defensive holding

[zebra2955]

If you have defensive holding on a receiver and the pass is complete, is it a tack on or must they decline if the gain out gains the penalty

[FLAHL]

Defensive holding, before the pass is thrown or while the ball is in the air, is a foul during a loose ball play.  Enforcement spot would be the previous spot, so A would decline the penalty and accept the yards if they gained more than 10.

[maven]

If you have defensive holding on a receiver and the pass is complete, is it a tack on or must they decline if the gain out gains the penalty

In NFHS rules, there is no such thing as a "tack on" penalty.

The only penalty resembling a "tack on" is roughing the passer, which in some cases is enforced from the dead ball spot rather than the previous spot.

[Mad Mike]

Great question here.

Maven notes only roughing the passer has dead ball spot vs. previous spot enforcement attributes (in some cases). However, what about a running play where the offense gains 12 yards on the run and the runner is face masked or horse collared on the tackle? NFHS Rule 10-4-4  notes, "The basic spot is the spot where the related run ends for a foul which occurs during a running play as defined in 10-3-2."

See Casebook 10.3.1 SITUATION A: 3rd & 10 at B's 40. A1 takes the snap, runs wide and pitches back to A2. A2 catches the ball and runs to B's 10 where he is downed. (b) B2 grasps A2 by the face mask/helmet opening during the tackle. RULING: (b) the face mask/helment opening penalty occurred during a running play. The basic spot is the end of the run. If A accepts the penalty, it will be A's ball first and goal at B's 5.

In addition, the basic spot is the succeeding spot (10-4-5):
a. For an unsportsmanlike foul
b. Dead ball foul
c. For a Non-player foul
d. When the final result is a touchback.
Note: The succeeding spot may, at the option of the offended team, be the subsequent kickoff as in 8-2-2, 8-2-3, 8-2-4 and 8-2-5.

[Magician]

Mad Mike...I understand what you are trying to ask but that is not a "tack on".  It is enforcing the foul from the basic spot.  A foul by the defense during a running play is enforced from the basic spot.  The reason why some refer to RTP as a "tack on" is because it's a foul during a loose ball play that enforced from the end of the play rather than the previous spot like other loose ball fouls.

Under NCAA rules there are similar exception on kicking plays.  If A/K fouls during the kick, B/R has the normal option of enforcing from the previous spot and replaying the down or "tacking it on" to the end of the play.

[maven]

Right: to call a penalty "tack on" is to imply that it is an exception to usual enforcement. For NFHS, that's true of RTP (at least sometimes), but not for ordinary penalties for fouls during running plays.

[zebra2955]

use of the words "tack on" was in mistake, just asking when you add the penalty to the end of the run?  Bad choice of words.

[Magician]

Your question is a basic penalty enforcement question.  The best way to think about these is to go through the basics of penalty enforcement.

Was the foul during a loose ball play?  If yes, the basic spot is the previous spot. If no, it was during a running play and the basic spot is the end of the related run.

Does the foul have a special enforcement provision (i.e. RTP, FKOOB, KCI, fouls during some scores)?  If yes, enforce as described by the rule.  If no, enforce using all-but-one.

All penalties are enforced from the basic spot EXCEPT fouls by the offense behind the basic spot.  They are enforced from the spot of the foul.

Once you have this figured out penalty enforcement 95% of the time becomes pretty easy.