Comments/criticism welcome.
1. Free Kick @ A-35. During the kick, B55 holds A11 at the B-45 before the untouched ball goes out of bounds at the B-5.
RULING: A, kickoff, A-35, free kick timing (25).
The holding foul by B55 during the kick does not qualify for the “clean hands” exception. The holding foul is offset by the illegal kick out of bounds, and the down is repeated from the previous spot.
2. 3/10 @ A-40. Team A has 5 players in the backfield at the snap. A12’s long forward pass is intercepted by B21 at the B-10 and he returns the ball back to the B-30 where he is tackled inbounds. B44 blocks A88 below the waist during B21’s run at the B-12.
RULING: B, 1/10, B-6, snap (25), OR A, 3/10, A-40 ready (25).
Team B may refuse offsetting fouls and retain the ball by declining the penalty for the Illegal Formation by Team A. Team B would then elect to enforce the penalty for B44’s illegal block below the waist, which would take the ball to the B-6 (1/2 distance from the spot of the foul). The game clock would start on the snap because B will next snap the ball.
Team B could also elect to have the down repeated at the previous spot. In that case, since Team B will NOT next snap the ball, the game clock would start on the referee’s signal.
3. 2/Goal @ B-3. Ball carrier A21 is downed at the one-yard line and then B67 is guilty of a late hit. A21 retaliates by punching B67 multiple times.
RULING: A, 3/G, B-1, ready (25).
The penalties for the dead-ball personal fouls by both teams will cancel. However, A21’s flagrant striking foul will result in his ejection from the game. The down number established when the ball became dead will remain unaffected (3rd down).
4. 4/10 @ A-30. A91 punts and Team A’s formation is not legal. The untouched punt goes out of bounds at the B-30 and then B50 commits a dead ball personal foul.
RULING: B, 1/10, B-20, snap (25).
The 5-yard penalty for Team’s A live-ball illegal formation foul may be penalized at the spot where the dead-ball belongs to Team B, which would take the ball to the B-35. Then the 15-yard penalty for B50’s dead-ball personal foul would be penalized from the spot where Team A’s penalty leaves the ball. The net result would be Team B’s ball at the B-20, 1/10.
5. 4/10 @ A-5. A91 punts from the end zone and the ball is caught by B44 at the A-45 and returned to the A-30 where it is fumbled. A55 blocks below the waist at the A-20 during the fumble. The ball is recovered at the A-25 by A50.
RULING: B, 1/10, A-15, snap (25).
The 15-yard penalty for A55’s illegal block below the waist foul would be penalized from the related Basic Spot, which would be the spot of B44’s fumble (B-30), which would take the ball to the B-15, with Team B retaining the ball, and being awarded a series at that spot.
6. 3/10 @ B-15. B21 intercepts a legal forward pass deep in his end zone and is unable to get out of the end zone, where he is downed. During the run, B54 blocks A80 below the waist in the end zone.
RULING: B, free kick, B-20, free kick timing (25).
The natural result of the down is a touchback for Team B. The penalty for B54’s illegal block below the waist would be penalized per 3 & 1 from the related Basic Spot, which is the touchback spot (B-20). Since the spot of the foul is behind the Basic Spot, the penalty is enforced at the spot of the foul. Unfortunately for B, that spot is in their own end zone, and results in a safety – 2 points for A.
7. 3/10 @ B-15. B21 intercepts a legal forward pass deep in his end zone and is unable to get out of the end zone, where he is downed. During the run, B54 blocks A80 below the waist at the B-22.
RULING: B, 1/10, B-10, snap (25).
The natural result of the down is a touchback for Team B. The penalty for B54’s illegal block below the waist would be penalized per 3 & 1 from the related Basic Spot, which is the touchback spot (B-20). Since the spot of the foul is beyond the Basic Spot, the penalty is enforced from the Basic Spot (B-20), taking the ball to the B-10, and B starts a series there.
8. 3/10 @ B-15. B21 intercepts a legal forward pass deep in his end zone and is unable to get out of the end zone, where he is downed. During the run, B54 blocks A80 below the waist at the B-8.
RULING: B, 1/10, B-4, snap (25).
The natural result of the down is a touchback for Team B. The penalty for B54’s illegal block below the waist would be penalized per 3 & 1 from the related Basic Spot, which is the touchback spot (B-20). Since the spot of the foul is behind the Basic Spot, the penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul (B-8), taking the ball to the B-4, and B starts a series there.
