New Jersey Football Official’s Association
Rule 2 TEST
Name:__________________________________________ Date:_______________
Please PRINT all Answers clearly!
Write word for word each definition. List rule #, section #, article #
1. Rule Two covers
a. Conduct of Players
b. Series of downs, number of downs
c. Definitions of Playing Terms
d. Snapping, Handling, and Passing Ball
2. What is a dead ball?
3. T / F A dead ball is considered dead between downs
4. What is a live ball?
5. T / F A loose ball which has not yet touched the ground is in flight
6. A loose ball continues to be a loose ball until:
A. A player secures possession of it
B. It is downed by Team A
C. It becomes dead by rule
D. A or B
E. A or C
7. T / F A live ball becomes live only when the ball has been legally snapped and a down is in progress
8. T / F Batting is accidentally slapping or striking the ball with the arm or hand.
9. The following blocking technique(s) are illegal:
A. Hands closed, palms not facing opponent, forearms extended no more than 45 degrees
B. Hands open, forearms extended beyond 45 degrees, at or below opponent’s shoulder and inside frame of opponent’s body, except when opponent moves or blocker is committed.
C. Both A & B
D. Neither A & B
E. None of the above
10. Other than blocking, an offensive player may use his hands or arms
A. To ward off a defensive player on all forward passes
B. When a runner, to ward off or push any player
C. To push, pull, or ward off an opponent pursuing a loose ball
D. A and B
E. B and C
11. T / F A defensive player may use his hands to ward off a blocker or potential blocker. He may push, pull, or ward off an opponent to attempt to get to a runner or loose ball, as long as it isn’t pass interference, a personal foul, or illegal use of hands.
12. A catch is the act of establishing ___________________________ of a live ball which is in flight, and contacting the ground ________________ or being contacted by an opponent in a way that prevents returning to the ground ______________ while maintaining possession of the ball.
13. T / F If touching the ball causes it to become dead, securing possession has significance.
14. Which of the following is not true:
Clipping is a block against an opponent where:
A. Initial contact is from behind
B. Contact is at or below the waist
C. The contact is within the blocking area
D. The opponent blocked is not the runner or pretending to be the runner
E. The official sees the clipping, regardless of initial contact
15. When is blocking in the back considered legal?
16. In the case of clipping, the official must / must not see the initial contact.
17. A down starts with a legal snap or a _______________.
18. A down ends when the ball becomes ________.
19. A loss of a down is the loss of the right to __________________ a down.
20. _______________________ is when a player is illegally in the neutral zone between the ball being ready for play and the snap.
21. An awarded fair catch is when the receiving team takes the ball at the spot of _________________________ rather than accepting the penalty.
22. The end zones are ______ yards deep, between the ________________ and the _________________.
23. T / F The field of play is the area within the boundary lines and the end zones.
24. If, during a free kick, anyone from K contacts the ball before it crosses R’s free kick line is called _____________________________.
25. T / F Force is the result of energy exerted by a player which provides movement of the ball, referring
only to moving the ball over the goal line.
26. T / F For a scrimmage formation, A must have at least seven players on the line of scrimmage at the
Snap.
27. A scrimmage kick has at least one player _________ yards behind the _________________ and in position to receive the long snap.
28. _________________________________ is the end of advancement of a runner toward the opponent’s goal and determines dead ball spot.
29. When an airborne player makes a catch, forward progress is the ________________________________ after he possesses the ball if contacted by a defender.
30. Which is not a type of foul?
A. Dead ball
B. Double
C. Sideline
D. Live ball
E. Non player
31. T / F A foul can cause the loss of the ball
32. T / F No foul can cause a live ball to become dead
33. T / F The free blocking zone is 4 yards to either side of the ball and 6 yards behind the LOS.
34. The free blocking zone disintegrates ________________________________.
35. T / F A fumble is a loss of possession including handing, passing, or legal kick
36. A grouping of two or more players of the same team before a down is called a _______________.
37. A catch of an opponent’s fumble or pass is an ________________________.
38. A kick is the intentional striking of the ball with the:
A. Knee
B. Lower leg
C. Foot
D. None of the above
E. All of the above
39. T / F A kick ends when a player gains possession or when the ball becomes dead when not in player possession.
40. A free kick is any legal kick which puts the ball into play to start a ____________________ down.
41. T / F A scrimmage kick is any legal kick only from within the neutral zone.
42. Which is not a legal kick for a scrimmage kick
A. Place kick
B. Punt
C. Drop kick
D. None of the above
E. All of the above
43. When may a punt be used for a free kick?
A. Only after a field goal or PAT
B. Only after a safety
C. After any score
D. A and B
E. None of the above
44. When may a drop kick be used?
A. Scrimmage kick
B. Kickoff
C. Free kick of any kind
D. All of the above
E. None of the above
45. A place kick is a legal kick made while the ball is in a __________________ on the ground or a kicking tee.
46. T / F A punt is a legal kick by a kicker who drops the ball and kicks it before it has touched the
ground.
47. When a ball becomes loose during an illegal kick, it is treated as a:
A. Dead ball
B. Penalty
C. Fumble
D. Kick
E. None of the above
48. The line of scrimmage is considered a: Line / Plane
49. T / F An offensive player is considered as on the line of scrimmage when he complies with the
position requirements of a lineman or wide receiver.
50. T / F A defensive player is on the line of scrimmage when he is within one yard of his scrimmage line
at the snap.
51. A team’s goal line is the one it is: Approaching / Defending
52. The end line is the outer limit of each __________________.
53. Inbounds lines are a series of hash marks that divide the field into __________________.
54. The line to gain is normally established on a new series as _______________ yards from the
(front / center / back) of where the ball is placed on first down.
55. T / F A muff is an accidental touching or kicking of the ball in an unsuccessful attempt to secure
possession.
56. The neutral zone is: (fill in blanks)
A. During a free kick down, the space between the two free kick lines, normally ____________ wide.
B. During a scrimmage down, the space between the two scrimmage lines, which has a width of ____________________.
C. During a scrimmage play, up to _____________ behind the defensive LOS in the field of play
57. T / F A player is out of bounds when any part of that person is touching anything including another
player or official who is on or outside the sideline or end line
58. T / F A ball in player possession is out of bounds when the runner or the ball touches anything that is
on or outside a sideline, other than another player or an official.
59. T / F A loose ball is out of bounds when it touches anything that is out of bounds.
60. Throwing a ball that is in player possession is called _______________.
61. A pass thrown with its initial direction toward the opponent’s end line is a ___________________.
62. T / F A ball has gone beyond the neutral zone when any part of the pass is beyond the neutral zone.
63. A forward pass ends when:
A. It is caught
B. It touches the ground
C. It is out of bounds
D. All of the above
E. None of the above
64. T / F A backward pass is a pass thrown with its initial direction parallel with or toward the runner’s
end line.
65. Offensive players are designated as _____; defense as ____. Kickers are _____ and receivers ____.
66. T / F A back is any A player who has no part of his body breaking the plane of a line parallel to the
LOS through the waist of the nearest teammate who is legally on the line, except the QB who is also a
back.
67. When does a captain of a team not represent the team:
A. Pregame and OT coin toss
B. Referee conference
C. Selection of second half options
D. Penalty decisions
E. Ball placement on a try, free kick, touchback, starting OT, etc.
68. A kicker is considered a kicker until after he has a reasonable opportunity to regain his balance, after a free kick, advanced five yards beyond his free kick line, or the kick has touched __________________ or ________________________.
69. A player from A who is facing his opponent’s goal line with shoulders approximately parallel to the line and with head or foot breaking an imaginary line parallel to the LOS through the snapper’s waist when the ball is snapped is called a __________________.
70. A non-player is all except:
A. A coach
B. A trainer
C. A place kick holder
D. A Substitute or replaced player
E. All of the above
71. A passer stops being a passer after _________________ or _______________________________.
72. T / F A runner is a player who is in possession of a live ball or is simulating same.
73. A snapper remains a snapper until he has a reasonable opportunity to _________________________________ or _________________ or ______________________________.
74. A loose ball play is action during:
A. A free kick or scrimmage kick, except post-scrimmage kick fouls
B. A legal forward pass
C. A backward pass, illegal kick or fumble made by A from in or behind the neutral zone prior to change of possession
D. Run or runs preceding the above
E. All of the above
75. T / F A ball in player possession is a live ball held or controlled by a player before it has been handed, snapped, caught, or recovered by him.
76. _________________________ signifies the referee has signaled the ball may be put in play by a snap or free kick and the 25 second count has begun.
77. Recovery is _________________________________ after it strikes the ground. An airborne player has completed a recovery when he first __________________________ inbounds and with _________________________.
78. T / F A rule is one of the groups of regulations which govern the game.
79. ________________________ is the action of the two teams during a down which begins with a snap.
80. A ________________________ is the action of one or more offensive players who, after a huddle or taking set positions, move to a new set position before the snap.
81. The legal act of passing or handing the ball backwards from its position on the ground is a _______.
82. A snap must be:
A. A quick and continuous backwards motion
B. Immediately then leave the snapper’s hand
C. Touches a back or the ground before touching a lineman
D. All of the above
E. None of the above
83. Intentional use of the helmet in an attempt to punish an opponent is called _______________.
84. The point of reference for penalty enforcement is called a ______________.
85. The enforcement spot is the point from which _____________________ is enforced.
86. The out of bounds spot where the ball becomes dead because of _________________________.
87. T / F The spot of a foul is where the foul occurred.
88. Succeeding spot is where the ball would next be snapped or free kicked if a _____________ had not occurred.
89. Tackling is defined as the use of _____________ ______________ ______________ or ______________ by a defensive player to hold a runner or bring him to the ground.
90. _______________________ is driving the face mask, frontal area, or top of the helmet directly into the runner.
91. T / F Team designations are retained until the ball is declared down.
92. T / F Touching refers to any contact with the ball. Touching by an official in the field of play is
ignored.
93. Using the lower leg or foot to obstruct an opponent, who is not a runner, below the knee, is ___________.
