| Rules
Changes or Emphasis for 2007 |
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1.
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A passer is a player who throws a legal forward
pass. |
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2.
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When
the ball becomes dead in possession of a player, he shall place the
ball on the ground or immediately return it to a nearby
official. |
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3.
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A
line 4 inches wide and a minimum of 48 inches in length, shall be
centered in the field of play 3 yards from each goal line. |
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4.
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Butt
blocking is an act by a defensive player who initiates contact with a
ball carrier with the front of his helmet. |
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5.
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Coaches
and medical staffs need to work with individual athletes to develop
fluid-replacement strategies that optimize hydration status before,
during and after exercise. |
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6.
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If
the head coach has been disqualified, a "new" head coach may not be
designated for the purpose of requesting time-out(s). |
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7.
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If
worn attached to the helmet, an eye shield is illegal unless it is
constructed of a molded, rigid material that is clear and permits 100
percent (no tint) allowable light transmission. |
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8.
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A
flagrant foul is a foul so severe or extreme that it places an opponent
in danger of serious injury, and/or involves violations that arc
extremely or persistently vulgar or abusive conduct. |
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9.
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Beginning
in 2007, forearm pads must have a securely attached label or stamp
(NFHS/NCAA specifications) indicating compliance with test
specifications from NOCSAE. |
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10.
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A
4-inch-wide broken restraining line shall be placed around the outside
of the field, at least 2 yards from the sidelines and endlines, as an
extension of the line limiting the team box area, except in stadiums
where the total playing enclosure does not permit. |
| Authorized
Conferences |
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11.
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The coach is permitted to use only one of the
two types of conferences during a game. |
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12.
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There
is no limit to the number of coaches who may take part in a conference
on the field at the team huddle between the inbound marks. |
| Batting |
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13.
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Batting a fumble in flight is
illegal. |
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14.
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A forward pass may be batted in any direction
by all eligible receivers. |
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15.
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A player of the team in possession may bat a
ball in player possession forward. |
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16.
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It is legal for R to bat K's scrimmage kick in
an effort to block it in or behind the expanded neutral
zone. |
| Blocking |
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17.
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Following an interception, it is legal for the
intercepting team to block below the waist. |
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18.
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It is illegal for B1 to trip runner
A1. |
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19.
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The kicker or place-kick holder may be blocked
as soon as the kick has touched the ground or any other
player. |
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20.
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A
chop block is a delayed block of an opponent at the knees or below
while the opponent is in contact with a teammate of the blocker in the
free-blocking zone. |
| Dead Ball |
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21.
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When a backward pass strikes the ground, the
ball becomes dead. |
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22.
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The
ball becomes dead during a try when B1 secures possession or as soon as
it is apparent that a kick try is unsuccessful. |
| Definitions |
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23.
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In
a scrimmage kick formation, the snapper has special protection only
until the ball has clearly been released in a legal snap. |
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24.
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The basic spot is a point of reference for
penalty enforcement. |
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25.
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A substitute is a team member who may replace a
player or fill a player vacancy. |
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26.
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A loose ball is a pass, fumble or
kick. |
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27.
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If a loose ball touches a game official, who is
straddling the sideline, the ball is not out of bounds. |
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28.
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A player is in the free-blocking zone when any
part of his body is in the zone at the snap. |
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29.
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Dead ball is a term used to indicate a ball not
in play during the interval between downs. |
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30.
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The expanded neutral zone may extend partially
or completely into the end zone. |
| Downs-New
Series |
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31.
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Roughing the kicker is a foul that results in a
15-yard penalty plus a first down. |
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32.
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The down is ended when a live ball goes out of
bounds. |
| Equipment:
Game-Field |
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33.
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An unofficial auxiliary down indicator is
required field equipment for a game. |
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34.
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The kicking tee may not elevate the ball more
than 2 inches above the ground. |
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35.
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The bottom edge of the crossbar shall be 10
feet above the ground. |
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36.
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Advertising and/or commercial markings on the
field of play are prohibited. |
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37.
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If
the field is wet, the referee may allow use of a mat or towel on the
ground to improve the kicker's footing on a place-kick. |
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38.
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Relative
to ball choice, when there has been no change of possession, the try is
not considered to be part of the previous series in which the touchdown
was scored. |
| Equipment:
Player |
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39.
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Tear-away jerseys may be worn if both coaches
agree to use them. |
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40.
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Equipment
that becomes illegal through game use is handled by rule procedure
without penalizing the player or the head coach. |
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41.
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A
player's hard forearm cast/splint must be covered on all exterior
surfaces with no less than 1/2-inch thick, high density, closed-cell
polyurethane, or an alternate material of the same minimum thickness
and similar physical properties. |
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42.
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If
a player does not have a helmet that met the NOCSAE test standards when
manufactured, he may participate, but a 5-yard penalty shall be
enforced. |
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43.
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Players' jersey numbers are limited to those
which are 1 through 99. |
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44.
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The foul for not properly wearing the required
equipment during a down carries a penalty of 15 yards. |
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45.
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If
observed, an entering substitute with a number identical to a teammate
who is on the field should not be permitted to enter the
game. |
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46.
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The pants must cover the knee pads. |
| Fouls |
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47.
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An offensive player cannot commit a spearing
foul. |
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48.
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It is an unsportsmanlike foul if disqualified
A1 re-enters to participate. |
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49.
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The spot of a foul is where the foul
occurs. |
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50.
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In all situations, the first team box violation
charged to Team A or B results in a 5-yard penalty. |
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51.
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A live-ball foul and a dead-ball foul cannot be
combined to create a double foul. |
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52.
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It is an unsportsmanlike foul if a coach is
detected using tobacco. |
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53.
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When a team commits two or more live-ball
fouls, including unsportsmanlike fouls, it is a multiple
foul. |
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54.
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Illegal motion, illegal shifts and false starts
are all fouls simultaneous with the snap. |
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55.
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A disqualified player shall be removed even if
the penalty for the foul is declined. |
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56.
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Butt blocking is a personal contact
foul. |
| Fundamentals
- Fundamental Statements |
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57.
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Forward pass interference can occur behind, in
or beyond the neutral zone. |
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58.
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A scrimmage kick recovered in or behind the
neutral zone may not be advanced by K or R. |
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59.
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A kick ends as soon as any player secures
possession. |
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60.
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A player cannot fumble before gaining
possession. |
| Illegal
Participation |
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61.
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If end A1 accidentally goes out of bounds and
returns during the down, he becomes an ineligible pass
receiver. |
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62.
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It
is illegal participation if a player is lying on the ground to deceive
the opponents immediately before the snap or free kick. |
| Illegal
Formation |
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63.
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A
Team A player is a back if the player has no part of his body breaking
the plane of an imaginary line drawn parallel to the line of scrimmage
through the waist of the nearest teammate who is legally on the
line. |
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64.
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Any player of A numbered 1-49 or 80-99 who is
an interior lineman at the snap is not an eligible pass
receiver. |
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65.
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When
the numbering exception is in effect and a pass is thrown from a
scrimmage-kick formation, it is an illegal forward pass. |
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66.
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A
defensive player is considered on the line of scrimmage when he is
within 2 yards of the line of scrimmage at the snap. |
| Passing |
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67.
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A backward pass is a pass thrown with its
initial direction parallel with or toward the runner's end
line. |
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68.
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Pass eligibility rules apply to both legal and
illegal forward passes. |
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69.
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A passer continues to be a passer until the
legal forward pass ends or until he moves to participate in the
play. |
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70.
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Team A is limited to one legal forward pass per
down. |
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71.
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A forward pass is a pass thrown with its
initial direction toward the opponent's end line. |
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72.
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Prior
to the change of possession, any player of Team A may throw a legal
forward pass, provided both feet of the passer are in or behind the
neutral zone when the ball is released. |
| Penalty
Enforcement |
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73.
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If a foul occurs simultaneously with the snap
it is enforced from the succeeding spot. |
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74.
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The
disqualified coach may be directed to sit in the stands directly behind
the team so that he can take care of necessary duties other than actual
coaching. |
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75.
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If B fouls during a successful field goal by A,
the penalty is automatically declined. |
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76.
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A period shall not be extended when a foul
occurs that specifies a loss of down and the penalty is
accepted. |
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77.
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The succeeding spot is the enforcement spot for
a foul that occurs simultaneously with the snap or free
kick. |
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78.
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The penalty for an unsportsmanlike foul is
enforced from the spot of the foul. |
| Possession |
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79.
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A scrimmage kick which goes out of bounds
between the goal lines belongs to the kicking team. |
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80.
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A muff and a fumble are considered one and the
same by definition. |
| Safety |
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81.
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It is a touchback if A1's fumble on B's 5-yard
line is recovered by B1 in B's end zone. |
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82.
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It is a safety if A1's backward pass enters the
end zone and touches the ground out of bounds behind A's goal
line. |
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83.
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If B1 intercepts a forward pass in B's end zone
and drops to one knee, it is a safety. |
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84.
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If
a kickoff is at rest on R's 5-yard line and R1 intentionally kicks the
ball through R's end zone, it is a touchback whether the penalty for
illegal kicking is declined or accepted. |
| Scrimmage
Kicks |
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85.
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R may recover any scrimmage kick anywhere
between the goal lines and advance the ball. |
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86.
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Post-scrimmage kick enforcement procedure
applies to all kicking situations. |
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87.
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Team A may punt, drop-kick or place-kick from
in or behind the neutral zone before the team possession has
changed. |
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88.
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A punt is a legal kick made while the ball is
in a fixed position on the ground. |
| Snap |
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89.
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The snapper may have his free hand on the
ground in advance of the ball. |
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90.
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A snap is the legal act of passing or handing
the ball backward from its position on the ground. |
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91.
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After a snap, the ball remains live until the
down ends. |
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92.
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The snap begins when the snapper moves the ball
by tilting it on end during adjustment. |
| Time-outs |
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93.
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A clock will start with the ready-for-play
following a television time-out. |
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94.
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An official's time-out can be called for
unusual heat or humidity situations. |
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95.
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Unless
the clock is already stopped, an official's time-out shall be taken as
soon as the ball becomes dead following a change of team
possession. |
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96.
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Successive charged time-outs may be granted
during the same dead-ball period. |
| Timing |
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97.
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On all free kicks, the clock will start when
the ball is marked ready-for-play. |
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98.
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The clock will start with the snap following
the enforcement of a "delay of game" penalty. |
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99.
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After the ball has been out of bounds, the
clock always starts with the ready-for-play. |
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100.
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The
referee may correct an obvious timing error after a period has
officially ended, if discovery is prior to the second live ball
following the error. |
