Football Officials,
Members the next SAOA meeting is next Wednesday 10/4 at TRs Place in Belleville with special guest Sam Knox. Food will be served. Kickoff will be 6:30PM.
During the past couple of weeks, I have received several questions regarding Force and momentum (Rule 8-5-2). Remember, when a defensive player intercepts an opponent’s forward pass, or recovers an opponent’s fumble or backward pass; or an R player catches or recovers a scrimmage kick or free kick, between his 5-yard line and the goal line, and his original momentum carries him into the end zone where the ball remains in the end zone, and is declared dead in his team’s possession, or it goes out-of-bounds in the end zone, the ball belongs to the team in possession at the spot where the pass or fumble was intercepted or recovered, or the kick was caught or recovered. Remember, to drop a bean bag at the spot of the interception or recovery inside the 5-yard line. This is needed to mark the spot for ball placement should the run end in the end zone and the momentum rule applies. Should the ball be fumbled back into the field of play and recovered by the team last in possession, that becomes the spot for the ball placement. If the ball is fumbled into the field of play and rolls out of bounds, the spot where the ball went out will become your spot of ball placement.
There is no good explanation for play #1 below. Yes, this play really happened. How or why, I can’t tell you or even imagine, but it did happen this season! Never say this will not happen to me or my crew, but it is not the first time a blown call(s) during a close game have happened, even in the playoffs. My point is once again, EVERY member of the crew must be prepared (know the rules), you must step up and speak up if you know or question a play/situation. Don’t become one of those crews! Here is the play, and at face value appears to be very simple call(s) to make. Remember, the entire crew is judged by the calls, or no calls that you make! Once again, this is why everyone on the crew must know and study the rules. I recommend you take a half-hour to an hour each week to discuss the rules, your previous week’s game, and your upcoming game.
If you want to move up, you must get better.
This means study and prepare for your next game.
Play #1:
It is the fourth quarter, second down and the crew has a flag for encroachment. The crew allows the play to continue. The offense gains more than 5-yards on the play. After the play, the referee gives the signal for encroachment … then the “decline” signal, as if the offense was declining the penalty yardage and taking the results of the play. This occurs on second down. The next play is also run as a second down-play. Apparently, the down box operator knew it should have been a 5-yard penalty and remain second down. Then on fourth down, the pass was incomplete, yet the offense got to run another 4th down, play which was successful. You counted them right; the crew gave the offense a 6 plays series! This type of officiating will probably keep your crew from the playoffs! Every crew and officials will miss a call, but to give a team 6 attempts, with no accepted penalties should never happen. You MUST stay focused during the game (especially) when this occurred in the fourth quarter of a one-score game.
The offensive team in this scenario ended up winning the game as a result of being able to continue the drive.
Play #2:
Safety, Touchback or Safety (8-5-2, 8-2-1) Team A is on their 12- yard line going out. They are in a shotgun formation when the ball is snapped over the QB’s head. While the ball is still rolling around from errant the snap, team B attempts to scoop it up around the 3-yard line, but muffs in into the endzone. Team B secures the ball in the end zone. Is this a safety, touchback, or touchdown? Does force play a factor with the results of this play? Was a new force applied as a result of B’s attempt to secure the ball at the 3-yardline?
ANSWER: The force that puts the ball into the endzone is attributed to A’s errant snap. This play results in a touchdown (8-2-1b). A new force has nothing to do with this scenario described above. The bad snap put the ball into A’s endzone. B’s recovery in A’s endzone results in the touchdown (8-2-1b). Turn your play around and if “A” recovered the ball in their endzone from the bad snap it would have resulted in a safety. The casebook has a similar play 8.5.1 Situation B, play “C”. Had team B possessed the ball in the field of play and fumble the ball into A’s endzone and Team A had recovered the ball in their endzone it would have resulted in a touchback.
PLAY #3: Scoring Play with a Foul by Team A in their End Zone
It is third and goal from B’s 2-yard line. A1 hands the ball off to A22 who runs around his left end and scores. During the play A34 hold B54 in the end zone. How is this play handled. Answer: Rule 10-5-3 tells us, “The score is nullified if the penalty is accepted for the foul, other than nonplayer or unsportsmanlike, by A which occurs during a down resulting in a successful try, field goal or touchdown. The scoring issue is solved as team B will more than likely accept the holding penalty.
The next problem is where are we going to enforce the penalty from as this a beyond/beyond – foul/end of run situation in the end zone. Rule 10-4-4g states, “A foul by A that occurs beyond the line of scrimmage during a running play as defined in 10-3-2 when: 1) The run or related run ends beyond the line of scrimmage; and 2) The foul occurs in advance of the end of the run or related run (in this play, the end of the run is the goal line, and the holding foul occurs beyond the end of the run). Our enforcement spot is the goal line (10-yards for holding) and replay the down.
PLAY #4:
Fumble by the Offense beyond the LOS (10-4-4f) Here is a play you may very well experience that is governed by the new rule 10-4-4f. It is first and 10 for team A from A’25-yard line. A1 runs to their 30-yardline where A1 is hit and fumbles. Without going to the ground A11 recovers and advances the fumble. After A11’s recovery, A87 commits a holding foul at A’s 35-yard line, five yards in advance of the fumble. A11 is tackled at A’s 38-yard line. How do you rule on this play and what is the result?
Answer: Rule 10-4-4f states, ” A foul by A that occurs beyond the line of scrimmage during a running play as defined in 10-3-2 when: 1) The run or related run ends beyond the line of scrimmage and 2) the foul occurs behind the end of the run or related run. Following Table 10-4 we have a spot foul by A beyond the line of scrimmage, and the end of the run occurs beyond the line of scrimmage meeting rule 10-4-4f. As described in the play, the foul occurs behind the end of the run or related run which would result in the foul being administered from the spot of the foul. Following the old rule (which still applies in this play) you get to keep what you gained with cleans hands (beyond/beyond). Administer the holding penalty from the spot of the foul, A’s 35 which is behind the end of the run (Remember the foul was behind the end of the run). It will be first and 10 from A’s 25-yard line (replaying the down after penalty enforcement).
PLAY #5:
10-4-2d A’s ball second and 14 at A’s 3-yard line. Quarterback A6 is brought down in his own end zone by defensive end B92. B92 commits a personal face mask foul against A6 in the process. A accepts the penalty. From where do we enforce the from?
ANSWER: Rule 10-4-2d states, ” The basic spot is the previous spot for a foul by A or B when the related run ends behind the line of scrimmage where there is no change of possession. This
enforcement procedure is in keeping with Table 10-4, P.83, Foul by B, Spot of the Foul is Behind the LOS and the End of the Run is Behind the LOS, the enforcement spot is Previous Spot. The new rule (10-4-2d) is in conflict in this play with the rule 10-4-7, which would have you enforce from the goal line costing team A 3-yards. I would encourage you to follow 10-4-2d.
INFORMATION: (Some of you May Have Already Seen This)
NFHS RULE BOOK UPDATE/INTERPRETATION for 2023 (2023-nfhs-football-rules-interpretations-final-7-27-23.pdf)
Rule 10-4 and TABLE 10-4 are correct as listed in the 2023 NFHS Football Rules Book.
In compiling the multitude of changes to Rule 10 necessitated by the discussion around the proposed 2023 NFHS football rules change that was approved unanimously, there remains two additional clarifications to be made for coaches, administrators and game officials for the upcoming high school football season. To summarize, if on-field game situations involving a loss of possession create a conflict between the end of the run or related run and the succeeding spot, game officials should apply the standard related to the end of the run as intended by the cleanup in Rule 10-4-8. This does not apply to fouls as detailed in Rule 10-4-5a through 10-4- 5d which explicitly call for succeeding spot enforcement (the spot where the ball will next be put in play per Rule 2-41-10). Rule 2-41-9b will help clarify those situations in which conflict might exist.
Closing:
As you can see, I received several interesting plays/situations for us to review and learn from this week. Please keep your questions and plays coming.
This is week #6 and the season is going to be half-overcome this weekend. Keep working and studying. Your efforts will be noticed, and officiating will become even more enjoyable.
Once again, be prepared and have a great game this week.