79.
The numbers 0 and 00 are legal numbers on a player’s jersey.
Jerseys may not be altered to produce a knot-like protrusion or a tear-away type jersey.
Hip pads, tailbone protector, knee pads and thigh guards may not be altered from the manufacturer’s original design/production.
Receivers may legally apply sticky foreign material on their hands as an aid in catching the ball.
Contacting the opponent’s face mask with the hand is not a face-mask foul unless the mask is grasped.
If B1 intercepts and is downed; and then A1 and A2 both pile on, it is a multiple foul.
The penalty for targeting an opponent is 10 yards.
The spot of a player foul is where the foul occurs.
Illegal motion is a foul at the snap.
A fumble is the touching of a loose ball by a player in an unsuccessful attempt to secure possession.
It is illegal use of hands if an offensive player (except the runner) grasps or encircles any teammate to form interlocked blocking.
First touching of a kick by K is ignored if the penalty for a foul during the down is accepted.
A kick ends as soon as R1 touches the kick.
A foul can cause the loss of the ball.
A live ball is in player possession or is loose.
Once the ball has been placed down and is ready for play, each player of A who participated in the previous down and each substitute for A must have been, momentarily, between the 9-yard marks before the snap.
The players on each side of and next to the snapper may lock legs with the snapper and may stand, crouch or kneel.
B players may be anywhere on or behind their line of scrimmage.
If end A1 accidentally goes out of bounds and returns during the down, he becomes an ineligible pass receiver.
A player who is an eligible receiver at the snap may become ineligible during the down.
A backward pass ends when it is caught, recovered or is out of bounds.
A passer is a player who throws a forward or backward pass.
The penalty for both offensive and defensive pass interference fouls is 15 yards.
A forward pass is a pass thrown with its initial direction toward the opponent’s end line.
If runner A1, who is beyond the neutral zone, tosses the ball forward, he has thrown an illegal forward pass.
When the same team commits a live-ball foul followed by one or more dead-ball fouls, all fouls cannot be penalized.
A fair catch can be made in or behind K's neutral zone.
When a penalty is accepted the number of the next down is the same as if the foul had not occurred.
A catch of an opponent’s fumble or pass is called a recovery.
If a forward pass is caught simultaneously by A1 and B1 the ball becomes dead and belongs to Team A.
If B1 intercepts a forward pass in B’s end zone and drops to one knee, it is a safety.
During a scrimmage kick, the kicker remains a kicker until the ball is in flight beyond the neutral zone.
If a scrimmage kick becomes dead inbounds with no player in possession, it is awarded to R.
If snapper A1 makes an illegal snap and B1 recovers, the ball belongs to Team B.
The snap begins when the snapper moves the ball by tilting it on end during adjustment.
Any coach may request a time-out.
The referee may correct an obvious timing error after a period has officially ended, if discovery is prior to the second live ball following the error.
The game officials are responsible for ensuring that there is a three-minute warm-up period posted on the game clock and that the game clock starts immediately after the halftime intermission expires.
When a team attempts to conserve or consume time illegally, the referee shall order the game or play clock started or stopped.
If runner A1 touches B1 while B1 is out of bounds, A1 is also out of bounds.
On kicks going into K’s end zone, force is not a factor.
A roughing the passer foul by B gives A an automatic first down.
The penalty for an illegal forward pass from beyond the neutral zone is 10 yards and loss of down.
No player shall intentionally go out of bounds during the down and influence the play.
A pop up kick is legal.
A player shall not chop block or clip.
Before the ready-for-play, A may designate the spot from which the ball is put in play anywhere between the hash marks following an awarded fair catch.
The game officials are responsible for ensuring that there is only a one-minute intermission between periods for changing goals.
A measurement may be requested by the captain prior to the ball being ready for play, but it may be denied if, in the referee's opinion, it is obvious the line to gain has or has not been reached.
A1 is in shotgun formation, lined up seven yards behind the line of scrimmage ready to receive the snap. Immediately after the snap to A1, A2 initiates his block immediately after the snap and blocks B1 below the waist and the block is an immediate, initial action. Both A2 and B1 were in the zone and on the line of scrimmage at the snap. The contact between A2 and B1 takes place in the free-blocking zone.
Legal block
Illegal block
1st/10 at A 25 yardline. QB A14 drops back and is tackled/sacked for a loss back to his own 20 yardline. The defensive player B55 tackles the QB by grabbing and pulling the QB’s facemask.
The penalty is enforced from the end of the run.
The penalty is enforced from the previous spot
1st/10 at A 25 yardline. QB A14 drops back and throws an incomplete pass to receiver A80. During the play the defensive player B55 grabs and pulls the offensive tackle’s facemask at the A20 yardline as he rushes the QB.
The penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul
1st/10 at A 25 yardline. QB A14 hands off to running back A32 who sweeps around the end to the A30 yardline where he is down. During the run, defensive back B17 grabs and twists the facemask of receiver A88 at the A 35 yardline.
The penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul.
The penalty is enforced from the previous spot.
1st/10 at A 25 yardline. QB A14 drops back and throws an incomplete pass to receiver A80. During the play, but before the pass, the defensive player B55 holds receiver A88 at the A 40 yardline. The holding occurred before the pass was thrown.
1st/10 at A 25 yardline. QB A14 hands off to running back A32 who sweeps around the end to the A30 yardline where he is down. During the run, wide receiver A88 holds defensive back B17 at the A 35 yardline.
1st/10 at A 30 yardline. QB A14 drops back and throws an incomplete pass to receiver A80. Prior to the pass being thrown, wide receiver A88 grabs and pulls the face mask of defensive back B17 as they run together downfield.
1st/10 at A 25 yardline. QB A14 hands off to running back A32 who sweeps around the end to the A50 yardline where he is down. During the run, wide receiver A88 holds the defensive back B17 at the A 40 yardline.
1st/10 at A 40 yardline. QB A14 drops back and throws an incomplete pass to receiver A80. During the play the offensive tackle A75 grabs and restricts (holding) the defensive tackle B82 in the offensive backfield at the A 35 yardline.
First and 10 for team A from its 20-yard line. B1 roughs the passer at the A15 yardline, as eligible A2 catches the legal forward pass and runs to team B’s four-yard line, where he fumbles. The ball strikes the goal line pylon.
The penalty is enforced from the end of the run (touchback).
Team A has the ball, second and five from its own 25-yard line. Al runs to his 40-yard line, where he hands the ball forward to A2. A2 gains five yards before he is tackled. How is the play handled?
The entire receiving team retreats, expecting a long kick, but K1's free kick is high and short. With no team R players in position to catch the ball, K2 catches the kick after it has traveled 10 yards.
No foul, K’s ball 1st and 10
Kick catch interference
Fourth and 10 on team K's 35-yard line. RI blocks K2's punt behind the line, and the ball rolls to team K's 30- yard line. K3 picks up the loose ball and runs for an apparent touchdown.
Either team may advance the ball. Touchdown for Team K.
Team K may recover but may not advance the blocked kick.
Team K’s punt enters Team R’s end zone. During the kick, R6 holds at the R-12 yard line.
The penalty is enforced from the end of the kick (touchback).
At the snap Team A has five players in the backfield. After the snap A78 holds his opponent, then during the pass B12 commits defensive pass interference. We have two fouls on the offense (one at the snap and one live-ball foul) and one live-ball foul on the defense.
All fouls must be penalized.
The DPI and offensive holding fouls offset, but the illegal formation foul is enforced.
Offsetting fouls, replay the down.
QB drops back into his own endzone and throws an incomplete pass. Prior to the pass, offensive tackle A77 has dropped back also into the endzone to pass protect where he holds B65 7-yard deep in A’s endzone.
The penalty may be declined by the defense if it is a better option for Team B.
The penalty must result in a safety.
B#32 intercepts a pass at his own 10-yard line and begins to run down the sideline of the visiting team on his way to a clear “pick-6”. While running clear in front of the Team A bench, the head coach sticks his leg out and trips B#32 who fall to the ground at mid-field.
The referee may award Team B a touchdown for this unfair act.
The referee may award Team B a touchdown plus a 15-yard penalty on the try or free kick.
Punt receiver R19 catches the ball and the R-9-yard line and circles back into the end zone, and is tackled there. During R19’s run, K64 commits a personal foul at the R-15-yard line.
The penalty is enforced from the end of the run (goal line).
During the return of a free kick, R11 commits an illegal block in the back (IBB) at the R26. K15 commits a personal foul face mask as he tackles R44 at the K47 yardline.
a) Team R can decline the facemask penalty and take possession 1st and 10 after enforcement of the IBB foul against them.
b) Team R can accept the facemask penalty and if Team K accepts the IBB penalty, offsetting fouls would require them to replay the down.
c) Both a and b are options for Team R.
K’s kick from the K 40-yardline goes out-of-bounds at the R 40-yardline (untouched inbounds by R).
a) 5-yard penalty from previous spot and re-kick.
b) Start their series at the 35-yardline.
c) Take the ball out-of-bounds spot PLUS the 5-yard penalty tacked on.
d) The ball must be placed at the nearest hashmark. Team R may not choose where to place the ball between the hashmarks.
e) All of the above are legal options for Team R and the ball must be placed at the nearest hashmark.
K’s punt goes well downfield and as R27 is moving under the punt to make a catch without a fair catch signal when K36 contacts R27 at the R 40-yardline prior to R27 beginning the catch process (early contact). The ball bounces off of R27 and R45 picks up the ball and runs to the R-45 yardline where he is downed.
a) KCI and Team R may accept an awarded fair catch after enforcement of a 15-yard penalty from the spot of the foul.
b) KCI, but Team R may not choose to penalize 15-yards from the previous spot.
c) KCI, but Team R may not choose the result of the play.
d) All of the above.
In the last few seconds of a half, Al completes a pass to A2 at B's 20-yard line. The ball is properly spotted and the referee marks it ready for play and signals the game clock to start. In the rush and confusion to stop the game clock, A's snapper and quarterback Al are the only A players in legal position when the ball is snapped and legally "spiked" by Al. A foul for illegal formation occurs at the snap.
Foul for illegal forward pass.
Foul for illegal formation.
Foul for both illegal formation and illegal forward pass.
The clock starts on the ready-of-play.
Quarterback Al is positioned directly behind the snapper.
(a) A1 muffs the snap, but is able to take the ball from the ground and spike it forward; or
(b) A1 receives the snap, but his spike attempt hits snapper A2's leg and ricochets into the air. A1 catches the ball and immediately spikes it forward.
Legal “spiking” of the ball in both a and b
Illegal “spiking” of the ball in both a and b
Fourth and eight from the R-28. While a successful field goal attempt is in flight, R46 grasps and twists K23's face mask at the R-16. Time expires in the game and the successful FG ties the score.
a) Team K may have the penalty enforced from the previous spot which would result in1st and 10 at the R-14
b) Team K may accept the 3 points and have the penalty enforced from the succeeding spot which would be the start of overtime.
c) Team K may accept the 3 points but may NOT have the penalty enforced from the succeeding spot in overtime.
d) a and b
e) a and c
During A20's touchdown run, B41 holds. Before the try while the ball is dead, A62 commits a personal foul.
The fouls offset and no penalty yardage is enforced.
Both fouls can be enforced on the succeeding kickoff, but not overtime.
