Help with multiple fouls and a change of possession

[theunofficialofficial]

In preparation for the season I came across a new rule (to me) that I hadn't really thought about 10-2-2. Trying to read the rule only makes me more confused as I read each word. Can anyone come up with a good rule of thumb or something to ensure that fouls are enforced correctly?


Situation(s):
1) 2nd and 7 from A33, A lines up in an Illegal formation, during the down B has a face mask at A35
    A) Before
    B) After
they intercept the ball and are downed at A33.


2) 2nd and 10 from B46, A throws an interception @ B30, after the interception B holds A at the B40 and A face masks during the tackle at B44.


How does the difference in enforcement vs. double foul and replay down have an effect if both penalties are before, both after, or one before and 1 after. I generally know that if B fouls prior to a change of possession they don't get to keep the ball. They must get it with clean hands.

[VALJ]

In 1A - since B has fouled before the COP, they didn't get the ball with clean hands; offset the fouls, and replay the down.

1B - B got the ball with clean hands, so they can decline the IF foul and keep the ball.  A will then accept the FM penalty, to be enforced under all but one.

Situation 2 - since both fouls occurred after the COP, B can decline A's foul and keep the ball; A will then enforce the holding foul.  If B chooses to accept the foul for the FM, it creates a double foul and we replay the down.  (See 10.2.2.B in the case book for a similar situation - the casebook play adds a foul by A prior to the COP to the two fouls during the return.)

[Atlanta Blue]

You were right about clean hands.

1A.  Double foul.  B did not get the ball with clean hands, so we have a double foul, offsetting penalties, replay the down.

1B.  Since B did get the ball with clean hands, they can decline A's foul, and keep the ball, with the penalty being enforced against them under ABO.  Since the foul was behind the end of the run, enforce from the A35.  B's ball, 1st and 10.

2.  Same as 1B.  It doesn't matter when A fouled, it matters when B fouled.  SInce it was after the COP, they can keep the ball by declining A's foul.  If they foolishly (under most circumstances) accept, you have a double foul, and you replay the down.

It pretty much comes down to "clean hands".

[Ralph Damren]

AB and VALJ nailed it. This is an excellent example of the importance of "When" in the "Who,What,Where & WHEN" of reporting a foul. Techinally this would be a double foul as multiple fouls are more than one against the same team.