Author Topic: Loose Ball  (Read 3381 times)

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Offline JasonTX

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Loose Ball
« on: October 16, 2021, 07:05:51 AM »
3rd and 10 at the 50.  A10, the visiting team takes the snapand runs towards his team's sideline and remains inbounds and as he approaches the B-44, a squad member from team A, tosses a football onto the field.  The runner is down at the B-44.  Earlier in the game Team A
had received a Sideline Warning.  Ruling:

Offline ElvisLives

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Re: Loose Ball
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2021, 09:53:29 AM »
Intentional or not, this is an Unsporstmanlike Conduct foul for an Unfair Act. The referee may take any action he deems equitable. IMHO, at a minimum, this would be a 15 yard penalty. Since the penalty statement references the possibility of ordering the down to be repeated, that would also mean that the referee could impose a Loss of Down.
In this case, I would impose a 15-yard penalty from the previous spot with a loss of down. That should motivate Team A to keep their sideline under control.

The previous sideline warning would be irrelevant, unless the squad member was in the restricted area or on the field. But, as we have been directed, once a team gets a 15 yard penalty for Game Administration and Sideline interference, every violation thereafter will be 15 yards, regardless of how many, or how few, previous sideline warnings/penalties they have committed.  So, I would consider this foul as justification to go directly to 15 yard penalties for any/all future violations.

Online Kalle

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Re: Loose Ball
« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2021, 02:17:35 PM »
Even though nothing really happens in this down due to the extra ball, I agree with Elvis, 15 yards from the PS. I probably would not enforce a LOD, but as a supervisor would absolutely support it. This is a pretty blatant USC and needs to be treated as such.