OCTOBER 28, 2007
We were at a high school football game. it was a fourth down and the receiving team was called for an "illegal participation". What does that mean? – Beth W.
I am assuming that you live in a state where the High School National Federation rules are used (There are a few states, like Texas, where NCAA rules are used in high school.). "Illegal participation" means that there were either 12 men on the field during the play, that a player went off the field during the play on his own volition and then returned to the field of play, or that someone came off the sideline during the play and interfered with the action. Typically it is the former.
If the officials had realized that there were more than 11 players on the field, they should have shut down the action just before the snap and the team would have been charged with a "Substitution Infraction" dead ball penalty (5 yards). Instead, "Illegal Participation" is a 15 yard, live ball infraction. This is all covered in the high school Rule 9-6. The NCAA rules are basically the same with some minor wording changes.
OCTOBER 25, 2007
Thanks so much for you response. I would be interested is seeing the rules when you return. I did want to clarify a couple points that perhaps were not crystal clear in my initial question. It was the block that took the tackle downfield. It was a designed run play and he chipped his guy and proceeded a couple steps and turned right to check for a crossing linebacker.
He wasn't thrown there by the defense but he was properly completing his run block assignment. He did immediately start his return to the "comfort zone". The return was not direct but angled. This was the way he was facing and the way the busted play was now flowing. He was back within the comfort zone almost immediately. He was neither meandering outside of it, nor was he blocking outside of it, nor was he making himself available as a receiver. He was running back to make a play on the other side of the field since it looked like one of those plays where a runner starts left, pivots and circles all the way back to the right. All of a sudden the runner looks up and sees his fb in the endzone.
At this point in time the tackle had returned to the comfort zone and was still running on that angle toward the LOS. The rules seem to recognize hybrid plays where a pass play either appears to be a run (flea-flicker) or even where a run turns into a pass play (rb carries ball past the LOS and then flips the ball back to a passer behind the LOS and makes a legal forward pass). Clearly neither would allow for an illegal receiver downfield; nevertheless, both recognize the concept of rule modification where an apparent run becomes a passing play.
This play was definitely a busted run and the breach was cured by the time it was impovised into a halfback pass. Is there a rule interpretation that comes close to dealing with a similar situation? – John H.
I think that you are making a bit too much of this although I greatly appreciate your interest.
NCAA Rule 7-3-10 states: "No originally ineligible receiver shall be or have been beyond the neutral zone until a legal forward pass that crosses the neutral zone is thrown. Exceptions: (a) When, after the snap, a Team A (offense) ineligible receiver immediately charges and contacts an opponent at a point not more than one yard beyond the neutral zone and does not continue the contact more than three yards beyond the neutral zone; or b) When contact that has driven an opponent no more than three yards from the neutral zone is lost by a player who was ineligible at the snap, he must remain stationary at that spot until a pass is thrown."
As a result, once the ineligible receiver (i.e., an interior lineman) goes three yards beyond the neutral zone on a play where a legal forward pass is thrown, it is an ineligible receiver down field even if:
a) the play was originally supposed to be a run;
b) he is trying to get back to the neutral zone by any path possible;
c) the pass is thrown by someone other than the QB.
The ECAC officials working the Ivy League game got the call correct. There is also two Rule Interpretations, AR - 7- 3-10-I and II, that address the same subject. So the rule is clearly spelled out in both the "FR's" (the rules) and the "FI's" (the interpretations). In your scenario, the lineman got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time through no fault of his own. However, it is still a penalty.
To clarify some of the other things that you mentioned, on a halfback pass, all ineligibles must stay at or behind the line of scrimmage until the ball is thrown. Otherwise, it is a penalty. And once the ball is advanced beyond the line of scrimmage, it is not possible to throw a legal forward pass (Rule 7-3-2 (e)). ["A forward pass is illegal if it is thrown from in or behind the neutral zone after a runner in possession of the ball has gone beyond the neutral zone."]
The key thing to remember is that on a play where a pass is thrown from behind the LOS by any offensive player (no matter how the play was originally conceived), the ineligibles can not have been more than three yards beyond the neutral zone at any time in the play. From a mechanics point of view, you may note that the Umpire will step up on pass play so that he is about three yards beyond the neutral zone. From that position, he can see if any of the offensive linemen go further down field than his position before the pass is thrown. If they do, he will/should call a penalty.
I hope this addresses your concern.
OCTOBER 24, 2007
During the late 70's to mid 80's was it ever legal for a return man to call for then wave off a fair catch? -- Alan K.
Not to the best of my knowledge. I have NFL rule books (and NCAA rule books as well) that go back to the late-1970's - early-1980's and I can find nothing about the receiver changing his mind regarding a fair catch.
OCTOBER 22, 2007
When a QB spikes the ball out of frustration, isn't that delay of game violation? You see it happening more and more. – Tom S.
Most of the "spikes" by the QB are on plays where a penalty has been called, usually for delay of game or a false start, and the clock has been stopped to allow the referee to make an announcement and for the yardage to be marked off. In addition, a new ball would typically be brought in for the next play in any event. As a result, the "spiking" by the QB does not "delay" the game and a penalty is not called. The other thing to remember is that if a penalty has already been called on the offense, a Delay of Game call would be a second foul against the offense in the same interval and, as a result, only one penalty would be assessed. This is an instance where the officials just use common sense. If the QB were to run out of bounds or make a long run in the field and then spike the ball, he would be penalized the same as any other player.
How do you become part of the down marker/chain crew? – Rosalind P.
I believe that you contact the local team regarding being part of the chain gang. In most cities, the individuals who do it have been there for years and turnover is very small. Also, in many instances, the individuals either are or were members of a local high school officiating group. Sorry I can't tell you more.
OCTOBER 18, 2007
Through what channel does one become an official in the NFL. Would you have to go up through the high school and NCAA ranks or is there another way? Also is there a degree you would need or some form of an education? Thanks for the time. – Tim B.
At one time, the requirements to become an NFL official were something like the following:
At least 5 years of high school and/or junior college officiating experience;
At least 8 years of Division I college officiating experience.
As a result, most officials who had started officiating when they were in their early 20's were coming into the league in their mid-30's.
Today, due to a desire to make the officiating corps younger and more representative of society, these requirements have been revised somewhat and it is possible to get into the league with somewhat less experience at each level. However, you will still need some experience at all levels before you are considered for the NFL.
The NFL has scouts that watch officials on all levels and make recommendations to the league office. So the place to start is your local high school football officiating association. Without some experience on that level, you could not expect to move up to the higher levels and be seen on the field.
You might also want to see if a local college or junior college gives a course in "Sports Officiating." But the key is to get out on the field and work hard and work your way up.
You typically will be required to be in excellent physical shape, learn the Rule Book and take multiple tests per season, learn the Mechanics Book that choreographs virtually every possible scenario, hone your judgment, and learn to have a tough hide and how to deal with people. Last year, there were almost 750 NCAA Div. 1 officials and there NFL took in 3 new officials. It is a long hard road but it is very rewarding (albeit not financially). If you choose to follow it, I wish you luck.
OCTOBER 17, 2007
Could you please explain the "tuck" rule? Since the famous playoff game between the Patriots and Raiders, I have not seen this called. During tonight’s' game, Coach Coughlin challenged a play in which Eli Manning fumbled the ball caused by John Abraham slapping Eli's arm which forced a fumble. The replay official upheld the call on the field. I thought Eli had his elbow "tucked". – Glenn W.
The call in this week's game had nothing to do with the "tuck" rule. The rule that applied is whether the ball was still in the hand of the passer when the hand started its forward motion. It wasn't. The ball had been knocked out of Manning's hand before his hand started in a forward motion. So the call on the field of a fumble stood as called. It was a straight forward and easy call by the Referee, Bill Leavy.
By the way, the call was not upheld by the "Replay Official" but by the Referee who make all of the final decisions in the NFL.
As for the "tuck" rule, it applies when a passers arm is clearly going forward with the ball but then the passer attempts to stop the pass and pull the ball in towards his body. Once that happens, if he loses control of the ball, it is still considered a pass. The rule typically comes into play 10-15 times a year. Personally, I have seen it at least twice this season already. Every time it happens, the announcers go nuts over what the rule is and how it is called. Actually, it makes everything much easier to officiate as the Referee does not have to read intent, just what actually happens with the ball.
OCTOBER 15, 2007
During one of the games yesterday, it appeared that a team blocked a field goal and the play was called dead. Is this a new rule? I thought it was a live ball and even recall teams putting "centerfielders" back there to return attempts that fell short. – John F.
I don't have enough information to answer this question. Can you please indicate where the ball landed, which team was the first to touch it and where, and what was the status of the ball when the whistle blew to end the play? Thanks.
In High School and College, if you are in pocession of the ball and your knee touches the ground, you are down at the spot. But, how is it on an extra point, the holder can recieve the snap with his knee touching the ground and then proceed to run a fake field goal or even continue the extra point kick? – Louis B.
In both high school and college, the rules (Rule 4-2-2 a exception and 4-1-3 b respectively) make a specific exception for a player that is in position to receive a direct snap/backwards pass from center (not a hand-off) and there is someone in position to kick the ball from placement (i.e., the holder for a PAT or FG) . The rules are a bit different as to what the player can do after the snap is made, such as rise to pass or run the ball or to return to one knee to place an errant snap) but in neither case is the player considered to be "down" just because his knee is on the ground in this situation.
OCTOBER 13, 2007
My Brother-in-Law says that if a ball carrier running the ball jumps in the air from say the 4 yardline and the ball and his body crosses the goal line plane, completely out of the endzone, and he lands completely out of the endzone, it's a touchdown. Anothe way to say it - niether his body or the ball ever crosses into the endzone box, but does cross the goal line plane outside of the endzone box, it's still a touchdown. Your comments? – Steve A.
This is a rule that apparently continues to confuse people. This year the NFL changed the rule (11-2-1) to read: "It is a touchdown if the ball in possession of an airborne runner is on, above, or beyond the plane of the goal line and some portion of the ball has passed over or inside the pylon." As a result, your brother-in-law is incorrect. He would, however, be correct in college or high school.
OCTOBER 8, 2007
How far does the goal line extend. Does it imaginably extend out for ever or does it stop at the pylon – Dom T.
Due to a new rule change this year, in the NFL the Goal line/plane ends at the pylon. The ball must pass over or inside the pylon while in possession of a player for it to be a touchdown. In NCAA and high school, the goal line is an infinite plane that extends, in effect, "around the world." But given the reality of the situation (i.e., the player breaking the plane must have come from in bounds), for all practical purposes it extends only about 6 feet outside of the sideline.
OCTOBER 1, 2007
If a DB intercepts a pass on a two-point conversion attempt, does that interception count towards his total at the end of the season? -- Jeff C.
I have no idea how statistics are calculated in the NFL. I leave that to those who are interested in fantasy football. I do know that in college, where you can return an interception for 1 point, it is counted as an interception.
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