RULE 10: Penalty Enforcement Flashcards
On a Team A kickoff, Team B fouls before the untouched ball goes out of bounds between the goal lines.
RULING: Offsetting fouls. Team A re-kicks at the previous spot.
On a Team A kickoff from its 35-yard line, Team B fouls after the untouched ball goes out of bounds between the goal lines
RULING: Team B may elect a replay with Team A free-kicking at its 45-yard line. If Team B retains the ball, it will be at its 20-yard line, after the 15-yard penalty from its 35-yard line, or 15 yards behind the spot where the fiveyard penalty against Team A left the ball (Rules 6-1-8 and 10-1-6).
Team A is an illegal formation at the snap. A1’s forward pass is intercepted by B1, who advances five yards and is tackled. Team B clips during B1’s run
RULING: Team B has the option to accept offsetting fouls and repeat the down or to decline offsetting fouls and retain the ball after its penalty is completed. In the latter case Team A may accept or decline the penalty for Team B’s clipping foul.
A1 throws an illegal forward pass and Team B is in the neutral zone at the snap. B23 intercepts the pass and B10 clips on the return. B23 is tackled in the field of play
RULING: No option. The fouls offset and the down
is replayed. Team B may not decline offsetting fouls because it had fouled before getting possession of the ball.
A1’s forward pass is intercepted by B1, who advances and fumbles. B2recovers and returns the ball five more yards. Team A fouls during or after the down, and Team B fouls during the fumble or during return by B2
RULING: If Team A’s foul was a live-ball foul, Team B may select offsetting fouls and replay the down or select an option to retain the ball following the completion of the penalty for its foul. If Team A’s foul was a dead-ball foul, Team B retains the ball after enforcement of both penalties.
Team A’s legal forward pass is intercepted by B45, who advances several yards. On the return, B23 clips and A78 tackles B45 by pulling and twisting his face mask
RULING: Since Team B had not fouled before the
change of possession, it may decline offsetting fouls and retain possession after completion of the clipping penalty.
A1 receives the snap while standing on his end line. Team B is offside at the snap
RULING: Team A’s foul, out of bounds at the snap, offsets Team B’s offside, and the down is repeated [Note: If Team B had not been offside, Team B could accept the penalty for Team A’s foul or a safety (Rule 8-5-1-a)].
With fourth and eight, Team A gains four yards and the ball is declared dead, after which B1 is called for piling on
RULING: Team B personal foul. Penalty—15 yards from the succeeding spot. First and 10 for Team B (Rule 5-1-1-c). The clock starts on the snap.
A personal foul occurs during action after a snap infraction that was made before the ball was ready for play
RULING: Every effort should be made to prevent any such premature snap and resulting action, but if such a foul does occur, it is between downs. Both penalties are enforced. If the personal foul is by Team B, there is likely a net of 10 yards for Team A. The penalty for Team B’s foul carries an automatic first down.
Second and goal at the three-yard line. Ball carrier A14 is downed at the one-yard line and then B67 piles on. A14 retaliates by punching B67.
RULING: The penalties cancel since neither has been completed. A14 is ejected for fighting. Third and goal (Rule 10-1-1).
Team A punts and is illegally in motion at the snap. The untouched ball goes out of bounds between the goal lines, after which Team B commits a personal foul
RULING: Possible options: (1) If Team B elects to replay the down, Team A will be penalized five yards at the previous spot followed by a 15-yard penalty against Team B, which includes an automatic first down.
(2) Team B could decline the illegal-motion penalty and have the ball, first and 10 after a 15-yard penalty from the out-of-bounds spot. (3) Team B could accept the five-yard penalty enforced at the out of bounds spot (Rule 6-3-13) followed by the 15-yard penalty against Team B. In all options, the clock starts on the snap (Rule 3-3-2-d-8).
Ball carrier B17 at Team A’s 11-yard line taunts pursuing A55 before scoring a touchdown on an intercepted pass. After B17 crosses the goal line, he is
tackled by A55 five yards into the end zone
RULING: Unsportsmanlike conduct by B17 and A55. Both penalties are enforced. The penalty for B17’s live-ball foul is enforced at the A-11, and that for the dead-ball foul by A55 is enforced at the succeeding spot. First and 10 for Team B at the A-13.
B1 fouls during a down before B2 intercepts a legal forward pass. After the ball is declared dead, A1 piles on
RULING: Team A retains the ball after the penalty against Team B is enforced. Team A then will be penalized for the dead-ball foul (Rule 5-2-3)
Team B is offside on the snap at its three-yard line (not a try) and Team A throws a legal forward pass into Team B’s end zone. Team B intercepts and
runs 101 yards to Team A’s end zone, after which Team A clips.
RULING: Repeat the down with Team A putting the ball in play at the Team B 16-1/2-yard line.
No fouls have occurred when Team B intercepts Team A’s legal forward pass. On the runback, a Team B player clips. When the ball becomes dead, a Team A player piles on.
RULING: Team B retains possession. Penalize Team B for its clipping foul, followed by a penalty for Team A’s dead-ball foul. The yardages will cancel unless one enforcement spot was inside the 30-yard line and enforcement was toward that goal.
Team A punts and commits a touching violation. B1 clips during the runback of the punt, which is fumbled by B2. A1 recovers the fumble, and A2 fouls after the ball is dead.
RULING: Team A has the first option
because Team B fouled during the live ball. If Team A declines the penalty for Team B’s foul, Team B will have the ball at the point of the violation, along with the option of accepting enforcement of the penalty for Team A’s dead-ball foul. If Team A accepts the penalty for Team B’s foul, the ball will belong to Team B after enforcement of the penalty for its live-ball foul followed by the penalty against Team A for the dead-ball foul.
A kickoff untouched by Team B goes out of bounds after illegal touching by Team A. Team A is flagged for holding or a personal foul during the kick
RULING: Team B has these options: It may snap the ball at the spot of the illegal touching; accept a five-, 10- or 15-yard penalty from the previous spot with Team A re-kicking; snap the ball five, 10 or 15 yards
beyond the spot where the ball went out of bounds; or snap the ball 30 yards beyond Team A’s restraining line.
A Team A fumble or backward pass is loose in Team A’s end zone, where A33 kicks or bats the ball.
RULING: Penalty—Safety (Rule 8-5-1-b).
A55 clips in Team B’s end zone during a scrimmage kick that touches B44 in the field of play
RULING: Penalty—15 yards. Enforcement is either at
the previous spot (Team A retaining possession) or at the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B
Team A punts from its end zone and the ball is returned to the A-30. A23 clips B35 in Team A’s end zone during the return
RULING: Penalty—15 yards from the basic spot, which is the end of the run (the A-30). Team B’s ball, first and 10.
Team A punts from its end zone and the ball is returned to the A-30 where it is fumbled. A23 clips in Team A’s end zone during the fumble. The ball is recovered in the field of play
RULING: Penalty—15 yards from the basic spot, which is the spot of the fumble, the A-30. Team B’s ball, first
and 10.
Team A’s untouched punt from its end zone goes out of bounds at Team A’s 40-yard line. A2, in his end zone, clips Team B before the ball is kicked
RULING: Penalty—Safety (Rule 9-1 Penalty) or Team B may snap the ball at the Team A 25-yard line after enforcement of the penalty from where the ball went out of bounds.
