footballref

No, it’s not. Only roughing fouls are automatic first downs.

Not sure what you’re asking.

Here's some scenarios from the case book. This is from the 2013 case book, PDF copies are hard to get. TOUCHING AND RECOVERING SCRIMMAGE KICKS 6.2.3 SITUATION A: A scrimmage kick by K1 is partially blocked in the neutral zone by R1. The kick goes beyond the neutral zone where R2 muffs it back behind the neutral zone. K2 recovers behind the neutral zone and advances across R's goal line. RULING: Touchdown for K. COMMENT: The right of the kickers to advance their recovered scrimmage kick depends entirely upon whether the kick is recovered in, behind or beyond the neutral zone. Whether the kick went beyond the neutral zone and then rebounded behind it is of no consequence. The spot of recovery is the only factor. If the recovery is in or behind the neutral zone, K may advance. If the recovery is beyond the neutral zone, K may recover, but may not advance. 6.2.3 SITUATION B: With third and 10 on K's 10-yard line, K1's punt is blocked and recovered on K's 4-yard line: (a) simultaneously by K2 and R1, or ( by K2 who advances to K's 15. RULING: In (a), the ball is dead immediately and is awarded to R because of the joint recovery. In (, since K may recover in or behind the neutral zone and advance, it is fourth and 5 for K from its own 15-yard line. The series for K did not end because the kick was blocked. (4-2-2e) NFHS Case Plays – Football 2013 59 6.2.4 SITUATION: It is fourth and 10 and K11 punts the ball from K's 40-yard line. While R1 and K1 are engaged in blocking downfield at R's 30-yard line, K2 legally bats the ball at R's 28-yard line and the batted ball touches R1 on the leg. Then, K3 recovers the ball at the 30-yard line. RULING: This touching by R is ignored and R will have the choice of taking the ball at the spot of first touching or the dead-ball spot. 6.2.5 SITUATION A: K1 attempts to down a punt beyond the neutral zone, but his touching only slows it down. The bouncing ball is subsequently recovered by R1, who advances 25 yards but then fumbles and K2 recovers. K2 is immediately tackled. RULING: R may either take the results of the play or retain possession by taking the ball at the spot of K1's first touching. R can exercise this option, unless after R1 touches the ball, R commits a foul or the penalty is accepted for any foul committed during the down. *6.2.5 SITUATION C: With fourth and 5 from K's 30-yard line, K9 punts the ball downfield where it is grounded and touched by K88 (first touching) at R's 30. The ball continues rolling and is picked up by R35 at R's 25-yard line. R35 is subsequently hit and fumbles at R's 28. The loose ball is recovered by K88 on the ground at R's 26. During the kick, R55 is flagged for holding. RULING: If K accepts R's foul for holding, then it is enforced from the previous spot since postscrimmage kick cannot apply as K is next to put the ball in play as a result of the play. If K accepts the foul, the awarded spot for illegal touching is not applied. If K declines R's foul, R will take the ball at the spot of first touching. (2-12-1; 2; 2-16-2h) 6.2.5 SITUATION B: K2, running toward R's end zone, leaps in the air to catch K1's punt which is in flight. K2 has the ball in his grasp over the 1-yard line, but first touches the ground in R's end zone. No player of R is in position to catch the punt. RULING: R can take the ball at the spot of first touching, his own 1-yard line, or take a touchback since K2 has not possessed the ball until he came to the ground in the end zone. (6-3-1) 6.2.6 SITUATION: What is the reason for having an expanded neutral zone during scrimmage kicks and how does it affect the touching of a low kick in that area? RULING: The purpose of expanding the neutral zone during a scrimmage kick is to permit normal line play. The neutral zone is expanded up to a maximum of 2 yards behind the defensive line of scrimmage (beyond the neutral zone) to allow offensive linemen to block and drive defensive linemen off the line of scrimmage. Low scrimmage kicks may touch or be touched by players of K or NFHS Case Plays – Football 2013 60 R, and such touching is ignored if the kick has not been beyond the expanded neutral zone. The zone disintegrates immediately when the kick has crossed the expanded zone or when the trajectory is such that it cannot be touched until it comes down. Once the zone disintegrates, touching of the kick by K in flight beyond the neutral zone is kick-catching interference if an R player is in position to catch the ball. If touched by R beyond the neutral zone, it establishes a new series. (2-28-2; 5-1-3f; 6-5-6)

Yes, scenario 1 is the receiving team gets the ball. Scenario 2 the kicking team gets it. It's all about where the touching occurs. The neutral zone is the magical place. The neutral zone is basically the line of scrimmage. “ART. 1 . . . The neutral zone is the space between the two free-kick lines ­during a free-kick down and between the two scrimmage lines during a scrimmage down. For a free-kick down, the neutral zone is 10 yards wide and for a ­scrimmage down it is as wide as the length of the football. It is established when the ball is marked ready for play. ART. 2 . . . The neutral zone may be expanded following the snap up to a ­maximum of 2 yards behind the defensive line of scrimmage, in the field of play, during any scrimmage down.†Excerpt From: NFHS & Bob Colgate. “2014 NFHS Football Rules Book.†NFHS. iBooks. This material may be protected by copyright. Check out this book on the iBooks Store: https://itun.es/us/mhUz0.l

Not if it's touched beyond the neutral zone. Let me see if I can find some scenarios in the case book. There are situations where the kicking team muffs the football down field, the ball rolls back behind the line of scrimmage, the kicking team picks the ball up and throws an incomplete pass, then the kicking team gets the ball 1st and 10.

If the return team is first to touch it beyond the neutral zone and the kicking team falls on the ball the then kicking team gets it 1st and 10.

Can't answer why...probably safety. There are probably several instance of rules not making sense of why they are like they are. Why is any kick that breaks the plane of the receiving team's goal line a touchback?

In the book there are forward passes and backward passes. Underhand or overhand doesn't matter. Another term people use that is not a football term is lateral. There's no such thing, it's a backward pass per the book.

“It is legal to conserve time by intentionally throwing the ball forward to the ground immediately after receiving a direct hand-to-hand-snap.†Excerpt From: NFHS & Bob Colgate. “2014 NFHS Football Rules Book.†NFHS. iBooks. This material may be protected by copyright. Check out this book on the iBooks Store: https://itun.es/us/mhUz0.l

It's just 15 yards. Pass interference is not a first down either.

All but Texas and Massachusetts. That said, some states will "test" rules for a year or so before they are put in the NFHS book for everybody.

SECTION 9 UNFAIR ACTS ART. 1 . . . A player or nonplayer or person(s) not subject to the rules shall not hinder play by an unfair act which has no specific rule coverage. ART. 2 . . . No team shall repeatedly commit fouls which halve the distance to the goal line. ART. 3 . . . No player shall hide the ball under a jersey. ART. 4 . . . No player shall use a kicking tee in violation of Rule 1-3-4. ART. 5 . . . Neither team shall commit any act which, in the opinion of the referee, tends to make a travesty of the game. PENALTY: Unfair act – the referee enforces any penalty he considers equitable, including the award of a score – (S27). Repeated fouls (Art. 2) – the game may be forfeited. Hiding the ball under a jersey, (Art. 3) (S27) – 15 yards basic spot. Using illegal kicking tee, (Art. 4), (S27) – 15 yards basic spot. NOTE: The penalties in Rules 9-9-3 and 9-9-4 are not charged to the coach or player for the purpose of unsportsmanlike conduct disqualifications. Not sure where you're finding this...granted what I just posted is from a 2014 PDF rule book I have. I can tell you that you wouldn't talk to the opposing AD. Each game has a game administrator and if anything was done it would be up to that person not the AD of the school you have a problem with. For us, as long as there is no whistle coming from the stands then the band can do what they want.

Illegally handing the ball forwardIllegal forward pass Intentional grounding Illegal touching

Those are straight from the rule book. As long as their not being used in the middle of the field during a timeout there isn't much not allowed on the sidelines.

In my area, yes the officials shortage is real. Since I began we have have 1/3 less officials now than we did when I started. We are also working a lot of 7 man crews now. For us, we have plenty to cover scrimmages. I haven't heard of scrimmages intentionally going without officials due to shortage. People don't want to get into it. We have a handful of new ones each year but only a few of those make it to the next season. I don't think some want to learn and go through the progressions starting with youth football, I don't think some have the time for the commitment, and I don't think some can't take the yelling they receive regardless of level.