NCAA Football Fall Newsletter 2008

A supplement to the NCAA Football Rules • Prepared by the editors of Referee magazine Game, Play R FOOTBALL 2008 Clock Rules Altered Both the game clock and play clock are affected by changes to the NCAA football rules for 2008. A 40-second interval has been added to the familiar 25-second play clock. Additionally, the game clock will start on the ready or on the referee’s signal in some situations when it previously started on the snap. change of possession and the ball became dead inbounds or out of bounds, or the ball became dead because of an incomplete pass. In those cases, the 40-second clock will start when the ball becomes dead, not when it is declared ready for play by the referee. In all other cases — penalty administration; a media, injury or charged team timeout; measurement; change of possession; (see Clocks p. 4) Play clock (Rule 3-2-4) The offensive team will have 40 seconds to snap the ball if the previous play did not include a Chop Block Rule Simplified “Low” is defined as at the opponent’s thigh or below. Any high-high or lowlow block combination blocks are legal. “Previously, this rule had many factors that officials had to consider,” said Rogers Redding, secretary-editor of the NCAA Football Rules Committee. “We have eliminated many of the conditions which made this difficult to officiate while retaining the illegality of the dangerous aspects of this foul.” Play 1: A64 and A75 are adjacent or non-adjacent linemen. At the snap, A64 blocks defensive tackle B52 in the chest and A75 blocks B52 (a) at the waist, (b) at the thigh, or (c) at the knee. Ruling 1: Legal block in (a) whether or not there was a delay between blocks. It is a chop block in (b) and (c) (see Chop Block p. 2) Jerry Magallanes, who works in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and other referees won’t be giving the traditional ready for play signal as often this season due to rule changes involving the clocks. TED OPPEGARD Contents New Personal Foul: Horse Collar Tackle . . . . . 3 Flashback: 2007 Rule Changes . . . . . . . . . 4 No Connection is Still an Ejection . . . . . . . . 6 Referees Must be Miked Starting in 2010 . . . . . . . . 7 Get a Firm Grasp on Holding Rules . . . . . . . 8 Editorial Changes Approved 12 With a change to Rule 2-33, the definition of a chop block has been simplified for 2008. The timing of the blocks and the position and location of the blockers are no longer an issue. A chop block is a highlow or low-high combination block by any two players against an opponent other than the runner anywhere on the field, with or without a delay between contacts. PUBLISHED BY REFEREE ENTERPRISES, INC. Short Yardage Plays Demand Extra Attention Several times during a game, an offense may be faced with what is called a “short-yardage” situation. While there is no formal definition for the term, it is generally understood to mean third or fourth down with less than a yard to go for a first down. Second and one is excluded because the options are greater. In fact, Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr frequently threw a long pass in that situation, knowing he had a team with a high success rate on third and one. Here are some points to consider when the offense only has a short distance to travel for a new series or touchdown. shift), all Team A players must come to an absolute stop and remain stationary simultaneously for at least one full second before the snap. Play 1: Team A breaks its huddle and all players stand in their positions. When the quarterback says, “Set,” all players go into a three-point stance except guard A65. Back A23 starts in motion, after which A65 goes into his three-point stance. The ball is snapped two seconds later. Ruling 1: Illegal shift. All 11 players of Team A did not come to an absolute stop and remain stationary simultaneously for at least one second. It’s a live-ball foul at the snap because A23 could have stopped, reset and restarted his motion (Rule 7-1-5). the defense less time to react to a new formation, prevents the defense from anticipating the snap count, confuses man-to-man assignments for pass coverage and encourages a defensive overshift to create a strong side. Additionally, if the defense jumps offside, the first down becomes a gift. At least two players must move simultaneously in order to meet the definition of a shift. A violation of that edict, which dates back to 1930, is an illegal shift. The penalty is five yards and the foul occurs simultaneous with the snap. Thus, it is always a live-ball foul enforced from the previous spot. On occasion, the defensive team will cross into the neutral zone when the offense shifts. There is no infraction as long as the defensive players get back to their side of the neutral zone before the snap and they do not contact a Team A player. It is essential the officials determine whether the shift simulated action at the snap or was clearly intended to cause Team B to jump offside (Rule 7-1-3-a-4b). The first element — simulating action at the snap — can be judged by the abruptness of the movement. One could argue that if the defense jumps offside, the movement was too abrupt and thereby simulated action at the snap. That clearly is not the intent of the rule. Officials are expected to make that judgment regardless of whether Team B encroaches. To do otherwise would give the defense a great advantage by virtually taking away the ability of the offense to shift. It is very difficult for an official to judge what may be in the mind of a coach or a player and it’s probably best to avoid using that as an explanation for a flag. The first element gives all officials clear and sufficient guidance from which to call that play properly. Getting set In its haste to get the play off, the offense may not get set properly. After the huddle (and any subsequent Shifts Short yardage is an excellent time for a shift. A shift gives blocks in (a), (b) and (c). Because A64 was no longer engaged with B52, the block by A75 is not considered a combination block. Play 3: A64 and A75 are adjacent or nonadjacent linemen. At the snap, A64 and A75 block defensive tackle B52 (a) in the chest, or (b) at the knee. The blocks are delayed or simultaneous. Ruling 3: Legal blocks in (a) and (b). High-high and low-low combination blocks are legal with or without a delay. I Chop Block continued from p. 1 because of the high-low combination. The block would be illegal with or without a delay. Play 2: A64 and A75 are adjacent or nonadjacent linemen. At the snap, A64 blocks defensive tackle B52 in the chest. B52 fights off the block and advances toward the runner. A75 blocks B52 (a) at the waist, (b) at the thigh, or (c) at the knee. Ruling 2: Legal Long count Another technique favored by teams in a short-yardage (see Short Yardage p. 7) Electronic Spying Prohibited An incident from the pro game has led to a rule change for college ball as well. Any attempt to record, either through audio or video means, any signals given by an opposing player, coach, or other team personnel is prohibited under rule 1-49-g. In case of violations, the incident is to be reported to the conference. I Acknowledgments Contributing to the 2008 NCAA Football Preseason Guide: Jeffrey Stern, Referee senior editor; George Demetriou, Colorado Springs, Colo.; and Judson Howard, Los Angeles. Copyright © 2008 National Collegiate Athletic Association. Major portions of this newsletter are protected by copyrights of Referee Enterprises, Inc., and are used by permission. Copying in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written consent from Referee Enterprises, Inc., and the NCAA. PLAYPIC® and MECHANIGRAM® are a registered trademarks of Referee Enterprises, Inc. Graphics and layout by Rob VanKammen, Referee Graphic Designer. 2 2008 NCAA Football Guide New Personal Foul: Horse Collar Tackle One new foul and two new definitions for familiar personal fouls appear in this year’s NCAA rulebook. The five-yard penalty for an incidental face mask grab has been eliminated from Rule 91-2-q. The horse collar tackle has been outlawed and the wording regarding illegal contact of an opponent has been revamped. Horse collar tackle (Rule 9-1-2-p) The committee voted to make the horse collar tackle illegal. Players are prohibited from grabbing the inside back collar of the shoulder pads or jersey, or the inside collar of the side of the shoulder pads or jersey, and immediately pulling the runner down. The horse collar is considered a personal foul. The penalty is 15 yards and an automatic first down if the first down is not in conflict with other rule. Note that the rule does not apply to a runner who is inside the tackle box or to a quarterback who is in the pocket. Play 1: Tailback A33 is five yards beyond the line of scrimmage and is advancing when B79 grabs the inside collar of the side of A33’s shoulder pads and pulls. A33 (Rule a) breaks the tackle and continues to advance, (b) drags B79 for three yards before going down, or (c) immediately goes to the ground. Ruling 1: There is no foul in (a) or (b), but it is a foul in (c). Face mask foul (Rule 9-1-2-q) Only twisting, turning and pulling the face mask is a foul. The penalty is 15 yards and, if committed by the defense, results in a first the helmet. Also, no player shall initiate contact and target a defenseless opponent above the shoulders. “A main charge of the rules committee is to enhance the safety of our studentathletes,” said Michael Clark, chair of the committee and head coach at Bridgewater (Va.) College. “In recent years, the committee has attempted to address headdown contact and dangerous helmet contact in general. The committee is directing game officials to strictly penalize head-down contact as well as players that target defenseless opponents.” The penalty is 15 yards from the basic spot, or 15 yards from the succeeding spot for dead-ball fouls. The violator is disqualified if the contact is deemed flagrant. “The committee is giving our game officials more tools to penalize potentially dangerous contact,” said Rogers Redding, secretaryeditor of the committee. “Specifically, the committee is addressing players that use the crown of their helmet and players that target defenseless opponents when making contact above the shoulders.” If the foul is by the defense, it is an automatic first down if the first down is not in conflict with other rules. Penalties for offensive team personal fouls behind the neutral zone are enforced from the previous spot. It is a safety if the foul occurs behind Team A’s goal line. If the foul occurs by the offense on a scrimmage kick play other than a field goal, enforcement may be at the previous spot or the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B. I 2008 NCAA Football Guide 3 JIM WHITE The horse collar tackle is now illegal in college football. The horse collar occurs when a defensive player grabs the inside back collar of the shoulder pads or jersey, or the inside collar of the side of the shoulder pads or jersey, and immediately pulls the runner down. The rule does not apply to a runner who is inside the tackle box or a quarterback who is in the pocket. down if the first down is not in conflict with other rules. The NCAA Football Rules Committee believed too many face mask fouls that were called were not fouls at all, and that contact that should have resulted in a 15yard penalty was resulting in five-yard walk-offs. Note that the intent is not to assess a 15-yard penalty to any contact with a face mask. What would have, under the former rule, qualified for a five-yard penalty is not to be considered a foul. Play 2: A10 is in possession of the ball and is advancing toward Team B’s goal line when B52 reaches out and (a) slides his hand across A10’s face mask, (b) grasps A10’s face mask but immediately lets go, or (c) grabs A10’s face mask and pulls so that A10’s head is yanked to the side. Ruling 2: There is no foul in (a) or (b) because the face mask was not twisted, turned or pulled. B52 has fouled in (c). If accepted, the penalty is 15 yards from the end of the run and an automatic first down if the first down is not in conflict with other rules. If the covering official rules B52’s act is flagrant, B52 may be disqualified. Contact above the shoulders (Rules 9-1-3-a and b) To address the problem of contact involving either the tackler’s or the opponent’s head, the committee adopted two rules dealing with that dangerous tactic. Under the new rule, it is illegal to initiate contact and target an opponent with the crown of Flashback: 2007 Rule Changes Few of the changes that appeared in the 2007 rulebook will appear in the 2008 edition in the same form. As a result, a review of last year’s changes will be brief but still important. Rules regarding free kicks (Rules 3-2-5 and 6-1-1) On free kicks, the game clock starts when the ball is legally touched in the field of play or crosses the goal line after being touched legally by Team B in its end zone. The free-kick line was moved from Team A’s 35yard line to its 30-yard line. Editorial changes that directly involve officiating: • The game officials shall test the game balls. Rule 1-32-a previously specified it was the referee’s duty. • Rule 2-25-11 was reworded to make it clear that penalties for Team B fouls are enforced either from the post-scrimmage kick (PSK) spot or, if the foul is behind the PSK spot, from the spot of the foul. • The ball touching a player, official or anything beyond the neutral zone in or out of bounds has been added as a means of excusing what would normally be intentionally grounding. The previous wording in 7-3-2-f-1 did not address the ball touching something other than the ground. • Rule 8-3-3-c-2 makes it clear that if Team A commits a foul for which the penalty includes loss of down, the try is over, any score is cancelled and there is no yardage walkoff on the succeeding kickoff. • An exception in 8-5-2 was clarified. If a safety occurs on a try, the free kick is from Team A’s 30-yard line. If a safety occurs in extra periods, the ball is next put in play by a snap because there is no kickoff. Previous wording gave the incorrect impression that a safety in those situations resulted in a free kick from Team A’s 20-yard line. • A successful field goal is added to a try as a situation in which PSK does not apply. Also, Team A may choose to have a penalty enforced from the previous spot if Team B commits a live-ball foul on a successful field goal (Rule 10-2-2-g-4). I Clocks continued from p. 1 previously appeared in rule 3-2-2 is eliminated. try for extra point; the start of each period or start of a possession series in an extra period; an instant replay review; or other administrative stoppage — the offense will have 25 seconds to put the ball in play. The rules committee added the proviso that, if an unusual situation delays the placing of the ball and the 40-second clock has run down to 20 seconds, the referee should have the clock reset to 25 seconds. The referee (and only the referee) is to raise and lower his arm with his palm flat and facing up as a signal to the play clock operator. If the clock is to be reset to 40 seconds, the referee makes the same gesture but with both arms. With the change, the 15second interval that Game clock starts (Rule 3-2-5-a-12) When a ball carrier, a fumble or a backward pass goes out of bounds, the game clock stops and will be started when the ball is made ready, not on the snap as in previous years. The rule does not apply in the last two minutes of either half. Rule 3-2-5-a-11, regarding a fumble forward and out of bounds, still applies. The clock stops for a fumble out of bounds in advance of the spot of the fumble but the clock starts when the ball is made ready anytime during the game, even the last two minutes of either half. When the 40-second interval applies and the game clock is to start when the ball is spotted, the referee should blow his whistle and give the startthe-clock signal, just as has been done in the past. When the 25-second clock is in force, the referee will give the traditional ready signal accompanied by the whistle. In another modification involving the clock, last year’s rule change in 3-2-2i, regarding resetting the game clock in case of an inadvertent whistle, was eliminated. Play 1: Second and four for Team A from its own 26yard line with 7:23 to play in the first quarter. A10 (a) throws an incomplete pass, (b) gains nine yards as a runner and goes out of bounds, (c) fumbles with B52 recovering, or (d) throws a backward pass to A33 that is muffed and goes out of bounds. Ruling 1: In (a), the game clock stops and the 40-second interval starts when the covering official signals the pass incomplete. Because the game clock starts on the next snap and the 40second clock is in force, the referee is not required to signal or blow his whistle. In (b), the game clock is stopped because A10 was in possession of the ball when he went out of bounds. Team A is awarded a new series for reaching the line to gain. The 40-second interval starts when the covering official gives the stop-the-clock signal. When the ball is spotted the referee should signal the game clock to start while blowing his whistle. Due to the change of possession in (c), the 25-second interval begins when the referee gives the traditional ready signal. The game clock starts on the snap. In (d), the game clock stops and the 40-second interval begins when the covering official rules the ball out of (see Clocks p. 6) 4 2008 NCAA Football Guide Well-Grounded: How the Turf Can Influence the Game Whether it’s dry or wet, artificial or natural, the surface on which the game is played can have a marked influence on how the game is played and on specific plays. Muddy fields favor the running game. Many believe a slick field helps the players on offense because they know where they are going, while the defense doesn’t. When a runner slips and goes down by rule, no one credits the ground with the tackle. Instead, the closest defender gets the stat. There are several scenarios, though, in which the ground can be a factor. The ground cannot cause a fumble. That’s an oft-spoken phrase in football. Actually the ground can cause a fumble under even though there is no requirement for a runner to be down by contact. It would, however, be a very rare occurrence. The veracity of that phrase lies in the fact that, 99.9 percent of the time, when the ball is freed from the runner’s grip as it hits the ground, the ball is already dead. It is dead because a part of the runner’s body other than a hand or foot had touched the ground before the ball touched the ground. That body part might be a knee, the side of a thigh or the forearm. Contact with the ground by any of those body parts causes the ball to become dead. Forward progress is marked at the foremost point of the ball when the contact with the ground occurred. caught the ball. Barring contact by an opponent, if the first contact is out of bounds, there is no catch and the pass is incomplete. If a player controls the ball while airborne, but loses possession when he lands, there is no catch. Thus, the ground can cause an incomplete pass. One fairly common scenario is a player who gains control of a ball in flight while he is in mid-air. He then comes to the ground with a foot just inside the sideline and falls to the ground out of bounds. When the player contacts the ground, the ball pops out from his hands. That may occur either with or without the ball contacting the ground. Some will argue that is a completed pass because the catch was completed when his foot touched the ground. Admittedly, the player has certainly complied with the exact requirements of the rule, but the key is “possession.” While it appeared to the eye that the player gained possession of the ball, the fact that the ball came loose upon contact with the ground is proof the player did not have sufficient control to satisfy the rule. That sort of qualifies as “evidence after the fact,” but that’s what the rule requires. That principle applies regardless of where the airborne receiver comes to the ground: out of bounds, inbounds, in the middle of the field or the end zone. In (see Turf p. 13) DALE GARVEY Even if the ball escapes the runner’s grasp, umpire Matt Jordan knows it won’t be a fumble. Because the runner’s forearms are touching the ground, the ball is dead and a fumble is not possible by rule. So how can the ground cause a fumble? While in a runner’s possession, the ball contacts the ground before any part of the runner’s body other than a hand or foot, and that contact causes the runner to lose control of the ball, then indeed the ground has “caused” a fumble. As you can imagine it would be a most unusual play. The runner would have to either stumble and try to use the ball to regain his balance, he could “lay out” or be flipped heels over head, so that the ball contacts the ground before the rest of the runner’s body, other than perhaps, the free hand. The ground can cause an incomplete pass. Catching a ball involves more than simply gaining control of it. It means gaining possession of the ball in flight and first coming to the ground inbounds (Rule 2-2-7). If an airborne player receives the ball and lands so his first contact is inbounds, he has 2008 NCAA Football Guide 5 No Connection is Still an Ejection In most cases, it is not illegal to fail in the attempt to do something. One exception involves fighting. Even if a punch fails to hit the mark (PlayPic A) or an attempted kick misses (PlayPic B), the player attempting to contact the opponent is guilty of a foul for fighting. The penalty is 15 yards and disqualification. Fighting is a personal foul (as opposed to an unsportsmanlike act). As a result, penalties for fighting are enforced the same as other personal fouls. If they occur during a live ball, they are treated as live-ball fouls. That’s an important distinction if, say, the foul occurs by the opponent of the scoring team on a play that results in a touchdown. In that case, the penalty could be enforced on the next kickoff as opposed to on the try. PlayPic™ B PlayPic™ A Clocks continued from p. 4 bounds. The game clock starts on the referee’s startthe-clock signal, which is accompanied by the whistle. Play 2: Second and four for Team A from its own 26yard line with 1:23 to play in the second quarter. A10 (a) throws an incomplete pass, (b) gains nine yards as a runner and goes out of bounds, (c) fumbles with B52 recovering, or (d) throws a backward pass to A33 that is muffed and goes out of bounds. Ruling 2: In (a), the game clock stops and the 40second interval starts when the covering official signals the pass incomplete. Because the game clock starts on the next snap and the 40-second clock is in force, the referee is not required to signal or blow his whistle. In (b), the game clock is stopped because A10 was in possession of the ball when he went out of bounds. Team A is awarded a new series for reaching the line to gain. The 40-second interval starts when the covering official gives the stop-theclock signal. Because there is less than two minutes to play in the half, the game clock does not start until the snap. Because the game clock starts on the next snap and the 40-second clock is in force, the referee is not required to signal or blow his whistle. Due to the change of possession in (c), the 25-second interval begins when the referee declares the ball ready for play. The game clock starts on the snap. In (d), the game clock stops and the 40-second interval begins when the covering official rules the ball out of bounds. The game clock starts on the snap because there is less than two minutes to play in the half. Because the game clock starts on the next snap and the 40-second clock is in force, the referee is not required to signal or blow his whistle. Play 3: Second and four for Team A from its own 26yard line with 1:23 to play in the second quarter. Runner A10 is near the sideline when he (a) intentionally throws a backward pass out of bounds to stop the clock, or (b) fumbles the ball, which goes forward and out of bounds. Ruling 3: The intentional backward pass in (a) is a foul. After enforcement of the penalty is completed, the 25-second interval will start on the referee’s ready signal. The game clock starts on the ready because the pass was thrown to conserve time. In (b), the game clock stops and the 40-second interval starts when the official signals the clock to stop. The game clock starts when the referee gives the start-the-clock signal because the fumble went forward and out of bounds even though there are less than two minutes to play in the half (Rule 3-4-3). I 6 2008 NCAA Football Guide Short Yardage continued from p. 2 situation is the long or hard count. The purpose is to give the defense a greater opportunity to jump offside. Defenders may break the plane before the snap as long as they don’t touch the ball or an opponent and are back out of the neutral zone at the snap. Getting caught in the neutral zone at the snap is a five-yard, live-ball, offside foul simultaneous with the snap. An astute center will prematurely snap the ball once he sees a defender in the neutral zone. “Interference” with an opponent or the ball is a five-yard, dead-ball foul. Play 2: Nose tackle B75 anticipates the snap count and (a) charges into center A57, or (b) touches the ball before it is snapped. Ruling 2: In either case, that is a dead-ball foul for offside. The penalty is five yards (Rule 7-1-4-a-1). During the long count, Team A must be careful not to false start. After the ball is marked ready and before the snap, it is a false start by any Team A player if a charge is feigned or there is any shift or movement that simulates action at the snap. It is also a foul if any Team A restricted lineman moves his hand(s) after having placed a hand on or near the ground. The ends are restricted if they are numbered 50-79 (Rule 7-13-a-4-c). Play 3: Linebacker B55 reacts to the hard count and lunges forward without entering the neutral zone. B55’s movement causes interior lineman A69 to prematurely lift up from his three-point stance. Ruling 3: That is a false start by A69. Other examples of prohibited movement include a lineman moving his foot, shoulder, arm, body or head in a quick, jerky movement; the snapper shifting or moving the ball or moving his thumb or fingers, flexing elbows, jerking his head or dipping shoulders or buttocks; the quarterback “chucking” hands at the snapper, flexing elbows under the snapper or dropping shoulders quickly just before the snap; any player starting in motion before the snap simulating receiving the ball by chucking his hands toward the snapper; or the quarterback or making any other quick, jerky movement. Referees Must be Miked Starting in 2010 In a change to Rule 1-4-9d, microphones, provided by home management, are strongly recommended on referees. The rule notes that mikes will be mandatory in 2010. Although microphones, used to announce penalties and other gamerelated information, are common at the upper levels of college football, they are still comparatively rare at the Division II and Division III levels. The mikes are to be used only on referees (no other officials may be miked) for penalty or other game announcements and must be controlled by the referee; they may not be open at other times. The lapel-type microphone (as opposed to the headset style) is strongly recommended. I Starting in 2010, home management will be required to provide Dennis Hennigan and other referees with microphones. Hennigan works in the Big East Conference. If the defense is disciplined and doesn’t foul during the long count, Team A may take a timeout or, in some cases, quickly punt the ball. The kick might come after or without a shift. A punter on a quick kick is afforded the same protection as he has if kicking from a scrimmage-kick formation. Quick kick Fourth-down fumble Officials must keep in mind the fourth-down fumble rule. If a fumble occurs before change of team possession, the ball becomes dead and the down ends if the fumble is recovered anywhere by a Team A player other than the fumbler. When that occurs, the ball is returned (see Short Yardage p. 9) BILL NICHOLS 2008 NCAA Football Guide 7 Get a Firm Grasp on Holding Rules Everyone knows that blockers regularly don’t keep their hands within the frame of their body. There is plenty of clutching, grabbing, yanking and gripping. That reality is why it is often said that holding could be called on virtually every play in a football game. Realistically, if officials called everything by the book, fields would be awash in penalty flags and games would last an eternity, to the consternation of participants and fans. Instead, here are some guidelines to consider when it comes to holding. backfield, where he is grabbed by a back. Either the defender or a teammate sacks the quarterback. A flag is still necessary because the defense may foul, causing an offset. If the quarterback scrambles and gets back to the line of scrimmage or gains yardage, the hold is relevant and should be called. After all, if not for the hold, the sack would not have been prevented. A nocall in that case gives the offense an unfair advantage. Arms and feet Takedowns Takedowns at the point of attack, those in the open field, within the tackle box and affecting the result of the play create special focus and should be called. A jersey pull should get an official’s attention, but does not necessarily require a flag. A number of factors should be considered before calling holding on such a play. Point of attack If a back receives a handoff and runs a sweep to the right, what difference does it make that the left tight end or left tackle held? In the broad scheme of things that had no influence on how the play developed, did not put the defense at a disadvantage and thus should be ignored. What matters is what the blockers immediately around and in front of the running back do, for that is where defenders will be focusing their effort to bring down the runner. That’s why you should focus attention on the point of attack and worry about holding only if it occurs in that vicinity. The same theory works on the other side of the ball. Suppose a cornerback grabs a split end or slot back as the receiver moves downfield. The contact prevents the receiver from running his route properly and getting to where the quarterback expects him to be when he passes. Obviously that has an impact on the play and should be called. But if the quarterback never looks to that side of the field and immediately throws to a receiver on the other side, the holding had no effect and should be ignored. In those situations, register the fact that a restriction occurred, but then look back to the quarterback to see what he is doing. If he is scanning the field, looking back and forth from primary to secondary receivers, throw a flag. Sometimes the flag will be late, depending on how the play developed. But if the quarterback never looks in the direction of the receiver, don’t throw a flag. No harm, no foul. Suppose the quarterback ends up not passing and possibly being sacked for a loss. Defensive holding should be called if it is determined the receiver was an intended target and the quarterback couldn’t get the pass off because the action on the receiver prevented him from being where the quarterback could find him. Differentiate that from a play designed from the start to be a run, in which case the hold on the receiver had no negative impact on the play. Say a defender beats a lineman and gets into the Action at the point of attack merits two questions: Did the blocker’s action restrict or impede the defender, and what were the defender’s feet doing? Regarding the first part of that puzzle, officials know that blockers often get a handful of the defender’s jersey. But if both are stymied and continue to move, consider that “dancing” and do not throw a flag. But if the blocker twists the defender, spins him around, takes him down to the ground or jerks down his shoulder, that is a different story. When trying to describe the foul, an official must be able to use some action verb rather than “held.” Think in more accurate terms such as grabbed, twisted, turned, spun, etc. Saying the defender was held is not enough. There is holding, and then there is the holding that needs to be called. As for the defender’s feet, say a blocker grabs the defender but the latter is (see Holding p. 11) 8 2008 NCAA Football Guide DALE BARNES Categories Help Define Defensive Interference The late Woody Hayes, whose Ohio State teams used the run the way Al Capone used bullets, once said, “There are three things that can happen when you throw a pass, and two of them are bad.” A completed pass is certainly good, but a defensive pass interference (DPI) penalty is almost as good. As more teams use the pass as a main offensive weapon, the chances for interference penalties increase as well. Two things an official should consider in a potential DPI situation are whether contact occurred and whether the defender was “playing the ball” (looking for it) or “playing the receiver” (looking at him) when the contact occurred. Of course, the ball must also be catchable. It is not interference if a receiver and defender get “tangle feet” as long as both of them are looking for the ball. Don’t be fooled by the defender who looks at the receiver as they move downfield together, continues to play him as the pass arrives, makes contact and then looks back toward the ball to make it appear that he was playing the ball all the way. Generally speaking, DPI can be grouped into fairly clearly defined categories. Playing through the receiver That usually occurs on a slant route or when a receiver turns to face the quarterback and the defender tries to time his hit to coincide with the ball’s arrival but is a step or two early and goes over the top of the receiver or through his back. DPI should be called even if the defender is looking for the ball. That can be a tough call if the official keying that receiver is straightlined; then it can be a nightmare to determine whether the contact occurred before or just as the receiver touched the ball. Another problem that accounts for erroneous flags is that defenders can appear to be going through the receiver’s back when in reality they get around him to bat down a pass. Be careful that you don’t penalize a great defensive play. the contact doesn’t impede the receiver’s ability to catch the pass. It is another story when, just before the pass arrives, the defender uses the arm around the receiver’s waist to spin him around. That is DPI. Again, timing is everything: Did the spin occur before or just as the ball arrived? arm and pins it, thus preventing the receiver from reaching upward with both arms. It is obviously much more difficult for a receiver to make a catch with one hand than it is with two, so that often barely perceptible and hard-to-pick-up move by the defender can have a material effect on the play. Arm-bar That usually happens when the defender and receiver are running pretty much together. The defender gets inside position and then extends his forearm into the receiver so as to subtly push him away and keep him from adjusting to where the pass is thrown. The defender can’t use that arm to exert pressure on the receiver even if he is looking for the ball at the time. That is a call on which back judges can provide a lot of help, since other officials will often be screened off. Cut-off Pinning a receiver’s arm Twisting the receiver Merely putting an arm on a receiver’s back or even around his waist is not DPI if That is another subtle move that can be easy for an official to overlook. The defender may or may not be playing the ball as the pass arrives. As the receiver reaches up to catch it, the defender grabs his The defender and receiver establish their routes as they move downfield. As the ball arrives, the defender, who may be looking back at the ball at the time, alters his path and veers into the receiver with his body to prevent him from getting to where the pass goes. As is the case with some other forms of interference, a cut-off doesn’t have to be huge to have a major effect on the receiver. On the contrary, it can be a subtle change of direction. Don’t confuse that situation with the one in which a defender legitimately adjusts his route given the direction of the pass. We’re talking here about the defender who knows full well which way the pass is traveling and moves away from the path of the ball to block or wall off the receiver. I Short Yardage continued from p. 7 to the spot of the fumble, or to the spot of the recovery, whichever is more to Team B’s advantage, and the down counts there. The rule applies only to fumbles; it does not apply to muffs or to grounded backward passes (Rules 4-1-3-j; 7-2-2a and b, 8-3-2-d-5). Play 4: On fourth and goal, A41 runs to Team B’s one-yard line and fumbles. The ball goes into the end zone and is recovered there by prone (a) A41, (b) A87, or (c) B29. Ruling 4: In (a), a touchdown for Team A. In (b), the ball is returned to the spot of the fumble. It will be Team B’s ball first and 10 on its one-yard line. In (c), the play results in a touchback. It will be Team B’s ball first and 10 on its 20-yard line. Deception with substitutes In short-yardage situations, there may be confusion on the offense as to which players should be in the game. No simulated replacements or substitutions may be used to confuse opponents (Rule 9-2-2-b). Play 5: Fourth and two on Team B’s 20-yard line. Team A huddles with 10 players. As the huddle breaks, kicker A11 enters the field. Ruling 5: It is not a foul unless the covering official determines the delay was intended to confuse the opponents. If that is the case and the penalty is accepted, it is enforced five yards from the previous spot and the down is repeated. I 2008 NCAA Football Guide 9 Setting a Tempo Enhances Crew’s Perception One aspect of creating a positive image and establishing confidence and credibility that could stand more attention is tempo — crewmembers, and the crew as a whole, maintaining a smooth and consistent rhythm and pace throughout the game. The first step in ensuring a good flow to things is establishing a time frame for pregame crew matters and sticking with it. Has the game time and site been confirmed? Do the crewmembers know that information? Who is responsible for handling what parts of the pregame? Where will it be held, when will it start and roughly how long will it last? Officials tend to be antsy before a game, and the more confused and uncertain things are, the more one’s comfort level decreases, which can seriously impair onfield performance. To prevent that, the crew chief must ensure that everyone knows in advance what they and the others will be doing and when they will do it, then adhere to the script and insist that others do so. Depending on how things work in your area, part of that may be ensuring that the school or game manager has been contacted and advised of when the crew will arrive. If some or all officials have defined pregame duties, they need to be carried out in an orderly and timely manner. Have a set time when the umpire and referee are to meet with the coaches, the ball boys meet with the appropriate official, the game and play clock operators meet with the back judge and the head linesman meets with the chain crew. The crew should go on the field in shifts to monitor team behavior and compliance with uniform policies. It is essential that those things are done per the prescribed time frame. where he needs to be, but most of the time we can glide seemingly effortlessly to our proper position. A crew can seem “not ready for prime time” if its members are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. When a play ends in midfield, the wing officials don’t need to come racing in — unless the goal line or lineto-gain is threatened, or a scuffle is brewing. Staying back gives the wing officials a wider field of vision, which is helpful in dead-ball officiating. Also, when a play ends, it is counterproductive to have multiple officials converging on the dead-ball spot. The crew should use the “ring” concept, with the covering official watching the immediate pile of players (and not getting so close to the pile that he can’t see the “big picture”). The next-nearest officials watch action in the ring around the pile and the other officials look at the remainder of the field. That not only creates the perception that the crew knows what it is doing, but it also results in better field coverage. Penalty enforcement has a vital tempo aspect. It can be done expeditiously while losing nothing in terms of accuracy. There is, for example, no need to have a crew conference on a simple false start. The referee should confirm that it is a false start, get the player’s number, make the announcement and get on with it. Although they are sometimes necessary, crew conferences create the perception of uncertainty and detract from the overall flow of the game. If you don’t have something constructive to offer to the discussion, stay away. In addition, precious time is lost when the referee needlessly gives a preliminary signal (on a false start or delay of game, for example) or walks 10, 15 or 20 yards away to give the signal on a foul. Ballhandling On the field Another aspect of tempo is how the crew moves on the field. Sometimes an official has to bust his rear to get to By hustling to get a new ball into the game, Atlantic Coast Conference umpire Rich McMahan is helping to keep the game moving. That leads to a good tempo and a more crisply played game. The crew’s ball mechanics involve tempo. The ball should be carefully relayed from one official to the next, taking care to ensure that it can be caught chest-high and will not be dropped. Nothing looks sloppier than balls bouncing around the field because they were hastily or inaccurately thrown. The game flow is disrupted when officials have to chase balls that have bounced several yards away. When the play ends, don’t be too quick to get the ball or to look for a new one from a ball boy; be sure that there are no dead-ball fouls or other problems, get a ball in a cruisecontrol manner, then calmly and deliberately relay it in. Try to do so in the same manner and pace throughout the game. Finally, be conscious of the time between quarters, after trys or field goals, during halftime and during timeouts. If the rule says that X amount of time is to be allotted, have someone on the crew track it to be sure that no more or less is granted. When everyone is lollygagging around and timeouts and halftimes stretch several seconds (or minutes) beyond the allotted time, any semblance of game tempo is destroyed. Pay attention to tempo before and during a game, and your performance, and the extent to which others perceive you as capable and in control will be greatly enhanced. I BILL NICHOLS 10 2008 NCAA Football Guide Forward Progress Ends Inbounds Too many officials err by killing the game clock and ruling that runners have gone out of bounds when their forward progress was stopped inbounds, and they were pushed backward or laterally and out of bounds. Assuming that neither a first down nor a change of possession is involved, if you rule a runner’s forward progress is stopped at any point inbounds, the game clock should continue to run even if that runner subsequently goes out of bounds. Two situations often mishandled involve a runner who is “stood up” near the sideline and a runner who, on his own or due to contact, hits the ground and slides farther downfield. The former situation is depicted in the MechaniGram. The snap is from Team A’s 32yard line (point A in the illustration), first and 10. A1 runs to his left. About a foot inbounds at Team A’s 38-yard line, A1’s forward progress is stopped (point B) but he stays on his feet. A1 is shoved or falls backward and goes out of bounds at Team A’s 36-yard line (point C). The ball should be spotted at the hashmark on Team A’s 38-yard line and the game clock should continue to run. In baseball, sliding aids a runner who is trying to reach a base. In football, sliding sometimes does nothing to change the status of the ball or the progress of the runner. That scenario is illustrated in the PlayPic. The runner is down by rule because his hip and thigh touched the ground. He is not given the benefit of yardage gained by sliding farther downfield. The ball should be spotted at its foremost point when the runner was down by rule. Additionally, the slide across the sideline does not, in and of itself, cause the clock to stop. Because the runner’s progress was stopped inbounds, the clock should continue to run unless it must be stopped for other reasons (penalty on the play, line-to-gain reached, etc.). Remember a significant rule change for 2008. If the runner does indeed go out of bounds, the game clock stops. However, except for the last two minutes of each half, the game clock starts on the signal by the referee (Rule 3-2-5). I MechaniGram™ C A1 A1 B A A1 PlayPic™ SLIDES OUT OF BOUNDS HITS GROUND HERE Holding continued from p. 8 strong enough to overpower the blocker and keep his feet moving in his intended direction. In that case, the hold should be ignored because it didn’t have a negative effect on the defender’s ability to do his job. But if the hold causes the defender to lose a step or two or to be yanked around or to the ground, throw a flag. When the ball is snapped, take a quick look at the tackle to see if he yanks the defender down, spins him, etc., and then focus on the quarterback. If the quarterback runs either way, watch the offensive players and defenders in front of and around him. To take the concept of “overpowering” a step further, sometimes there will be size and/or strength mismatches between offensive and defensive players. Officials have to be careful not to conclude that holding occurred simply because a defender hit the ground. Say a defender rushes across the line, where he is held by the tackle. The defender is so strong, however, that he runs right over the tackle. The tackle then falls on his back, bringing the defender down on top of him. Without seeing the whole play, it is easy to conclude that a “takedown” occurred, when the reality is that the defender was so strong that he overpowered the blocker. Holding should not be called on that play. Double teams Another key involves a double-team block. Say the left tackle and left guard double-team a defender. Rarely will you have a hold on a double-team. If the offense is willing to waste two guys on one opponent, so be it. Holding on double teams should be called only if there is a takedown or the defender breaks the double team and is pulled back. I 2008 NCAA Football Guide 11 Editorial Changes Approved Out of the approximately 60 editorial changes for NCAA rules this year, eight changes can result in a different ruling for 2008 than in 2007. The changes mostly reflect scenarios that do not routinely occur, but are important nonetheless. PlayPic™ Passer beyond neutral zone (Rules 2-19-3, 7-3-2-a) A passer has crossed the neutral zone if his entire body has been beyond the neutral zone. Previously, a passer was beyond the neutral zone when any part of his body was beyond the neutral zone when the ball was released. The change makes it easier for officials to determine if an illegal forward pass has been thrown. Play 1: Third and 10 on Team A’s 20-yard line. A18 releases a forward pass when (a) only his passing hand is beyond the neutral zone, (b) his lead foot is beyond the neutral zone and his rear foot is not, or (c) his front foot is completely beyond the neutral zone and his back foot is just beyond the neutral zone. Ruling 1: In (a) and (b), it is a legal pass. In (c), it is a foul on A11 for illegally throwing a forward pass from beyond the neutral zone. If the penalty is accepted, it is enforced five yards from the spot of the pass and the down counts. the snap. Ruling 3: The clock was stopped to award Team B a first down, but Team B will not snap the ball due to the accepted penalty. Following the penalty, Team A will retain the ball, first and 10 from its own 30-yard line. The clock starts on the ready. Fouls against eligible receivers (Rule 9-3-4-e) If during a play in which a legal forward pass crosses the neutral zone, a defender makes illegal contact with an eligible pass receiver that is not pass interference (such as holding) before the pass is touched, the penalty is from the previous spot and includes an automatic first down. It is now stipulated that the foul must occur beyond the neutral zone. The new wording replaces the statement that the passer was not to be considered an eligible receiver for purposes of the rule. However, the change affects fouls against other players as well. Play 4: Second and 20 at Team A’s 30-yard line. A11 looks to throw a screen pass to A22 at Team A’s 28-yard line, but A22 is held there by B55. A11 then throws a legal forward pass to A83 at Team A’s 32-yard line. Ruling 4: Although A22 is an eligible receiver, B55’s holding foul occurred behind the neutral zone. As a result, the penalty does not include an automatic first down. If the penalty is accepted, it will be second and 10 at Team A’s 40-yard line. (see Changes p. 15) In order to be considered beyond the neutral zone, a passer must have his entire body beyond the neutral zone. Under the old NCAA rule, the passer was considered beyond the line of any part of his body was beyond the line. Running play (Rule 2-30-4) The statement that there is only one running play behind the neutral zone has been deleted. The number of running plays during a down is not a factor in penalty enforcement. The related run determines the basic spot. Play 2: First and 10 on Team A’s 25-yard line. A11 takes the snap and passes the ball backward to A22. B73 bursts through the line, grabs A11, twirls him and plants him into the ground. A11’s backward pass goes awry and A22 muffs the ball. A33 recovers the ball after B73’s personal foul and advances to team A’s 29yard line. Ruling 2: The 15yard penalty for B73’s personal foul is enforced from the previous spot and includes an automatic first down. There are two running plays: A11’s and A33’s. The foul occurred during the first running play, which ended when A33 recovered the ball. Since the related run ended behind the neutral zone, the basic spot is the previous spot and is enforced from there. Clock stopped for award of new series (Rule 3-2-5-e) Under 2007 rules, the clock started on the snap any time the clock was stopped to award Team B a new series whether or not Team B was awarded the first down. Now, when a penalty negates Team B’s first down, the clock will start depending on whichever other clock rule caused it to stop. Play 3: Fourth and five from Team A’s 25-yard line. A32 is tackled inbounds after a three-yard gain. B79 was in the neutral zone at 12 2008 NCAA Football Guide Ball Carrier, Departing Player Defined Two new player designations have been defined and may be found in Rules 2-27-6-c and 2-27-7. A departing player is defined as a player leaving the field, having been replaced by a substitute. The definition will be helpful in identifying a player’s status in substitution situations. A ball carrier is a runner in possession of a live ball. A ball carrier differs from a runner in that a runner may only be pretending to have the ball. The difference between a runner and ball carrier is an important distinction, particularly when it comes to rules that apply only to the ball carrier. Play: A33 is contacted legally by B53. The contact causes A33’s helmet to come completely off. At the time of the contact, A33 (a) was in possession of a live ball, or (b) pretending to be in possession of a live ball. Ruling: In (a), A33 is a ball carrier. The ball becomes dead when the ball carrier’s helmet comes completely off (Rule 4-1-3-q). In (b), A33 is defined as a runner, not a ball carrier, therefore the ball remains live. Rule 4-1-3-q applies only to players in possession of a live ball. I No Warning for Sideline Interference Teams guilty of sideline interference will suffer a yardage penalty starting with the first occurrence, under a change approved by the NCAA Football Rules Committee. Under the previous Rule 9-1-6, a team violating the sideline rule was first issued two warnings, followed by a succession of yardage penalties. The warnings have been eliminated. While the ball is in play, coaches, substitutes and authorized attendants may not be in the restricted area between the sideline and the coaching box or on the field of play. The first and second instances result in a five-yard penalty for delay. Third and subsequent infractions are penalized as unsportsmanlike conduct for sideline interference, 15 yards from the succeeding spot. I Turf continued from p. 5 the preceding scenario, the play did not end when the receiver’s foot touched the ground inbounds — the ball remained live. Such a play ends when the receiver touches out of bounds and, as described, the ball becomes loose at the time it is to be declared dead. Let’s take the same airborne receiver and have him gain control between the hashmarks above the end zone. He then comes to the ground in the following sequence: first foot, second foot, hip, back. The ball pops free when his back contacts the turf. Is that a catch? One argument can be that not only was the catch complete when the first foot touched the ground, but the ball was dead because it was in the end zone. Again, failure to maintain control of the ball until the player has completely come to the ground indicates that the rule requiring possession was not satisfied. The result is an incomplete pass. The ground cannot commit a personal foul. Perhaps that’s not as widely known as the first two phrases, but it’s certainly valid. That phrase was probably coined by Randy Campbell of the Mountain West Conference. Randy uses that phrase to encourage officials not to stare down at the ground after a play ends (a common fault among less experienced officials, especially when marking the progress spot). Deadball fouls, especially at a sideline, are almost always formulated in the mind of the perpetrator while the ball is live and executed within three seconds after the ball becomes dead. In order for a late hit to occur, the potential offender must be in proximity of an opponent. Piling on or late hits near the runner are relatively easy to catch because officials tend to watch the player with the ball. Fouls away from the play are more difficult, but only because some crews are not disciplined to keep all 22 players in view after the play ends. It’s not difficult to maintain vigilance for three seconds and it is a key component of good dead-ball officiating. Of course, dead-ball fouls can occur after the three-second vigilance period. Opponents may begin the dead-ball interval with verbal jousting that escalates to physical confrontation. The syllables themselves may constitute taunting. Officials should monitor all bantering among opponents. If opponents remain near each other after a play ends, there is a potential problem and the nearest official should close in and let his presence be known. In many cases that will be enough to deter any extracurricular activity. A common distraction to dead-ball officiating is the ball itself. Some officials make chasing the ball their priority after the play ends. That task should be left to the ball boys if the ball has gone outside the sideline and to the players if it remains on the field. It is OK if the game is momentarily delayed while the ball is retrieved. The teams will eventually get into the routine of taking care of the unneeded ball. If necessary and the circumstances permit, an official can fetch the ball once all players have started to return to their huddle or a new position. I 2008 NCAA Football Guide 13 Illegal Touching — Times Four The term “illegal touching” can mean four different things. It is a violation when a member of the kicking team touches any kick at a time when his team could not retain possession if it had the ball at the end of the down. That type of illegal touching gives the receiving team the right to take the ball at that spot. However, if there are offsetting fouls or a penalty is enforced for a foul incurred by either team before the ball becomes dead, the right to take the ball at the spot of illegal touching is canceled. Illegal touching can occur as soon as the kick is beyond the neutral zone. Illegal touching in Team A’s end zone is ignored (Rules 6-1-3, 6-3-2). A somewhat related illegal touching violation occurs when a Team A player bats a scrimmage kick in Team B’s end zone that was untouched by Team B beyond the neutral zone. In that situation, Team B’s option to elect a touchback cannot be negated by enforcement of a penalty on the play (Rule 6-3-11). On pass plays, illegal touching occurs when any Team A player who is ineligible at the snap intentionally touches a forward pass before the pass has been touched by a Team B player. That is a foul penalized five yards from the previous spot; there is no loss of down (Rule 7-3-11). A separate foul, also called illegal touching, occurs when an eligible offensive player goes out of bounds during a down and returns to touch a legal forward pass before it has been touched by an opponent. The penalty for that foul is counting the down at the previous spot; no yardage is walked off (Rule 7-3-4). On pass plays, illegal touching occurs if an ineligible Team A player bats, muffs or catches a forward pass behind, in or beyond the neutral zone. The penalty is five yards and loss of down (Rule 7-5-12). I Successful Challenge Among Replay Changes Several changes have been made to the instant replay rule found in Rule 12. A coach whose challenge results in a reversal is allowed one more challenge during the game. Thus a coach may have a total of two challenges, but only if his initial challenge is successful. Also, the replay official may correct egregious game-clock errors. The list of plays that may be reviewed was expanded as well. • A field goal attempt may be reviewed only if the ball is ruled below or above the crossbar, or inside or outside the uprights when it is lower than the top of the uprights. If the ball is higher than the top of the uprights, the ruling may not be reviewed. • Replay may review a play in which a ball carrier is judged to have been down by rule when the recovery of a fumble by an opponent or teammate occurs in the immediate action following the fumble and is prior to any official signaling that the ball is dead. If the ball carrier is judged down by rule and the instant replay official does not have indisputable video evidence as to which player recovers the fumble, the down-by-rule call stands. Also, if the ruling of downby-rule is reversed, the ball belongs to the recovering player at the spot of the recovery and any advance is nullified. • Replay may review situations in which a ball carrier is judged to have been out of bounds when his immediate action takes him into the opponent’s end zone and is prior to any official signaling that the ball is dead. I Jack Wood and other NCAA referees will have more opportunities to use instant replay starting this season. Several changes in the rules regarding replay have been approved for 2008. Wood works in the Pac-10 Conference. DALE GARVEY 14 2008 NCAA Football Guide Rule Change Affects Penalty Enforcement on Kicks The spot at which Team B may begin a series when a free kick goes out of bounds has been altered for 2008. According to Rule 6-2-1Penalty, if a free kick goes out of bounds untouched by Team B, one of Team B’s options is to take the ball at the inbounds spot 30 yards from the previous spot. In most cases, that will be Team B’s 40-yard line. Last year, the spot would have been 35 yards from the previous spot, normally Team B’s 35-yard line. The other options that existed in past years remain in place. Play: A10’s free kick from his own 30-yard line is untouched by Team B when it goes out of bounds at (a) Team B’s 25-yard line, (b) periods and another deals with fouls on a try after a change of possession. In extra periods, penalties for flagrant personal fouls after a change of possession are enforced on the succeeding play. That restores a rule that had been in effect in the past. Also, if both teams foul during a down in extra periods and Team B had not fouled prior to a change of possession, the fouls offset and the down is not replayed. The same philosophy applies during a try in regulation. If both teams foul during a try down and Team B had not fouled prior to the change of possession, the fouls offset and the down is not replayed. Play 6: During the first possession series of an extra period, B42 intercepts a pass and carries the ball across Team A’s goal line. During the run B73 (a) slugs an opponent, or (b) clips at midfield. Ruling 6: No touchdown in either case. In (a), since the penalty is flagrant, it is carried over to Team B’s possession in the extra period and B73 is Team B’s 45-yard line, or (c) team A’s 45-yard line. Ruling: In (a), (b) and (c), Team B’s options are to have Team A rekick after enforcement of a five-yard penalty from the previous spot, have the five-yard penalty enforced from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B or to take the ball 30 yards disqualified. Team B’s series starts at team A’s 40yard line. In (b), the penalty is declined by rule. Team B’s series starts at Team A’s 25-yard line. Play 7: During a try in an extra period, B73 is offside at the snap. A22 fumbles at Team B’s twoyard line. B55 recovers the ball and is tackled by the face mask at Team B’s 10yard line. Ruling 7: Since Team B fouled before the change of possession, the fouls offset and the try is replayed. Play 8: During a try in the second period, B52 roughs the kicker. The low kick is blocked at the line and recovered by B44, who returns the ball over Team A’s goal line. Ruling 8: Since Team B’s foul was before the change of possession, the try is replayed from the one and one-half yardline. from the previous spot. Assuming Team B did not want Team A to rekick, in (a), Team B would be wise to choose a new series at its own 40-yard line. In (b) and (c), the best choice is having the five-yard penalty enforced from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B. I Changes continued from p. 12 Scrimmage kick formation (Rule 2-15-10) If Team A is in scrimmage kick formation at the snap, any action by Team A during the down is deemed to be from a scrimmage kick formation. That means neither team can block low when the offense makes a scrimmage kick and was in a scrimmage kick formation at the snap. Play 5: On fourth down, Team A is in scrimmage kick formation. A31 takes the snap and runs to his right. As he approaches the line, he punts rugby style. A52 blocks B75 below the waist at the snap. Ruling 5: An illegal block on A52. Although the ball was not kicked while Team A was in a scrimmage kick formation, Team A was in a scrimmage kick formation at the snap. Consequently, neither team can block below the waist anywhere on the field at anytime during the down. Fouls on scoring plays (Rule 10-2-2g-1b) When a foul is committed by the non-scoring team on a play during which a touchdown is scored, only personal fouls can carry over to the try or succeeding kickoff. The rule had been silent on how to treat non-personal fouls. Now, if the non-scoring team commits any foul other than a personal foul, the penalty is declined by rule and the score counts, unless illegal touching of a kick during the down makes it possible to enforce a penalty. Play 9: Team A’s punt crosses the neutral zone and A1 commits illegal touching. B22 picks up the ball and runs a few yards. During B22’s run, B53 holds A64. B2 fumbles and A25 recovers and returns it for a touchdown. Ruling 9: The touchdown will not count. But since there was illegal touching during the down and it’s possible to enforce a penalty, Team B’s foul is not declined by rule. Team A can choose between giving Team B the ball at the spot of illegal touching or at the spot where enforcement of the penalty leaves the ball. Penalty enforcement (Rules 3-1-3-g-1, 3-1-3-g-3, 8-3-3-a, 8-3-4-c) Two changes affect penalty enforcement in extra Halftime (Rule 3-2-1) The referee is to give the start-the-clock signal immediately after the second period ends. In the past, the referee was to wait for both teams to clear the field. I 2008 NCAA Football Guide 15 Straight Back, Arms Extended Solid body language when signaling is an aid to selling calls and in conveying proper messages to the timer. One signal often done incorrectly is the signal for incomplete pass. When done properly (PlayPic A), the official stands erect. The arms are crossed in front of the body, then thrust to the sides. If the pass falls incomplete in plain view, make the signal once. If a call needs to be sold, additional repetitions are appropriate. Avoid bending at the waist, as seen in PlayPic B, or signaling with “alligator arms” (arms not extended), as seen in PlayPic C. PlayPic™ PlayPic™ PlayPic™ A B C