Referee.com Football Case Play of the Day

Day 59- All Good Things Must Come to an End

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Day 58- Safety

PLAY A sack has left team A so deep in its own territory that A1’s feet are in the end zone as he takes the snap. He tries a sneak but it is tackled so that half the ball is in the end zone and the other half is in the field of play. What’s the call?

RULING It’s a safety. A ball touching the goalline plane when it becomes dead is in the end zone even though it may be moving away from the nearer endline and has its foremost point in the field of play (5-3-4, 5.3.4B).

Day 57- Adornments

PLAY As the umpire is making a casual inspection of the players before the game, he notices that several team A players have painted their faces with makeup.

RULING The markings are illegal. Face marking is restricted to eye shade that is a solid stroke (1-5-3c-3).

Day 56- Foul Late in Game

PLAY Team A, which is out of timeouts and trails by five points, has second and goal from team B’s eight yardline. The clock is running. With seven seconds left in the game, B1 is flagged for encroachment. RULING Team A has the option of having the clock snap on the ready after the penalty is enforced (3-4-7). Day 55- No Catch

PLAY A8 jumps in the middle of the end zone, grabs a pass while in the air and, before alighting, has the ball knocked out of his hands by a defender. While in the air, the receiver has control of the ball. Is that a touchdown or an ? RULING That is an incomplete pass. To complete a catch, an airborne player must first touch the ground inbounds. If control of the ball is lost prior to or simultaneous with returning to the ground, it is an incomplete pass (2-4-1, 7-5-5). Day 54- Illegal Snap

PLAY Fourth and 10 from ’s 20 yardline. Snapper K1 initially moves the ball forward, then attempts to snap it. After the backward motion of the snap begins but before K1 releases the ball, noseguard R9 reaches across the neutral zone and knocks the ball out of K1’s grasp. R11 recovers the loose ball. What is the ruling? RULING When K1 initially moves the ball forward, it is an illegal snap and the ball remains dead. Anything that subsequently occurs is ignored unless it is a personal foul (2-40-2, 7-2-4 Pen.). Day 53- Kick Out of Bounds

PLAY Under what circumstances is a team R player considered to have caused a free kick to go out of bounds?

RULING The most common example is when a team R player muffs a kick, which then goes out of bounds. If a free kick goes out of bounds after being touched inbounds by a team R player, the ball belongs to team R at the out-of-bounds spot. Even if a team K player muffs the ball and causes it to go out of bounds before or after team R touches it, team K is not guilty of a free kick out of bounds because it was touched by team R before going out of bounds. Another way is if a team R player is touching out-of- bounds ground he touches a free kick (4-3-1, 6-1-10). Day 52- Forward Handing

PLAY Team A has the ball, second and five from its own 25 yardline. A1 runs to his 40 yardline, where he hands the ball forward to A2. A2 gains five yards before he is tackled. How is the play handled?

RULING Forward handing beyond the line is a live-ball foul. The five-yard penalty includes a loss of down and is enforced from the spot of the foul. Since team A is still beyond the line to gain after enforcement, the first down is awarded. The loss of down aspect of the penalty is not an issue. It will be team A’s ball, first and 10 from its own 35 yardline (7-3-3).

Day 51- Timeouts

PLAY When regulation time ended, team A had all three of its second-half timeouts remaining and used none in the first overtime. How many timeouts does team A have at its disposal for the second overtime?

RULING Team A has one timeout. Unused first-half timeouts do not carry over to the second half or overtime, nor do unused second-half timeouts carry over to overtime. Timeouts do not carry over from one overtime period to the next (3-5-1).

Day 50- Facemask Foul?

PLAY Is it legal for a running back to use a straight-arm technique making initial contact directly on the opponent’s helmet and/or facemask when attempting to ward off a potential tackler?

RULING That is a legal technique. The runner may ward off would-be tacklers, but he cannot punch, kick, swing at or otherwise deliver a blow. The runner may use a stiffarm and use a hand on an opponent’s helmet or facemask, but just like any other player, he cannot grasp or pull the tackler’s facemask. The hand must be open and in advance of the elbow (9-2-1c).

Day 49- Foul on Scoring Play

PLAY First and 10 for team A from its own 20 yardline. Guard A1 is flagged for blocking below the waist. A2’s pass is intercepted at team A’s 35 yardline by B3, who returns it for a touchdown. Can the penalty be enforced on the try or on the succeeding kickoff?

RULING The penalty will be declined. Because the foul occurred before the change of possession, team B does not have the option of succeeding spot enforcement. Team B will attempt the try from team A’s three yardline (8-2-2, 10-5-1f).

Day 48- Penalty Enforcement

PLAY Second and 10 for team A from team B’s 16 yardline. A1’s legal is incomplete. After the ball is dead, B2 is flagged for (a) taunting A1, or (b) knocking A1 to the ground.

RULING Team B is guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct in (a) and a personal foul in (b). Both are enforced half the distance from the previous spot. Neither penalty includes the award of a first down; it will be third and two for team A from team B’s eight yardline (9-4-3b, 9-5-1a, 10-1-5).

Day 47- Inadvertent Whistle

PLAY Fourth and five from team A’s 30 yardline. An official blows an inadvertent whistle when (a) A1’s forward pass is in flight, or (b) A1’s is in flight. How is the situation handled and when does the clock start?

RULING In each case, the down is replayed from team A’s 30 yardline. In both cases, the game clock next starts on the ready (3-4-2c, 4-2-3a, 3.4.2C).

Day 46- Barefoot Kicker

PLAY After the referee whistles the ready for team K’s try, kicker K2 legally enters the field. K2 is not wearing a shoe on (a) his kicking foot, or (b) either foot. Is that legal?

RULING K2 may not participate unless he is wearing two legal shoes. If the play clock expires as he is attempting to put on one or two shoes, team K is assessed a five-yard penalty for delay (1-5-1f, 3-6-2a Pen.).

Day 45- Same Jersey Color

PLAY The visiting team arrives at the game site wearing its white jerseys. When the home team takes the field, it is also wearing white jerseys. The coach of the home team says the choice of jersey color belongs to the home team. Is that correct?

RULING By rule, the visiting team wears light jerseys and is responsible for avoiding similar uniform colors, but if there is doubt, the referee may require the home team to change jerseys. Violations should be reported to the proper administrative authority (1-5-1b-3e, 1.5.1A).

Day 44- Coach-Referee Conference

PLAY First and 10 for team A from its own 20 yardline. A1, wearing number 77, lines up in the offensive backfield. He catches a legal forward pass and advances to team A’s 27 yardline, where he is downed. Team B’s coach requests a timeout to ask why A1 was not penalized. Discussion reveals that the covering official saw the ineligible catch the ball but failed to react to it. Because the official agrees with the coach, can team A still be penalized?

RULING The coach followed the proper procedure. The officials’ error represents a misapplication of the rule that bars ineligibles from touching a pass. The timeout should be changed to an official’s timeout and team A should be penalized for A1’s foul (3-5-2c, 3-5-11).

Day 43- Blocked Punt

PLAY Fourth and 10 on team K’s 35 yardline. R1 blocks K2’s punt behind the line, and the ball rolls to team K’s 30 yardline. K3 picks up the loose ball and runs for an apparent touchdown. Is K3’s advance legal?

RULING Yes. Team K has scored a touchdown. With the exception of a kick try, any member of the kicking team may catch or recover and advance a scrimmage kick while it is in or behind the neutral zone if the kick has not crossed the neutral zone (6-2-3).

Day 42- Backward or Forward?

PLAY First and 10 from team A’s 30 yardline. A1 throws a backward pass to halfback A2. The ball bounces off A2’s helmet, hits the ground at team A’s 32 yardline and rolls to a stop. Since the ball hit the ground beyond the line of scrimmage, is that an incomplete forward pass?

RULING That is a backward pass that turned into a muff. The ball remains live. The initial direction of A1’s pass was backward; the ball retains that status until it is either caught or recovered. By definition the ball was muffed. Either team A or team B could recover and advance the ball (2-29-4, 2-29-5, 2-29-6).

Day 41- Batting a Loose Ball

PLAY First and goal from team B’s eight yardline, A2 takes the snap, advances to team B’s four yardline and fumbles. The fumble rolls into team B’s end zone, where B1 bats the ball across the endline. How is the penalty enforced?

RULING B1 is flagged for illegal batting. The penalty is enforced half the distance from the end of A2’s run (team B’s four yardline). The down will be replayed from team B’s two yardline (9-7-2, 10-3-3b).

Day 40- Ball Kick into End Zone

PLAY K1’s punt is rolling downfield around team R’s four yardline when R5 intentionally kicks the ball into and out of team R’s end zone.

RULING Even though R5 illegally kicked the ball, force is not a factor on kicks going into team R’s end zone and the result of the play is a by rule. That act did not change the status of the ball as a kick. Team K would most likely accept the 10-yard penalty, which is enforced using PSK enforcement. The penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul (2-13-1 and 2, 8-5-1a, 8-5-1b, 8.3.3A, 8.5.1B, 8.5.2C, 8.5.3A and C).

Day 39- Fourth-Down Fumble

PLAY On a fourth-down play or try, the ball falls to the ground during (a) the exchange between quarterback A1 and snapper A2, or (b) a handoff from quarterback A1 to back A2. In each case, A2 recovers and scores.

RULING NFHS rules do not include the fourth-down fumble rule. Any player is eligible to recover and advance a fumble. Therefore, the score counts in each case (7-4-2).

Day 38- Failed

PLAY Fourth and 10 on team R’s 17 yardline. K1’s 34-yard field goal attempt is short and is touched by R2 at his five yardline. The ball goes out of bounds at team R’s one yardline.

RULING It will be team R’s ball, first and 10 on its own one yardline. A field goal is a scrimmage kick; the rules that apply to punts apply to field goals as well (6-2-7).

Day 37- Roughing the Kicker

PLAY Third and 27 for team A from its own 11 yardline. Quarterback A1 is under center when he takes the snap and throws a backward pass to fullback A2. Immediately upon receiving the pass, A2 gets off a quick kick. B3, who was blitzing on the play, takes three running steps and roughly knocks A2 to the ground.

RULING B3 is guilty of roughing the kicker. A2 was, by definition, a kicker and is accorded protection from roughing. Even though the nature of the play was such that it was not obvious a kick would be attempted, B3 had plenty of time to determine it was a kick. The penalty is 15 yards from the previous spot and includes an automatic first down (9-4-5).

Day 36- ‘Covered’ Receiver

PLAY First and 10 for team A from its 20 yardline. At the snap, A1 is split wide on the end of the line and A2 is on the line of scrimmage to the inside of A1 (“covered up”). At the snap, A1 and A2 run pass routes downfield. A3 throws a legal forward pass intended for A2, who is contacted by defender B4 before the ball gets to A2, who does not touch the ball. The contact by B4 is not in the nature of a personal foul.

RULING There is no foul for pass interference, since A2 is not an eligible receiver. However, A2 is guilty of being an ineligible receiver downfield. If accepted, the penalty is five yards from the previous spot and the down is replayed. That would yield first and 15 for team A from its 15 yardline. The clock starts on the snap (7-5-6a, 7-5-10, 7.5.10 A).

Day 35- Timeout Request

PLAY The clock is running and team A is out of timeouts. A1 runs up to the referee and requests a timeout.

RULING The request is denied and play continues. Requesting a timeout when none is available is not a foul (3-5- 5).

Day 34- Live-Ball, Dead-Ball Foul

PLAY Fourth and 10 for team K on its own 10 yardline. R1 is flagged for running into punter K2. R3 makes a valid at team K’s 45 yardline. After the ball is dead, R3 taunts K4.

RULING A live-ball foul and a dead-ball foul are not coupled to make a multiple foul. As a result, team K will choose to have both penalties enforced. Running into the kicker is a five-yard penalty enforced from the previous spot. The 15-yard penalty for R3’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty is then enforced, yielding first and 10 for team K from its own 30 yardline (2-16-2e, 10-2-5, 10-4-2b).

Day 33- Pass Interference?

PLAY Eligible receiver A1 and cornerback B3 are running downfield side-by-side. As both players look back for the ball, their feet become entangled and both fall to the ground with the ball landing untouched by anyone.

RULING Entanglement is incidental contact. If the covering official can discern that either player intentionally tripped the other, that player is guilty of pass interference (7-5-11).

Day 32- Clock Procedure

PLAY Are there any situations in which team B would be awarded a new series but the clock would start on the ready for play instead of the snap? Example: Fourth and nine on team A’s 30 yardline. Quarterback A1 takes the snap and runs to his 33 yardline, where he throws a complete pass to eligible A9, who is tackled at team A’s 44 yardline. Assuming team B accepts the penalty (which includes a loss of down), would the clock start on the snap or the ready?

RULING Even in a situation involving a loss of down on fourth down, the clock will always start on the snap after team B is awarded a new series (3-4-3b).

Day 31- Roughing the Kicker?

PLAY Fourth and 10 on team K’s 30 yardline. K3 is the blocking back between the snapper and punter K1. The ball is snapped to K3, who throws a backward pass to K1, who then punts the ball. If K1 is contacted before he has had a chance to regain his balance or participate in the play, is he afforded the same kicker protection as if the ball had been snapped directly to him?

RULING Yes, as long as it is reasonably certain a kick will be made. If K1 runs before punting or fakes a pass and it is not reasonably certain he will kick, the defense should be given the benefit of the doubt (9-4-5a).

Day 30- Invalid Fair-Catch Signal

PLAY Fourth and 12 on team K’s 30 yardline. K1’s punt lands on team R’s 35 yardline and bounces high into the air. After the ball strikes the ground, R2 gives a fair-catch signal, recovers the ball at his 30 yardline and all play stops.

RULING R2’s signal is invalid. The ball is dead upon recovery. If accepted, the five-yard penalty qualifies for post- scrimmage kick enforcement. It will be team R’s ball, first and 10 at its own 25 yardline (2-9-3, 2-9-4).

Day 29- Illegal Kick and Fair Catch

PLAY K1 is five yards beyond the neutral zone when he punts. R2, not knowing that the kick is illegal, gives a valid fair catch signal and catches the kick. The covering official blows the play dead.

RULING A fair catch may only be made on a legal kick. Since the covering official likely had no way of knowing the kick was illegal, he cannot be blamed for blowing the play dead. Still, that is an inadvertent whistle. Team R can accept the 10-yard penalty enforced from the spot of the foul and replay the down or decline the penalty and take the result of the play, which is a first down at the spot of the catch (2-24-9, 3-2-3c, 6-3-10c, 6-5-1).

Day 28- Roughing the Passer

PLAY First and 10 for team A from its 20 yardline. B1 roughs the passer as eligible A2 catches the legal forward pass and runs to team B’s four yardline, where he fumbles. The ball strikes the goalline pylon.

RULING The result of the play is a touchback. Since a change of possession occurred, the penalty is enforced from the previous spot. Team A will have first and 10 from its own 35 yardline (1-2-4, 8-5-3c, 9-4-4 Pen., 10-5-5, 9.4.4 B).

Day 27- Is the Try Necessary?

PLAY Team A scores a touchdown on the last timed down of the game and has the lead, 24-6. Is the game over, or must the try be attempted?

RULING A try on the last timed down is necessary only if the points affect the outcome of the game or if the points could affect playoff qualification. In the play cited, the try would be attempted only if the latter were true (3-3-3d, 8-3-1 Exc., 3.3.3E-F, 8.3.1).

Day 26- Momentum Exception

PLAY R1 is standing on his five yardline to receive K2’s free kick. The kick is high and deep. R1 backpedals and catches the kick at team R’s one yardline. R1’s momentum takes him into his end zone where (a) he slips and falls down in the end zone with the ball in his possession, (b) he voluntarily goes down on one knee with the ball in his possession, or (c) he carries the ball out of the end zone and is tackled at team R’s 23 yardline.

RULING In (a) and (b), the momentum exception applies. R1 caught the kick between his five yardline and his goalline, his momentum took him into the end zone and the ball became dead there in his team’s possession. It will be team R’s ball, first and 10 at team R’s one yardline (the spot at which he caught the ball). In (c), the advance is legal. A momentum situation does not cause the ball to become dead. However, once R1 carried the ball into the field of play, the momentum exception is no longer an option for team R. It will be first and 10 for team R at its own 23 yardline (8-5-2a Exc.).

Day 25- Punt Touched By Team R

PLAY Fourth and 10 for team K from its own five yardline. K1’s punt hits the ground at team K’s 40 yardline. The ball is surrounded by players of both teams but remains loose and untouched. R2 then stops the ball from rolling at team K’s 44 yardline but does not pick it up. K3 swoops in, grabs the ball and possesses it while he is on the ground.

RULING R2’s touching is a muff and makes the ball free for either team to recover. K3’s recovery does cause the ball to become dead because team K may not advance a muffed kick. The ball belongs to team K at the spot of K3’s recovery (6-2-4).

Day 24- Foul on Punt Play

PLAY Third and 22 for team K on its own 12 yardline. K1’s quick kick is blocked and does not cross the line. The ball rolls to team K’s three yardline, where K2 recovers and starts to run. During the run, K3 holds at his own six yardline. K2 is downed at team K’s 16 yardline.

RULING Once K2 recovered and began to advance it became a running play and the basic spot became the end of the run. Because the foul occurred behind the basic spot, it is enforced half the distance from the spot of the foul. If the penalty is accepted, it would be third and 31 for team K on its own three yardline. Declining the penalty would result in fourth and 18 from team K’s 16 yardline (10-4-4).

Day 23- Two Fouls?

PLAY Team A’s ball, first and 10 on team B’s 32 yardline. A1 is at team B’s 30 yardline when he throws a forward pass. Eligible A2 is at team B’s 10 yardline when B3 cuts off A2, preventing him from attempting to catch the pass. RULING Pass interference is only on a legal forward pass. Thus the only foul on the play is A1’s illegal pass. The penalty is five yards from the spot of the pass and a loss of down (7-5-2b, 7-5-7). Day 22- Sticky-Fingered Snapper

PLAY A1 snaps the ball to quarterback A2. The ball touches A2’s hands, but A1 simply holds the ball as A2 fakes having the ball. A3 cuts in, grabs the ball from A1 and advances. RULING That is an illegal snap and a dead-ball foul. One of the requirements of a legal snap is that it leaves the snapper’s hand. The officials should blow the play dead when it is obvious A1 still has the ball. The penalty is five yards (2-40-2, 7-1-4).

Day 21- Try Goes Awry

PLAY Team K is lined up for a kick try. Holder K1 muffs the snap, rises from his position and gains control of the loose ball. With opponents bearing down on him, he gets off a pass that is caught by eligible K2 for a successful two-point. R3 is flagged for roughing the passer. RULING The try is successful and team K may have the 15-yard penalty enforced on the succeeding kickoff. The holder may legally rise to catch or recover an errant snap and pass the ball (4-2-2a Exc., 8-3-5, 10-5-1d). Day 20- Unsportsmanlike Fouls

PLAY B1 intercepts a pass on his own 35 yardline and advances to team A’s 25 yardline, where he is downed. After B1 is downed at team A’s 40 yardline, B2 and A3 are flagged for taunting each other at team A’s 32 yardline. RULING If both teams commit unsportsmanlike fouls prior to the completion of penalty administration for those fouls, the distance penalty for an equal number of 15-yard unsportsmanlike fouls will offset (10-2-5b). Day 19- Both Teams Foul

PLAY After the center has made his final adjustment and the ball ready for play, one offensive player and one defensive player are lined up in the neutral zone. What’s the ruling? RULING Both players have fouled. Penalties for dead-ball fouls are enforced separately and in the order of occurrence. In the play cited, the fouls were simultaneous. Hence, no yardage is walked off (7-1-6, 10-2- 5). Whenever possible, the officials should use preventive officiating to avoid that situation.

Day 18- Missed Field Goal

PLAY Fourth and eight at team R’s 40 yardline. K1’s field goal attempt is short. R2 touches the ball at team R’s 10 yardline. The ball rolls over the endline.

RULING A kick going into team R’s end zone results in a touchback. R2’s touching does not change the status of the ball (2-13-4a, 8-5-3a).

Day 17- Simultaneous Possession

PLAY First and 10 for team A from its own 20 yardline. A1 throws a legal forward pass intended for A2. B3, covering A2, jumps higher than A2 and grabs the pass while he is still airborne. Before B3 returns to the ground inbounds at team A’s 35 yardline, A2 jumps and gains a grip on part of the ball. B3 returns to the ground first, then A2. When they alight, they still have joint possession of the ball. RULING When opposing airborne players gain simultaneous joint possession, it is a simultaneous catch only if both return to the ground inbounds. The players’ contact with the ground does not have to be simultaneous (2-4-3). In the play described, A2 is deemed to have caught the ball. It will be team A’s ball, first and 10 at its own 35 yardline.

Day 16- Kick-Catching Interference

PLAY Fourth and 10 at team K’s 17 yardline. K1 aims his punt toward the sideline. R2 is in position to catch the kick, but the ball strikes K3’s helmet at team K’s 47 yardline and rolls out of bounds at team K’s 44 yardline. RULING K3 has committed kick-catching interference. Team R may accept the result of the play (team R’s ball at the 44 yardline), an awarded fair catch after enforcement of a 15-yard penalty from the spot of the foul, or a 15-yard penalty from the previous spot and a replay of the down (6-5-6a Pen.).

Day 15- Inadvertent Whistle

PLAY On a two-point try, B1 intercepts and an official blows an inadvertent whistle as B1 is running in the open field for what will obviously be a score.

RULING The ball is dead as soon as team B gains possession. Play will resume with the ensuing kickoff (4-2-2i).

Day 14- Blocking on a Free Kick

PLAY After a try, K1 attempts an and kicks the ball on the ground toward the sideline. As R2 goes to recover the ball two yards in advance of his free-kick line, he is blocked by K3. R4 recovers the ball. RULING K3 is guilty of an illegal block. Team K players may not block an opponent until team K is eligible to touch the kick. K3’s block is illegal (9-3-7). The 10-yard penalty is enforced from the previous spot, or the penalty may be enforced from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to team R (10-4-2 Exc., 9.3.7A).

Day 13- Illegal Substitution

PLAY Second and three for team A from its own 20 yardline. As the ball is being snapped, B12 realizes his team has too many players on the field. The situation has not been recognized by the officials. B12 runs off the field to his own sideline, is on the field while the ball is live but does not participate in or influence the play. A1 carries the ball and is downed at team A’s 27 yardline. An official recognizes the situation and properly throws his flag.

RULING Team B is guilty of a live-ball illegal substitution foul. Since the five-yard penalty is enforced from the previous spot, team A will decline the penalty. It will be first and 10 for team A from its own 27 yardline (3-7-4 Pen.).

Day 12- Roughing or Legal?

PLAY K1 punts. Two team R players break through the protection. One of them partially blocks the kick and the punter falls to the ground. Is that roughing the kicker, running into or nothing? RULING There is no foul when team R touches the kick near the kicker and contact is unavoidable (9-4-5b). Day 11- Motion

PLAY Halfback A1 legally goes in motion as signals are being called. Just as the ball is being snapped, A1 makes a 45-degree turn so he is facing the line. Is that legal?

RULING If A1’s turn comes at the same moment the ball is being snapped, it is legal. A1 would be guilty of a foul only if his turn came clearly before the snap and was so abrupt that it simulated at the snap or was designed to make team B enter the neutral zone. The codes agree (7-1-7a and b, 7-2-7). Day 10- Odd Snap

PLAY First and 10 for team A on its own 30 yardline. Quarterback A1 is under the center with fullback A2 directly behind him. Instead of snapping the ball into the quarterback’s hands, the center rolls the ball on the ground to A2. Is that a legal snap? RULING There is no rule that compels the snapper to snap the ball to the quarterback even if he is in position to receive it. Rule 7-2-4 says the snap must leave the hand or hands of the snapper and touch either a backfield player or the ground before it touches a team A lineman. While it may be legal to snap the ball in such a fashion, it might be considered inadvisable since team B would be eligible to recover and/or advance the loose ball.

Day 9- Defense Fouls on Pass

PLAY Second and 15 at team A’s 20 yardline. A1’s pass to the right side intended for eligible A2 is incomplete. Before the pass, B3 holds eligible A4 in flat at team A’s 33 yardline. RULING Because the foul is away from the ball, it is considered defensive holding, not defensive pass interference. The penalty is 10 yards from the previous spot. It will be second and five for team A from its 30 yardline (9-2-3d).

Day 8- Deflected Pass

PLAY Third and 10 at team A’s 20 yardline. A1’s legal forward pass ricochets off the helmet of ineligible A2 at team A’s 17 yardline. Eligible A2 catches the deflection at team A’s 21 yardline and advances to team A’s 33 yardline. RULING Legal play. Illegal touching occurs only if an ineligible bats, muffs or catches a forward pass before unless the pass has been touched by team B (7-5-13).

Day 7- Motion

PLAY First and 10 at team A’s 20 yardline. Team A lines up with eight players on the line of scrimmage. The five between the tackles are numbered 50-79. The ends are numbered 80-99. Before the snap, number 85, a player on the end of the line in a two-point stance goes in motion. He stops in the backfield for two seconds at a place five yards behind the neutral zone, then begins moving in a direction parallel to the line of scrimmage at the snap. A1 carries for a seven-yard gain. RULING Legal (7-2-7).

Day 6- Goal line Plane

PLAY A1 is met just short of team B’s goalline by B2. A1’s body never gets to the plane of the goalline but (a) with the ball in his right hand, the ball breaks the plane of the goalline in the field of play, or (b) with the ball in his left hand, the ball breaks the plane of the goalline extended outside the sideline plane. RULING That’s a touchdown in both (a) and (b). As long as the runner is touching the ground inbounds when the ball breaks the plane of the goalline or the goalline extended, a touchdown results. (2-26-3, 8-2-1a).

Day 5- Touching By Kicking Team

PLAY Fourth and 10 from team K’s 20 yardline. K1’s punt is in flight beyond the neutral zone when the ball strikes K2’s shoulder pad at team K’s 45 yardline with no team R player in position to catch the kick. The ball ricochets to R3, who catches it and begins to advance. R3 fumbles at team K’s 40 yardline, where prone K4 recovers.

RULING The ball touching K’s shoulder is considered first touching. Team R may accept the result of the play or take possession at the spot of the touching. Team R’s best choice is to take the ball at team K’s 45 yardline (6-2-5). Day 4- Team R Touches Kick

PLAY Fourth and 10 at team K’s 20 yardline. K1’s untouched punt is rolling along the ground at team K’s 43 yardline when K2 legally blocks R3 into the ball. The ball deflects off R3 and contacts R4’s leg. Prone K5 recovers at team K’s 45 yardline.

RULING Although the touching by R3 is forced, that by R4 is not. R4’s touching of the ball allows team K to recover legally (6-2-6, 6.2.4).

Day 3- Bleeding Player

PLAY The game clock is stopped because A1 is bleeding. Team A is then granted a charged timeout. A1 receives medical treatment and the wound is properly covered.

RULING A1 must leave the game for at least one down (unless the halftime or overtime intermission occurs). A1 cannot “buy” re-entry via a charged timeout (3-5-10c, 3.5.10A-C).

Day 2- Succeeding Spot

PLAY Team A scores a touchdown on the first series of overtime. After the successful two-point conversion, B5 is flagged for a dead-ball personal foul.

RULING The penalty is enforced from the succeeding spot. Team B will have first and goal from team A’s (the team that had the ball for the series) 25 yardline. The line to gain is always the goalline regardless of where a new series begins (NFHS Resolving Tied Games 5-3-1). Day 1- Fake Field Goal

PLAY Third and goal for team K from team R’s seven yardline. K1 is in position to kick a field goal and K2 is on one knee at team R’s 14 yardline in position to hold. K2 takes the snap and, without rising, throws a forward pass to eligible K3, who drops it.

RULING The ball is dead when K2 passes it without rising. It will be team K’s ball, fourth and goal from team R’s 14 yardline (NFHS 4-2-2a Exc. 1, 4.2.2 A).