footballref

2nd and 2.

Youth games are where learning is done. If I am going to mess something up I would rather is be at the sub-varsity level than on a Friday night. That said, stuff happens in all of them.

All that matter here is how did the ball get into the end zone. Below is rule 2-13 ART. 1 . . . Force is the result of energy exerted by a player which provides movement of the ball. The term force is used only in connection with the goal line and in only one direction, i.e., from the field of play into the end zone. Initial force results from a carry, fumble, kick, pass or snap. After a fumble, kick or backward pass has been grounded, a new force may result from a bat, an illegal kick or a muff. ART. 2 . . . Responsibility for forcing the ball from the field of play across a goal line is attributed to the player who carries, snaps, passes, fumbles or kicks the ball, unless a new force is applied to either a backward pass, kick or fumble that has been grounded. ART. 3 . . . The muffing or batting of a pass, kick or fumble in flight is not considered a new force. ART. 4 . . . Force is not a factor: a. On kicks going into R’s end zone, since these kicks are always a touchback regardless of who supplied the force. b. When a backward pass or fumble is declared dead in the end zone of the opponent of the player who passed or fumbled, with no player possession. In the play you mention the result should be a safety since the offense fumbled the ball into the end zone. Once the ball was fumbled, the result was going to be a TD for the defense if they recovered the ball in the end zone or a safety if the ball became dead in any other manner.

They do use the NFHS book, 48 states do. That said, they could be trying out experimental rules. Some states do that. I can tell you that Kentucky is one state testing out making the kicking team being within so many yards of the ball on a kicoff, preventing the team from getting a huge running start. With the rule you have posted, this may or may not be the case. I cannot give you a for sure answer.

I think you know the answer to this one Previous spot

Bump

I am now subscribed to this topic, hopefully I will get emails when it gets replies.

I think I am caught up on questions. Please keep them coming. Sorry if it takes me a few days to get back. I don't get any notifications and only check here every few days. With the season on us I will be here more and more to read about upcoming games.

Noise makers are fine. Whistles are no good and we will stop the game to try and get rid of anything that sounds like a whistle from the stands.

The game is not called. Once a team is up by 35 in the second half the clock runs for everything. It stops on timeouts, injuries, and scores. It then starts back on the kick on the kickoff. It has been this way for a few years now.

This is correct.

Nope. Once it is apparent the kick won't score or once the defense gains possession the play is over. They have actually added wording this year to the rule book stating that only the touchdown scoring team can score point on a try (point after).

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I think the purpose was originally to keep away advertisements...but that is just my opinion. I really have no idea why. The rule is changing this coming season. Below is the current rule One unmarked moisture-absorbing white towel, which shall be no less than 4 inches in width and 12 inches in length and no greater than 18 inches in width and 36 inches in length; As far as your second question. The referee is not going to have the game moved. Odds are for playoffs the ECO would go to the press box and run the clock. If worse came to worse then the ECO would keep the clock on the field with a stop watch. I have done each of these before and one of them was in a playoff game.

Bump

The old towel rule stated that only the following could be used: One unmarked moisture-absorbing white towel, which shall be no less than 4 inches in width and 12 inches in length and no greater than 18 inches in width and 36 inches in length; or It is being assumed that something is changing. Maybe the color exception or the unmarked part. There is not a final rule yet, so the truth is that we don't know.

I cannot answer this question because I have no idea. Punts cannot be returned from the end zone either.

Giving this the ole bump-a-roo

This is a long read and some of it may not make sense. So far we just know the following things are changing. The exact wording has yet to be completed. The biggest change is that DPI will no longer be an automatic first down. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NATIONAL FEDERATION OF STATE HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS NEWS RELEASE Additional Rules Approved in High School Football Regarding Helmets Coming Off Players FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Bob Colgate INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 7, 2013) — In an effort to continue minimizing the risk of injury in high school football, three additional rules will take effect next season to address helmets coming off players’ heads during games. These three risk-minimization additions were among 10 rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee at its January 18-20 meeting in Indianapolis. All rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors. As a follow-up to last year’s rules change that requires players to sit out one play if their helmet comes off while the ball is live, the committee approved three additional rules that are extensions of last year’s change. An illegal personal contact foul was added to Rule 9-4-3 to state that “no player or nonplayer shall initiate contact with an opposing player whose helmet has come completely off.†In addition, a new listing in Rule 9-6-4 will state that it is illegal participation “for a player whose helmet comes completely off during a down to continue to participate beyond the immediate action in which the player is engaged.†“With its continued focus on risk minimization, the committee determined that a helmet-less player shall not block, tackle or otherwise participate beyond the immediate action in which the player is engaged when the helmet came completely off,†said Bob Colgate, NFHS director of sports and sports medicine. “The penalty would be a live-ball, basic-spot foul.†The committee also added language to Rule 3-5-10 to clarify that if the helmet comes completely off during the down or subsequent dead-ball action related to the down – and is not directly attributable to a foul by the opponent – the player must leave the game for at least one down, with the exception of halftime or overtime intermission. When this occurs, an official’s time-out shall be called. “Player safety has been and will continue to be the top priority for members of the NFHS Football Rules Committee,†said Brad Garrett, chair of the NFHS Football Rules Committee and assistant executive director of the Oregon School Activities Association. “These rules changes regarding helmet-less players are more examples of the group’s commitment to minimize risk within the game.†Perhaps the most significant rules change next season will be one that reduces the penalty for pass interference. While the 15-yard penalty will remain for both offensive and defensive pass interference, the loss of down has been removed for offensive pass interference and the automatic first down has been eliminated for defensive pass interference. “Offensive and defensive pass interference and the penalty structure related to these fouls has been debated many times in recent years,†Garrett said. “Proposals that either deleted the loss of down or the automatic first down – but not both – failed to gain support among committee members. The proposal to eliminate both components, thus not upsetting the balance between offense and defense, was the key factor in the adoption of the new rule.†Another change at high school football games next year will be the expanded use of communication devices. In specific situations, coaches, players and nonplayers will be allowed to use any form of communication technology. This expansion of the rule allows the use of communication devices during authorized conferences outside the nine-yard marks, on the sidelines and during the halftime intermission. Use of communication devices by players except conferences outside the nine-yard mark continues to be prohibited. In Rule 2-4-1, the committee clarified the rule approved last year regarding the definition of a catch, which stated that a receiver is required to establish possession of the ball and contact the ground inbounds while maintaining possession – regardless of the opponent’s action. “The committee clarified the definition of a catch such that an airborne player who has forward progress stopped inbounds and is carried out of bounds by an opponent before contacting the ground is awarded a catch at the spot of forward progress,†Colgate said. In Rule 9-3-8, the committee added another provision to the rule enacted last year regarding contact by the kicking team against members of the receiving team. The new provision stipulates that the kicking team may initiate contact once the receiving team has initiated a block within the neutral zone. The committee also approved the addition of a 15-yard penalty to the existing option of accepting an awarded fair catch for kick-catch interference. Finally, in Rule 8-3-3, the committee clarified that the touchdown scoring team is the only team that can score on a try, and in Rule 1-5-3 the committee modified the rule regarding the wearing of towels. Football is the No. 1 participatory sport for boys at the high school level with 1,121,744 participants in the 2011-12 school year, according to the High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS through its member state associations. In addition, the survey indicated there were 1,805 girls who played football in 2011-12. # # # About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and performing arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 16 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.6 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; offers online publications and services for high school coaches and officials; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, speech and debate coaches, and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information about the NFHS, visit www.nfhs.org. Access and order NFHS Coach Education courses at www.nfhslearn.com.

Keep the questions coming. I enjoy trying to answer them. It also keeps me in the rule book making sure I am on top of things.

It is just called a Free Kick Out of Bounds....it uses the False Start/Illegal Formation signal 7. Free kick out of bounds....Rule 6-1-8 Signal 19 Rule 6-1-8 A free kick shall not be kicked out of bounds between the goal lines untouched inbounds by R. If it is, R has the following choices: a. Accept a 5-yard penalty from the previous spot and have K rekick. b. Put the ball in play at the inbounds spot 25 yards beyond the previous spot. c. Decline the penalty and put the ball in play at the inbounds spot. On a side note: A couple of terms people use that are not rule book terms are illegal procedure and lateral. I think the term illegal procedure is a common term due to the signal being used for several different fouls. As far as lateral. The proper terms are forward and backward pass.

Good time to bump this since we are in the off season. Whatcha got?

Calls are discussed all the time during a game. Please tell me what you mean by questionable and we can continue.

Not something you see called often. There has been more of an emphasis lately. Not something you will even think is a foul until you dig in the book. Even after reading and knowing it you have to be able to apply it when you see it real time. I have been told of it being called on 3 different occasions this season. I saw it once and passed on it. Will not pass next time.