Rule 1: The Game, Field, Players and Equipment Flashcards
On fourth down, kicker A1 enters the field with an approved game ball and asks the referee to substitute it for the ball used during the previous down.
RULING: Substitution of the ball is not permitted.
The Team A player who started the game wearing jersey number 77 enters the game wearing number 88
RULING: The player must report
to the Referee who, without stopping the game or play clock, uses his microphone to announce the change and the relevant flank official informs the opposing head coach. If A88 fails to report it is a foul for
unsportsmanlike conduct.
A player or players of a team wear tights that cover their legs
RULING:
Legal. For those players that wear tights, they must be of the same design and color
The home team is wearing red jerseys with orange numerals. In the judgment of the officials, the numerals and the body of the jersey do not
contrast enough to make the numbers readily visible. The referee asks the home team head coach to change to a legal jersey. The head coach tells the
referee that his team will not change into different jerseys.
RULING: After
the ball is marked ready for play for the opening kickoff, the referee charges
the home team with a timeout for illegal jerseys. In addition, there will be a 15-yard penalty at the succeeding spot following the kickoff starting
each half. If the kickoff is returned for a touchdown, the penalty is assessed either on the try or at the succeeding kickoff. For each quarter that they
continue to wear the jerseys, the team is charged with a timeout after the ball is declared ready for play and before the ball is put in play for the first play of that quarter. If a team has no timeouts remaining, a delay of game penalty will be enforced.
A33 is wearing a bandanna under his helmet, with part of the bandanna protruding from underneath the back of the helmet.
RULING: Illegal
equipment. Bandannas may be worn under the helmet as long as no part of the bandanna is visible when the helmet is in place. The visible bandanna is
considered a uniform attachment (1-4-7-h). A33 must leave the game for at least one down and may not returned until the bandanna is removed or
completely hidden under the helmet. Team A may request a team timeout, if one is available, to prevent A33 from missing a down, but the bandanna
must be hidden or removed
At the end of a down, B55’s shoulder pad has become exposed and is not covered by the jersey
RULING: Illegal equipment. Because the pad became
exposed through play, B55 is not required to leave the game. The pad must be covered by the jersey before the ball is next put into play.
Both teams come onto the field before the game wearing colored jerseys. The visiting team has not obtained written agreement from the home team to wear other than white jerseys, or if such agreement has been obtained the home team’s conference has not certified that the jerseys are of contrasting colors.
RULING: Foul by the visiting team for violation
of the jersey-color rule. After the ball is marked ready for play for the opening kickoff, the referee charges the visiting team with a timeout for illegal jerseys. In addition, there will be a 15-yard penalty at the succeeding spot following the kickoff starting each half. If the kickoff is returned for a touchdown, the penalty is assessed either on the try or at the succeeding kickoff. For each quarter that they continue to wear the jerseys, the team is charged with a timeout after the ball is declared ready for play and before
the ball is put in play for the first play of that quarter. If a team has no timeouts remaining, a delay of game penalty will be enforced. (1-4-5-b)
As Team A is about to break its huddle, the Referee notices that A35 is wearing an overbuilt facemask.
RULING: A35 must leave the game for
one down to get a legal facemask. Team A may use an available charged timeout in order that A35 not miss a down, but he may not play with the illegal facemask
Each member of the offensive line is wearing a towel, all of which are white, 4” by 12”, with a small team logo. The snapper’s towel also has a large skull-and-cross-bones symbol
RULING: It is legal for any player
to wear a towel. The towels are all legal except the snapper’s. He must leave the game for at least one down and may not return until the towel is
removed or replaced with one that is legal. Team A may keep him in the game by using a charged timeout, but he may not wear the illegal towel. (Rules 1-4-6-a and 1-4-8)
A player writes or paints advertisements, messaging and/or inscriptions on their shoes and plans to wear them during the game.
RULING: Not
allowed by rule. Appendix E, A-11 allows for uniforms and all other items of apparel to bear only a single manufacturer’s or distributor’s normal label
or trademark not to exceed 2.25 square inches in area. To allow the student athlete’s voice to be heard, the Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP) has
expanded the size of the insignia patch to 16 square inches to allow players to celebrate or memorialize persons, events or social justice causes (Rule
1-4-6-d). Additionally, the student athlete as authorized by the institution or conference, is allowed other names/words intended to celebrate or memorialize persons, events, or other causes on the back of the jersey/ uniform where the player’s name is traditionally located. The names/words may vary by team member.
A player enters the field during pre-game warmups after the officials’ jurisdiction begins wearing a tee shirt with (a) an advertisement with the
shirt including a number that is readily visible; (b) a social justice message with the shirt including a number that is readily visible; (c) no number
readily visible
RULING: The tee shirt in (a) is not allowed by rule as
advertisements are not allowed on the uniform or any items of apparel (Exception – Post-season game as outlined in Rule 1-4-5); (b) legal; (c) not allowed as per Rule 3-1-1-c. There is no yardage penalty for (a) and (c)
but the player must leave the playing enclosure. Officials are encouraged to seek out the Head Coach, Equipment Manager or Game Management to take the appropriate action.
After the ball is ready for play, an official identifies a player(s) who is obviously not wearing a mouthpiece.
RULING: The player(s) must leave the game
for at least one down and may not return until properly equipped with a mouthpiece. The player(s) may remain in the game by spending an available
team timeout, but they may not play until properly equipped.
Late in the first half, Team B has used its three timeouts. At the end of a play the line judge notices that B44, a player who participated in the
previous play, is equipped with an eye shield that is either tinted or not clear
RULING: Equipment violation. B44 must leave the game for at least one down and may not return if he is wearing an illegal eye shield.
When the ball is dead after a scrimmage down, the Umpire notices that linebacker B55 has an exposed back pad at waist level, which apparently
became exposed through play during the previous down.
RULING: B55 is not required to leave the game, but he must cover the exposed pad with his jersey before the next down.
The Head Coach of the home team is unable to attend the game in person and wants to monitor the TV broadcast and (a) call in plays via cell phone to the offensive coordinator and (b) use a virtual application
(Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.) to communicate with the team in the locker room.
RULING: Rule 1-4-11-b is specific and allows only voice
communication between the press box and the team area, therefore in (a) the coach could not call into the press box or the sideline for anything related to coaching purposes. Rule 1-4-11-a would prohibit the use of technology including computers to be used for coaching purposes and this would include all virtual types of communication back to a team during
the game. Consequently in (b) any virtual session with the team would not be allowed. This prohibition would begin at 90 minutes before the scheduled kickoff when the officiating crew assumes jurisdiction of the
game and would include the time between periods until the end of the game when the Referee declares the score final.
