IFAF-Rules-And-Interpretations-2020

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

IFAF-Rules-And-Interpretations-2020 INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF AMERICAN FOOTBALL FOOTBALL RULES AND INTERPRETATIONS 2020 EDITION 2020.2.1 Foreword The rules are revised each year by IFAF to improve the sport’slev elofsafety and quality of play,and to clarify the meaning and intent of rules where needed. The principles that govern all rule changes are that theymust: •besafe for the participants; •beapplicable at all levels of the sport; •becoachable; •beadministrable by the officials; •maintain a balance between offense and defence; •beinteresting to spectators; •not have a prohibitive economic impact; and •retain some affinity with the rules adopted by NCAA in the USA. IFAF statutes require all member federations to play by IFAF rules, except in the following regards: 1. national federations may adapt Rule 1 to meet local needs and circumstances, provided no adaption reduces the safety of the players or other participants; 2. competitions may adjust the rules according to (a) the age group of the participants and (b) the gender of the participants; 3. competition authorities have the right to amend certain specific rules (listed on page 12); 4. national federations may restrict the above sothat the same regulations apply to all competitions under their jurisdiction. These rules apply to all IFAF organised competitions and takeeffect from 1st March 2020. National federations may adopt them earlier for their domestic competitions. Forbrevity,male pronouns are used extensively in this book, but the rules are equally applicable to female and male participants. 2 TableofContents Rules changes...........................................................................................................................................................4 Points of emphasis ...................................................................................................................................................6 The Football Code....................................................................................................................................................9 Rules and Interpretations .......................................................................................................................................12 Rule 1 — The Game, Field, Players and Equipment.........................................................................................14 Rule 2 — Definitions .........................................................................................................................................29 Rule 3 — Periods, Time Factors and Substitutions ...........................................................................................48 Rule 4 — Ball in Play,Dead Ball, Out of Bounds.............................................................................................68 Rule 5 — Series of Downs, Line to Gain ..........................................................................................................74 Rule 6 — Kicks..................................................................................................................................................78 Rule 7 — Snapping and Passing the Ball ..........................................................................................................93 Rule 8 — Scoring.............................................................................................................................................110 Rule 9 — Conduct of Players and Others Subject to the Rules.......................................................................119 Rule 10 — Penalty Enforcement .....................................................................................................................141 Rule 11 — The Officials: Jurisdiction and Duties...........................................................................................150 Rule 12 — Video judge....................................................................................................................................151 Summary of penalties ..........................................................................................................................................155 Officials’ Signals..................................................................................................................................................164 Appendix A — Guidelines for Game Officials for Serious On-Field Player Injuries.........................................167 Appendix B — Guidelines for Game Officials and Game Management ToUse Regarding Lightning..............168 Appendix C — Concussions................................................................................................................................170 Appendix D — Field Diagrams ...........................................................................................................................172 Appendix E — Equipment: Additional Details ...................................................................................................178 IndexofRules and Interpretations.......................................................................................................................183 3 Rules chang es Major chang es The list belowshows rule number,description of the change, and page number in this book. Major changes are marked by a box likethis. Newormodified text is marked in blue (greywhen printed in monochrome). 1-2-6 Displaced pylons 18 2-3-7 Blind-side block defined 30 2-34-1-a Tackle box centred on middle lineman 47 3-1-3-e Extra period becomes a try down beginning with the fifth 49 3-1-3-i Mandatory break during extra periods 49 3-3-2-g-1 Running clock starts on ready for play on free kick 56 6-1-10-b Illegalwedge now2+players 81 6-1-10-d No foul for illegalwedge if no return 81 6-5-1-a Fair catch on free kick 90 6-5-3-a Invalid signal on free kick 91 9-1-18 Blind-side block nowafoul 129 E.5 Knee braces enforcement 178 NewApproved Rulings A.R. 1-4-8:IV A.R. 3-4-3:VII A.R. 6-1-2:IX A.R. 7-2-4:III A.R. 9-1-18:I Editorial chang es The following list shows those rules that have been subject to editorial change, i.e. deletions, corrected errors, clarifications due to interpretation and items rewritten for readability.The list also includes those ApprovedRulings altered to conform with rule changes. Newor modified text is marked in blue (greywhen printed in monochrome). 1-2-1-k 1-3-2-b 1-4-5-b-4 2-4-1-a 2-4-3-a-1 2-19-2-b 2-27-14-g A.R. 3-3-2:XII A.R. 3-3-2:XIII 3-3-7-a 4-1-2-b-2 Exception 2 4-1-2-b-3 Exception 2 4-1-3-g A.R. 4-1-3:IX 4-2-4-d 6-5-1-e A.R. 6-5-3:VI A.R. 9-1-4:III A.R. 9-1-4:X 9-1-6-b-1 A.R. 9-1-6:VI A.R. 9-1-6:IX 9-1-11-b A.R. 9-1-16:VII 10-1-1-a 12-2-2-a-11 4 Rules changes 5 Summar y of differences between NCAA and IFAF rules NCAA Rule IFAF difference 1-2-5-f Procedure for dealing with missing goals. 1-4-11 Drones prohibited. 2-11-3 Definition of batting includes the head. 2-16-10-a Punter needs only be 7 yards deep; kicker/holder need only be 5 yards deep to count as a scrimmage kick formation. 2-27-12 Whether a disqualified player is suspended for the next game is matter for the disciplinary authority. 3-1-1 Pre-game warmups not subject to the rules. During coin toss, teams must remain in the team area. 3-2-4 Play clock reset only if it drops below20seconds before ball ready. 3-2-5 No minimum time for a play after spiking. 3-3-2 Running clock. 3-3-7 No short timeouts. 3-3-8 Tw o-minute warning cannot happen before 2’00. 4-1-2-b Ball may belong to recovering team after inadvertent whistle. Ball may belong to Team B after inadvertent whistle on scrimmage kick. Ignore inadvertent whistle if ball would have become dead anyway in the immediate continuing action. 4-1-3 Ball is dead if players in vicinity believe itis. 6-1-7-b/8-6-2 All touchbacks are from the 20-yard line. × 7-2-5 Fumble/backward pass at rest awarded according to forward fumble principles. 9-1-3&4/9-5-1 No half-game suspensions. 9-1-6-a Larger area for unrestricted blocking belowthe waist. 9-1-7-c Spot of foul for blocking out of bounds is spot on nearest sideline. 9-2-2 Additional unfair tactics. Tw o players in same position can wear the same number. 9-2-2-e No disqualification for illegalcleats. 9-2-7 Referee may require persons to be removedfrom the playing enclosure. 9-6 Flagrant unsportsmanlikeconduct fouls can be reviewed for additional sanctions. 12 Video judge rule. This list ignores differences that address field limitations, NCAA competition structures (e.g. conferences) or equipment restrictions. It also ignores minor wording changes that do not have significant effect on the way the game is played. Points of emphasis For 2020, the Rules Committee wishes coaches, players and officials to takeparticular note of the following points. Officiating mechanics IFAF has adopted, on the recommendation of the Rules Committee, a change to Rule 11-2-2 regarding officiating mechanics. Officiating responsibilities and mechanics are specified in the current edition of the Manual of Football Officiating,published by IAFOA. Officials are responsible for knowing and applying the material in the Manual. The purpose of the rule change is to standardise officiating mechanics, especially across different size crews. The IAFOAmanual is the only one that covers crewsizes from 3 to 8. The Rules Committee felt that it was best for officials working international games to do the same things that theydoregularly in their domestic games (as far as possible). Since domestic games are frequently officiated by 4 or 5-man crews, or in some
Recommended publications
  • Football Officiating Manual
    FOOTBALL OFFICIATING MANUAL 2020 HIGH SCHOOL SEASON TABLE OF CONTENTS PART ONE: OFFICIATING OVERVIEW .............................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 2 NATIONAL FEDERATION OFFICIALS CODE OF ETHICS ........................................... 3 PREREQUISITES AND PRINCIPLES OF GOOD OFFICIATING ................................. 4 PART TWO: OFFICIATING PHILOSOPHY ......................................................................... 6 WHEN IN QUESTION ............................................................................................................... 7 PHILOSOPHIES AND GUIDANCE ........................................................................................ 8 BLOCKING .................................................................................................................................... 8 A. Holding (OH / DH) ............................................................................................................. 8 B. Blocking Below the Waist (BBW) ..................................................................................... 8 CATCH / RECOVERY ................................................................................................................... 9 CLOCK MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................................. 9 A. Heat and Humidity Timeout ............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Countdown to Kickoff (10 Days)
    COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF (10 DAYS) NEW NFL RULES FOR 2016 Rule changes are made each season to improve the game and make it safer. Recent rules changes and points of emphasis focused on player safety have resulted in defenders adjusting their target zone and using the proper tackling technique. In 2015, there were 10 players fined for hits on defenseless players, compared to 40 for the same offense in 2012. FINES FOR HITS ON DEFENSELESS PLAYERS SEASON FINES 2012 40 2013 25 2014 11 2015 10 With player health and safety remaining a priority, here are the 2016 rules changes and points of emphasis: CHOP BLOCK: All chop blocks are now illegal. A chop block is a two-man high-low block in which a defensive player is engaged above the waist by one offensive player and blocked at the thigh or below by a second offensive player. A chop block is a foul whether it occurs on a running play, a pass play or a kicking play. If it is clear that the defensive player is initiating the contact above the waist, or that the offensive player is trying to slip or escape, then the block is legal. UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT FOULS: A player that is penalized twice in the same game for certain types of unsportsmanlike conduct fouls will be automatically disqualified. These types of fouls include: o Throwing a punch or kick without making contact o Use of abusive or threatening language toward an opponent o Any act that constitutes taunting HORSE COLLAR: The horse collar rule has been expanded for this season.
    [Show full text]
  • 11-Player Youth Tackle Rules Guide Table of Contents
    FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT MODEL usafootball.com/fdm 11-PLAYER YOUTH TACKLE RULES GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction .....................................................................................................2 1 Youth Specific Rules ..........................................................................3 2 Points of Emphasis ............................................................................4 3 Timing and Quarter Length ...........................................................5 4 Different Rules, Different Levels ..................................................7 5 Penalties ..................................................................................................7 THANK YOU ESPN USA Football sincerely appreciates ESPN for their support of the Football Development Model Pilot Program INTRODUCTION Tackle football is a sport enjoyed by millions of young athletes across the United States. This USA Football Rules Guide is designed to take existing, commonly used rule books by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the NCAA and adapt them to the youth game. In most states, the NFHS rule book serves as the foundational rules system for the youth game. Some states, however, use the NCAA rule book for high school football and youth leagues. 2 2 / YOUTH-SPECIFIC RULES USA Football recommends the following rules be adopted by youth football leagues, replacing the current rules within the NFHS and NCAA books. Feel free to print this chart and provide it to your officials to take to the game field. NFHS RULE NFHS PENALTY YARDAGE USA FOOTBALL RULE EXPLANATION 9-4-5: Roughing/Running Into the Roughing = 15; Running Into = 5 All contact fouls on the kicker/holder Kicker/Holder result in a 15-yard penalty (there is no 5-yard option for running into the kicker or holder). 9-4-3-h: Grasping the Face Mask Grasping, pulling, twisting, turning = 15; All facemask fouls result in a 15-yard incidental grasping = 5 penalty (there is no 5-yard option for grasping but not twisting or pulling the facemask).
    [Show full text]
  • Oregon Supplemental Football Manual
    OREGON SUPPLEMENTAL FOOTBALL MANUAL Oregon Athletic Officials Association Editor - Clark Sanders OSAA State Football Rules Interpreter OAOA State Football Committee August 2010 Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 2010 NFHS Football Rule Change Highlights................................................................................................................................... 2 2010 NFHS Football Mechanics Changes ........................................................................................................................................ 3 Oregon High School Rule And Mechanics Modifications................................................................................................................ 3 Referee............................................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Umpire ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 8 Wing Officials .................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 Linesman ......................................................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Flag Football Rules
    Flag Football Rules Start of the Game Game time is starting time; there will be no grace period. The officials watch will be the timepiece used to decide game time. The referee shall toss a coin after designating which captain shall call the toss. The winner of the toss shall have first choice of the options for either the first or the second half. The loser shall have the first choice of options for the half the winner of the toss did not select. The options are: to choose whether a team will play offense (receive) or defense; or to choose the goal a team will defend. Teams automatically switch ends at the half. Game Time and Time Outs Games will be two 25-minute halves of running time. Only the last two minutes of the second half will be stopped for all dead ball situations – e.g. time-outs; penalties; change of possession; out of bound plays; incomplete passes; and all scores. Half time will be 2-minutes The offensive team has 15 seconds from the time the ball and restraining line are set by the officials to put the ball back into play. If the team exceeds 15 seconds, officials will call a delay of game penalty. A game or half cannot end on a defensive penalty unless the penalty is refused. Each team will be given two 30-second timeouts per half. Timeouts do not carry over from one half to the next. (See “Tie and Overtime” section, infra, for rules regarding overtime timeouts.) Passing All players are eligible to receive a pass.
    [Show full text]
  • DIAA Football Clinic NFHS FOOTBALL RULES
    2021 NFHS FOOTBALL RULES POWERPOINT National Federation of State High School Associations DIAA Football Clinic NFHS FOOTBALL RULES Each state high school association adopting these NFHS football rules is the sole and exclusive source of binding rules interpretations for contests involving its member schools. Any person having questions about the interpretation of NFHS football rules should contact the football rules interpreter designated by his or her state high school association. The NFHS is the sole and exclusive source of model interpretations of NFHS football rules. State rules interpreters may contact the NFHS for model football rules interpretations. No other model football rules interpretations should be considered. www.nfhs.org 2021 NFHS FOOTBALL RULES CHANGES Rule Change BLOCKING BELOW THE WAIST RULE 2-17-2c (NEW) In PlayPic A, both players are in the free-blocking zone and on their lines of scrimmage. In PlayPic B, the block is legal because it is in the zone at the time of the snap, is an immediate, initial action following the snap, and both players began the play on their lines of scrimmage and in the free-blocking zone. www.nfhs.org Rule Change BLOCKING BELOW THE WAIST RULES 2-17-1, 2-17-2, 2-17-4 It is legal for offensive linemen to block below the waist in the free-blocking zone, provided both players were on their lines of scrimmage and within the zone at the time of the snap and the block is an immediate, initial action following the snap. No. 77 could only block No. 62 below the waist if the block was immediate, initial action following the snap.
    [Show full text]
  • College Football Running Into the Kicker Penalty
    College Football Running Into The Kicker Penalty Lateritic Stanford orb some Cousteau after above-mentioned Winslow smelt half-wittedly. Pelagius Jesus never slimmest so everywhere.strikingly or enkindling any pademelon mostly. Capitalist Weidar imperialising, his divertissements swung underdevelop Team B may not make solid fair catch signal because a ball did finally cross the neutral zone. If the fever cannot be resumed after the severe weather delay. And other side of feet from behind the body is paramount to designate which cancels the kicker the college football running into the ball to enjoy a down and end. American football penalties for running into kicker runs past year of scrimmage until one quarter back and run for all outside world cup rolls into custody by rules. Provide details and while your research! When a parts for any situation honestly shares are performing as needed to togo, hooptie ride and. Simply victim of tin, below the kicker the college football running penalty flag is being prepared emotionally deserves equal importance. The use his team forfeit a college football penalty the running kicker penalty was well get back ernie davis and. They may be the same thing. This to new river valley has passed the offensive pass protection is reached without including journalists, statistics and football penalty the college running into kicker to designate which left. Once a shopping area or product before the teams shall serve the kicker is obvious and fumble, graduation enforces constant refrain from molded or not? Gene Stallings chose to kick of extra domain instead they go round two.
    [Show full text]
  • 2021 Official Playing Rules of the National Football League
    2021 OFFICIAL PLAYING RULES OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Roger Goodell, Commissioner 2021 Rules Changes Rule-Section-Article 5-1-2 Modifies permissible player numbers by position. 8-1-2 Modifies penalty for illegal forward passes. 11-3-3 Modifies enforcement of accepted penalties on Trys. 12-2-4 Expands prohibition of blocks below the waist. 15-3-9, 19-2 Allows Replay Officials to provide specific, objective information to on-field officials 16-1-1 Eliminates overtime in preseason games. PREFACE This edition of the Official Playing Rules of the National Football League contains all current rules governing the playing of professional football that are in effect for the 2021 NFL season. Member clubs of the League may amend the rules from time to time, pursuant to the applicable voting procedures of the NFL Constitution and Bylaws. Any intra-League dispute or call for interpretation in connection with these rules will be decided by the Commissioner of the League, whose ruling will be final. Because inter-conference games are played throughout the preseason, regular season, and postseason in the NFL, all rules contained in this book apply uniformly to both the American and National Football Conferences. Where the word “illegal” appears in this rule book, it is an institutional term of art pertaining strictly to actions that violate NFL playing rules. It is not meant to connote illegality under any public law or the rules or regulations of any other organization. The word “flagrant,” when used here to describe an action by a player, is meant to indicate that the degree of a violation of the rules—usually a personal foul or unnecessary roughness—is extremely objectionable, conspicuous, unnecessary, avoidable, or gratuitous.
    [Show full text]
  • Summary of Penalties
    SUMMARY OF PENALTIES LOSS OF A DOWN Sig Rule Reference Illegal scrimmage kick [also loss of five yards] ............................ 31* 6 3 10 Illegally handing ball forward [also loss of five yards] ................ 35* 7 1 6 Planned loose ball play [also loss of five yards] .......................... 19* 7 1 7 Intentionally throwing backward pass out of bounds [also loss of five yards] ........................................................... 35* 7 2 1 Illegal forward pass by Team A [also loss of five yards] ............ 35* 7 3 2 Intentionally grounding forward pass ............................................. 36* 7 3 2 Forward pass illegally touched by player out of bounds ............ 16* 7 3 4 Illegally batting ball [also loss of 10 yards] (see exceptions) .... 31* 9 4 1 Illegally kicking ball [also loss of 10 yards] (see exceptions) .... 31* 9 4 4 LOSS OF FIVE YARDS Alteration of playing surface for an advantage ............................. 27 1 2 9 Improper numbering ............................................................................ 23 1 4 2 Coin-toss infractions ........................................................................... 19 3 1 1 Delay after three timeouts expended ............................................... 21 3 4 2 Illegal delay of the game ..................................................................... 21 3 4 2 Advancing a dead ball ......................................................................... 21 3 4 2 Disconcerting offensive signals ......................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Penalty Enforcements Made Easy: Position by Position Responsibilities — Sixth Edition
    High School Football Penalty Enforcements Made Easy: Position By Position Responsibilities — Sixth Edition By Jeffrey Stern, senior editor, Referee magazine The derivative work represented by this book is copyrighted by Referee Enterprises, Inc. (© 2013), which includes the title and graphics, and is used by permission. The illustrations, including the chapter graphics, in this book are protected by copyrights of Referee Enterprises, Inc. (© 2013) and are used by permission. PlayPic® and MechaniGram® and their related graphics are registered trademarks of Referee Enterprises, Inc., and are copyrighted. Copying in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written consent from Referee Enterprises, Inc. Republication of all or any part of this publication, including on the Internet, is expressly prohibited. Published by Referee Enterprises, Inc. (www.referee.com) and the National Association of Sports Officials (www.naso.org) Printed in the United States of America ISBN-13: 978-1-58208-217-2 Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1 Calling a Foul and Using the flag Chapter 2 Reporting a foul Chapter 3 Enforcing the Penalty Chapter 4 Penalty signaling sequences Chapter 5 Spots and the All-but-one Principle Chapter 6 Fouls on running Plays Chapter 7 Fouls During a Backward Pass, fumble or legal Forward Pass Chapter 8 Fouls on Free-Kick Plays Chapter 9 Fouls on change of Possession plays Chapter 10 Fouls on scrimmage-Kick Plays Chapter 11 Dead-Ball fouls Chapter 12 Live-Ball Followed by Dead-Ball Fouls Chapter 13 Double and Multiple Fouls Chapter 14 Double and Multiple Fouls with change of Possession Chapter 15 Carryover Fouls (“Bridges”) Chapter 16 Trys Appendix A Penalty Summary Appendix B Signal Chart Introduction Calling and enforcing a penalty isn’t as easy as coaches and fans think it is.
    [Show full text]
  • Junior Skyland Football Conference 2016 Rules Changes Meeting NFHS Football Rules
    National Federation of State High School Associations Junior Skyland Football Conference 2016 Rules Changes Meeting NFHS Football Rules Any person having questions about the interpretation of NFHS football rules should contact the football rules interpreter-assigner • Steve Peloso (908) 642-7377 [email protected] • Mike Whritenour (973) 934-7687 [email protected] • Mark Bitar (973) 800-4608 [email protected] • Jerry Graff (201) 206-5169 [email protected] • Charley Zulauf (973) 632-0844 [email protected] The NFHS is the sole and exclusive source of model interpretations of High School football rules. No other model football rules interpretations should be considered. National Federation of State High School Associations 2016 Football - Rules Changes - Tooth and Mouth Protectors - Gloves - Elimination of Clipping in Free Blocking Zone - Equipment TOOTH AND MOUTH PROTECTORS RULE 1-5-1d(5)a . Tooth and mouth protectors that are completely clear or completely white are no longer illegal. Tooth and mouth protectors that have been chewed or altered so they no longer provide the necessary protection must be replaced. ILLEGAL Clipping RULES 2-17, 9-3-6, 9-3 penalty . The exception that allowed clipping in the free-blocking zone has been eliminated. Clipping RULES 2-17, 9-3-6, 9-3 penalty . Clipping, blocking below the waist and blocking in the back are legal methods of bringing down a runner or a player pretending to be a runner. www.nfhs.or g Equipment RULE 1-5-1b(1) . Shoulder pads and hard surface auxiliary attachments must be completely covered by a jersey. Equipment RULE 1-5-1b(1) .
    [Show full text]
  • 2009-10 NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations
    2009-10 NCAA® FOOTBALL | RULES AND INTERPRETATIONS FR 09 at student-athletes member institutions 23 sports 1,000 The NCAA salutes the more than The NCAA salutes the more participating in more than more 400,000 NCAA 71809-6/09 Sportsmanship is a core value of the NCAA. The NCAA’s Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct has identi!ed respect and integrity as two critical elements of sportsmanship and launched an awareness and action campaign at the NCAA Convention in January 2009. Athletics administrators may download materials and view best practices ideas at the Web sites below: www.NCAA.org, then click on “Academics and Athletics,” then “Sportsmanship” and www.ncaachampspromotion.com 2009-10 NCAA® FOOTBALL RULES AND INTERPRETATIONS NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION [ISSN 0736-5144] THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION P.O. BOX 6222 INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA 46206-6222 317/917-6222 WWW.NCAA.ORG MAY 2009 Manuscript Prepared By: Rogers Redding, Secretary-Rules Editor, NCAA Football Rules Committee. Edited By: Ty Halpin, Associate Director for Playing Rules Administration. NCAA, NCAA logo and NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION are registered marks of the Association and use in any manner is prohibited unless prior approval is obtained from the Association. COPYRIGHT, 1974, BY THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION REPPRINTED: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005,
    [Show full text]