Check me. I did these very quickly.
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1. 4/10 @ A-40. Punter A98 is 15 yards behind the neutral zone when he catches the long snap, sprints to his right and runs outside the tackle box. He then stops and punts the ball and is immediately hit by a diving B89 at the A-30. The punt rolls out of bounds at the B-25.
RULING:
B, 1/10, B-25, snap (25).
This ruling is based on the assumption that the point of this question is to test our knowledge of the tackle box, and the fact that the kicker loses roughing the kicker protection if he leaves the tackle box. OK, A98 left the tackle box, and does not have “roughing the kicker (RTK) protection,” meaning that otherwise legal contact on him will not be RTK. But, when there is a scrimmage kick, all players are prohibited from blocking below the waist except against a runner. By the description, A98 is no longer a runner when the contact occurs. We are not told where, on his body, that A98 is contacted. But the description refers to a “diving B89.” That would be very suspect for contact at or below the thigh, thus, an illegal block below the waist. Just because the kicker goes outside the tackle box does not mean that he forfeits protection from other forms of illegal contact. But, assuming the contact is otherwise legal, then there is no foul on this down.
2. 4/10 @ A-40. Punter A98 is 15 yards behind the neutral zone when he catches the long snap, sprints to his right and runs outside the tackle box. He then stops and punts the ball and is immediately hit by a diving B89 at the A-30 who makes forcible contact to A98 with the crown of the helmet. The punt rolls out of bounds at the B-25.
RULING:
A, 1/10, B-45, snap (25). B89 is disqualified.
By running outside the tackle box, A98 loses roughing the kicker protection. But B89’s contact with the crown of his helmet to kicker A98 is a 9-1-3 (spearing) targeting foul. The 15-yard penalty is enforced at the previous spot, with a first down for Team A. (Note that A98 is, in fact, a defenseless player, but that is irrelevant for a 9-1-3 targeting foul.)
3. 4/15 @ A-30. Team A’s punt is blocked behind the neutral zone and while the ball is loose, B54 holds A88 at the A-32. The ball never crosses the neutral zone during the play and B75 recovers the ball at the A-25.
RULING:
A, 1/10, A-40, snap (25).
Holding fouls by Team B before a change of team possession carry a first down for Team A. In this case, the enforcement spot for the foul is the previous spot.
4. 4/15 @ A-30. A98’s punt crosses the neutral zone and B44 catches the kick at the B-25 and returns to the B-40 where he is tackled. During the kick, B79 holds A55 one yard beyond the neutral zone.
RULING:
B, 1/10, B-15, snap (25).
This foul qualifies for post-scrimmage kick enforcement, and the 10-yard penalty is enforced from the end of the kick (B-25), taking the ball to the B-15, where Team B will next put the ball in play by snap.
5. 4/15 @ A-30. A98’s punt crosses the neutral zone and B44 catches the kick at the B-25 and returns to the B-40 where he fumbles and A88 recovers. During the kick, B79 holds A55 one yard beyond the neutral zone.
RULING:
A, 1/10, B-40, snap (25).
If Team A accepted the 10-yard penalty for the B79 holding foul, they would have the ball 1/10, A-40. If Team A declines the penalty, they will have the ball 1/10, at the B-40 (assuming the ball became dead at the spot of the recovery by A88).
6. 1/10 @ B-40. B44 intercepts the pass of A12 at the B-20 and turns back up-field on the return. During the return, B21 approaches A88 at midfield from the blind side and blocks A88 with extended hands. B44 returns the pass to the A-20.
RULING:
B, 1/10, A-20, snap (25).
Extended hands indicates the required effort to not punish the opponent, so the contact does not qualify as a blind side block, and is a legal block.
7. 1/10 @ B-40. B44 intercepts the pass of A12 at the B-20 and turns back up-field on the return. During the return, B21 approaches A88 at midfield from the blind side and blocks A88 by attacking with forcible contact with his shoulder into the chest of A88. B44 returns the pass to the A-20.
RULING:
B, 1/10, B-35, snap (25).
Even though the contact by B21 is to the chest of A88, A88’s attention is well away from B21’s approach, and is unable to defend himself. This is an illegal blindside block, and the 15-yard penalty is penalized from the spot of the foul, which we must assume is the 50 (”…midfield…”), taking the ball to the B-35, where Team B will put the ball in play by snap.
8. 1/10 @ B-40. B44 intercepts the pass of A12 at the B-20 and turns back up-field on the return. During the return, B21 approaches A88 at midfield from the blind side and blocks A88 by attacking with forcible contact with the shoulder into the head of A88. B44 returns the pass to the A-20.
RULING:
B, 1/10, B-35, snap (25), B21 is disqualified.
This is an illegal blindside block, and, since the contact is to the head of A88, who is, by definition, defenseless, the foul is also 9-1-4 targeting. The 15-yard penalty is penalized from the spot of the foul, which we must assume is the 50 (”…midfield…”), taking the ball to the B-35, where Team B will put the ball in play by snap. B21 is disqualified. (Referees: Be sure to announce: “Blindside block, with targeting…” By doing so, the BSB will get penalized, even if the RO is able to overturn the TGT component.)
