2016 New Approved Rulings

[Rulesman]

These will appear in the 2016-2017 rule book.

[goodgrr]

Is it me or are some of those so obvious as to not require the clarification (and/or fundamentally repeat what's already there)?

Not looked for anything specific so far but just the feeling I'm left with.

[Andrew McCarthy]

10-Second Runoff From Game Clock--Foul—ARTICLE 4
Approved Ruling 3-4-4
VI. Second quarter. At the snap the game clock reads 0:45. During the play, A55 loses his helmet. Right tackle A77 is flagged for holding. The ball carrier is tackled inbounds short of the line to gain. RULING: A55 must leave the game for one play. There is no option for a 10-second runoff, because at the end of the play the clock is stopped both for the helmet off and to administer the holding penalty. The play clock is set to 25 seconds and the game clock starts on the Referee’s signal. (Rule 3-3-9)

If Team B is trailing wouldn't they have the option to start the clock on the snap?

Side note: Why do we care who is ahead at the end of the second quarter?  Stupid rule- just make it apply to both teams at the end of both halves.

Offensive Team Requirements—At the Snap—ARTICLE 4
Approved Ruling 7-1-4
VII. At the B-45, Team A is in an alignment in which the snapper A88 is on the right end of the line. The linemen on his left are numbered 56, 63, 72, 22, 79, and 25. There are four players in the backfield. A44 is ten yards directly behind the snapper, and the other backs are to his left a few yards behind the line of scrimmage. No player is in position to hold for a place kick. After the snap, A44 completes a pass to snapper A88 for a touchdown. This happens on (a) first or second down; (b) third or fourth down. RULING: Because there are only four offensive linemen numbered in the 50-79 range, the legality of the play depends on whether Team A is in a scrimmage kick formation. One of the requirements for such a formation is that “it is obvious that a kick will be attempted.” (a) Illegal formation: on first or second down, a team is very unlikely to punt, so it is not obvious that a kick will be attempted. (b) Legal play: touchdown. On third or fourth down a team may be likely to kick. (Rule 2-16-10)

Third down?  Really?

[Kalle]

Third down?  Really?

Seen this, with a team that used the QB as their kicker. If they ran a pass play on third down, one option was to "quick-kick" the ball if all receivers were covered and the QB had no real running lane.

[pjsaul]

I see two notable ARs here. (I am also not an NCAA official, so these might be old news to some).

Unfair Clock Tactics—ARTICLE 3
Approved Ruling 3-4-3
VI. Second and seven at the A-25. Team A is ahead in the score late in the second
quarter. When ball carrier A22 is tackled in the field of play, the game clock reads 1:47.
The umpire reports to the referee that he has a flag for holding by snapper A55. On the
play, A22 gained (a) three yards; (b) nine yards.
RULING: After enforcement of the penalty, the game clock starts (a) on the snap or on
the referee’s signal, at the option of Team B, because the clock stops only to administer
the penalty; (b) on the referee’s signal, because both administering the penalty and the
first down caused the game clock to stop.

This is good clarification. I saw D1 games last year where the clock had started on the RFP similar situations as play (a), causing time to run out on the defense with no chance to get the ball back when they otherwise would have had a chance without an offensive penalty.

Illegal Forward Pass—ARTICLE 2
Approved Ruling 7-3-2
XII. Third and 10 at the A-30. Quarterback A11 drops back to pass. About to be
tackled at the A-20, he throws the ball forward to an area where there are no eligible
receivers. Tackle A77 catches the pass at the A-28 and is tackled at the A-32.
RULING: Illegal forward pass; loss of down at the spot of the pass. Fourth and 20 at the
A-20. This is “intentional grounding” since A11 throws the ball into an area where there
are no eligible Team A receivers. Note that this is not illegal touching by A77, because
the rule for illegal touching applies only to a legal forward pass. (Rule 7-3-11)

I have had a very well known and respected D1 white hat tell me that he faced a similar situation a few years back, and he decided to enforce illegal touching. He told the coach "the ball needs to touch the ground in order for there to be illegal grounding".

[Andrew McCarthy]

This is good clarification. I saw D1 games last year where the clock had started on the RFP similar situations as play (a), causing time to run out on the defense with no chance to get the ball back when they otherwise would have had a chance without an offensive penalty.

It may be good clarification but I'm not sure how great the rule is in situation (b).  By gaining the first down they have forced Team B's hand- they will not decline the penalty.  Why should Team A get a chance to run another 25 seconds off the clock by repeating the down just because they (with help from their hold) gained a first down? 

[hefnerjm]

It may be good clarification but I'm not sure how great the rule is in situation (b).  By gaining the first down they have forced Team B's hand- they will not decline the penalty.  Why should Team A get a chance to run another 25 seconds off the clock by repeating the down just because they (with help from their hold) gained a first down?

I was thinking the same thing...did the holding foul in question b occur after 9 yards or did the runner gain 9 yards?  If the runner gained 9 yards and a first down after a holding foul at the point of attack near LOS, then the foul would still be enforced without the first down.  i.e. clock starts on snap.   

I think what RR is getting at here is in a situation where a foul occurred after a first down was legally gained.

If RR ever were to read this, I might re-word the scenario as follows for better clarity:

Unfair Clock Tactics—ARTICLE 3
Approved Ruling 3-4-3
VI. Second and seven at the A-25. Team A is ahead in the score late in the second
quarter. When ball carrier A22 is tackled in the field of play, the game clock reads 1:47.
The umpire reports to the referee that he has a flag for holding by snapper A55. On the
play, the foul occurred after A22 gained (a) three yards; (b) nine yards.

[BrendanP]

How is a blind-side block ever legal, even if it's below the shoulder? Wouldn't that be a block in the back?

[bossman72]

Approved Ruling 3-4-3

VI. Second and seven at the A-25. Team A is ahead in the score late in the second quarter. When ball carrier A22 is tackled in the field of play, the game clock reads 1:47. The umpire reports to the referee that he has a flag for holding by snapper A55. On the play, A22 gained (a) three yards; (b) nine yards.
RULING: After enforcement of the penalty, the game clock starts (a) on the snap or on the referee’s signal, at the option of Team B, because the clock stops only to administer the penalty; (b) on the referee’s signal, because both administering the penalty and the first down caused the game clock to stop.


This makes zero sense and seems to contradict the purpose of the rule.  Regardless if you get a first down or not, YOU STILL GET TO DRAIN 25 EXTRA SECONDS OF PLAY CLOCK AFTER FOULING.

This is why a first down shouldn't be a factor.  The offense isn't trying to stop the clock by fouling, they're trying to CONSUME clock.  Making this not a scenario in which the clock starts on the snap seems to contradict the rule.

[bossman72]

How is a blind-side block ever legal, even if it's below the shoulder? Wouldn't that be a block in the back?

No, it could be a side block, which those usually are.

[dvasques]

Seen this, with a team that used the QB as their kicker. If they ran a pass play on third down, one option was to "quick-kick" the ball if all receivers were covered and the QB had no real running lane.

'

Does that effectively eliminates drop kicks? You don't need a holder to try a drop kick and score

[Kalle]

'

Does that effectively eliminates drop kicks? You don't need a holder to try a drop kick and score

Yes, it does mean that you cannot use numbering exceptions if you want to drop kick on a 1st or 2nd down.

[Kalle]

I think what RR is getting at here is in a situation where a foul occurred after a first down was legally gained.

No, he clarifies that the rule actually means that if you have a live-ball foul and any other reason to stop the clock at the end of the down, you start the clock based on that other reason with no option for team B.

I think the rule should be changed so that if there is a foul by team A at the end of a half, team B always has the option to start the clock on the ready or the snap, no matter what other reasons there were for the clock to stop.

[dvasques]

Yes, it does mean that you cannot use numbering exceptions if you want to drop kick on a 1st or 2nd down.

But AR 2-16-10 doesn't say anything about what down we're in. It just says the formation is illegal because there is no potential holder. So you can't have a numbering exception for drop kicks anymore

I. At the snap Team A has four linemen numbered between 50-79 and three linemen numbered outside this range. A potential kicker is eight yards deep but there is no potential holder.
RULING: Illegal formation. Team A is not in a scrimmage kick formation and does not have the required number of linemen with proper jersey numbers.

[Kalle]

But AR 2-16-10 doesn't say anything about what down we're in. It just says the formation is illegal because there is no potential holder. So you can't have a numbering exception for drop kicks anymore

I. At the snap Team A has four linemen numbered between 50-79 and three linemen numbered outside this range. A potential kicker is eight yards deep but there is no potential holder.
RULING: Illegal formation. Team A is not in a scrimmage kick formation and does not have the required number of linemen with proper jersey numbers.

Different question. In 2-16-10-I the question is if the potential kicker is deep enough. He needs to be 10 yards from the LOS to be in a scrimmage kick formation.

[Andrew McCarthy]

I think the rule should be changed so that if there is a foul by team A at the end of a half, team B always has the option to start the clock on the ready or the snap, no matter what other reasons there were for the clock to stop.

Even if there was an incomplete pass or the runner went out of bounds?

[Kalle]

Even if there was an incomplete pass or the runner went out of bounds?

Even then. Team A can decide not to foul, if they want to control the clock. If they decide to foul, the control should be passed to team B.

I'm not holding my breath for this to happen, though

[Hondo]

So now a TE can't block down on a DE from the side and a guard can't block a LB from the side. Interesting. 


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