This is a series of blog posts sharing a great resource that came to me by way of my crew-mate David Thomas. I’m sure you will find each rule concise and a valuable resource for your rules study, breakout sessions and pre-game conferences.

RULE 5

1. The penalty for any dead ball personal foul or unsportsmanlike foul that occurs after a series ends and before the ball is marked ready for play, shall be enforced before the line to gain is established.
2. No rule decision may be changed after the ball is next legally snapped or the 2nd or 4th periods have ended.

This is a series of blog posts sharing a great resource that came to me by way of my crew-mate David Thomas. I’m sure you will find each rule concise and a valuable resource for your rules study, breakout sessions and pre-game conferences.

RULE 4

1. Inadvertent whistle:
   • if in player possession, team may take ball at spot where blown dead or replay the down
   • if loose from fumble or backward pass, team may take ball where possession was lost or replay the down
   • if during forward pass or kick, replay down
   • if foul or violation occurs during any down, the penalty or violation shall be administered
2. Ball becomes dead when:
   • ball carrier simulates putting his knee to ground
   • during a field goal or try, player with ball on his knee may pass or get up and run provided a teammate has simulated a kick or is in position to kick the ball at the time of the snap
   • a runner’s helmet comes completely off, but game clock should continue to run
3. If 40 second play clock is running, dead ball becomes ready for play when an official places it on the ground; if play clock is stopped @ either 25 or 40, ball becomes ready when R sounds his whistle
4. A player who touches a pylon is OB
5. When a runner who is airborne or strides across a sideline before touching OB, forward progress is the point where the ball crossed the sideline; if landing OB after being tackled, the forward progress spot is the location of the ball when the runner first touched the ground

This is a series of blog posts sharing a great resource that came to me by way of my crew-mate David Thomas. I’m sure you will find each rule concise and a valuable resource for your rules study, breakout sessions and pre-game conferences.

Shane Livensparger is the Owner/Operator of Officially Fit and also a Certified Personal Trainer with ACE (American Council on Exercise). I’ve known Shane for over a year and have been asking him to create a Pre-game Stretching resource for sports officials.

Finally, its here.

This is a series of blog posts sharing a great resource that came to me by way of my crew-mate David Thomas. I’m sure you will find each rule concise and a valuable resource for your rules study, breakout sessions and pre-game conferences.

RULE 2

1. If an airborne player secures possession of a ball, it is a catch if the ball touches the ground if not bobbled. Loss of ball upon returning to ground is not a catch
2. Blocking below the waist applies to initial contact against an opponent who has one or both feet on the ground. If first contact is by opponent’s hands, they must be above the waist
3. Blocking zone: rectangular area centered on the middle lineman and extending 5 yards laterally and 3 yards longitudinally in each direction; the zone disintegrates when the ball leaves the zone Tackle box: a rectangular area extending 5 yds in each direction from the snapper and from the LOS back to Team A’s end line; it disintegrates when the ball leaves the zone
4. Loss of player possession by an unsuccessful handoff is a fumble by the last player in possession
5. A huddle is two or more players grouped together after the ball is ready for play
6. A free kick after a safety may be a punt, drop kick or place kick. A kickoff must be a place kick
7. A snap becomes a backward pass when the center releases the ball
8. Scrimmage kick formation: At least one player 7 yards or more behind the NZ and no one in position to receive a direct snap from the center and it is obvious a kick may be attempted
9. A forward pass is determined by the point where the ball first strikes the ground, a player or an official. It has crossed the NZ if touched beyond the NZ and inbounds
10. A player has crossed the NZ if his entire body is beyond the NZ