| Rules
Changes, Editorial Changes or Points of Emphasis for 2008: |
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1.
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The head coach can now designate another coach
for the purpose of requesting time-outs. True |
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2.
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Coaches
and officials must collaborate to protect the player by teaching proper
techniques and penalizing improper use of the football helmet. True |
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3.
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A multiple foul is one or more live-ball fouls
(other than nonplayer or unsportsmanlike). False |
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4.
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After a fumble, kick or backward pass has been
grounded, a new force may result from a bat, an illegal kick or a
muff. True |
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5.
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The use of an illegal kicking tee will now be
penalized as unsportsmanlike conduct committed by the player. False |
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6.
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The
official discovers a player who is bleeding, has an open wound, has any
amount of blood on his/her uniform, or has blood on his/her person,
shall be directed to leave the game until the bleeding is stopped, the
wound is covered, the uniform and/or body is appropriately cleaned,
and/or the uniform is changed before returning to competition. True |
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7.
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The helmet shall be secured by a properly
fastened chin strap with at least four attachment points. True |
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8.
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Coaches and players must recognize and be aware
of team and coaching-box rules that are in effect during the
contest. True |
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9.
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Unused second half time-outs can be used in
overtime. False |
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10.
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It is recommended that the restraining line be
marked by placing 12-inch-long lines, separated at 24-inch
intervals. True |
| Authorized
Conferences: |
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11.
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An authorized conference may be held following a
try. True |
|
12.
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The coach is permitted to use only one of the two
types of conferences during a game. False |
| Batting: |
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13.
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It is not a foul if a player contacts a loose
ball with his hand. True |
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14.
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The penalty for illegal batting is 15 yards and
loss of down. False |
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15.
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Batting a fumble in flight is illegal. False |
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16.
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A forward pass may be batted in any direction by
all eligible receivers. True |
| Blocking: |
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17.
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A team B player may use locked hands to ward off
an opponent who is blocking him or attempting to block him. False |
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18.
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It is an illegal use-of-hands foul if the runner
grasps a teammate. True |
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19.
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Following an interception, it is legal for the
intercepting team to block below the waist. False |
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20.
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It is illegal for B1 to trip runner A1. False |
| Dead Ball: |
|
21.
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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. True |
|
22.
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A
legal, free or scrimmage kick that is not a scoring attempt does not
become dead until the ball touches something after it is behind R’s
goal-line plane. False |
| Definitions: |
|
23.
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The ball is live only during a down. True |
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24.
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A drop kick is a legal kick by a player who drops
the ball and kicks it just before it has touched the ground. False |
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25.
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Loss of down is the loss of the right to replay a
down. True |
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26.
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Spearing is an act by a defensive player who
initiates contact with a ball carrier with the front of his
helmet. False |
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27.
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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. False |
|
28.
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The basic spot is a point of reference for
penalty enforcement. True |
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29.
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A loose ball is a pass, fumble or kick. True |
|
30.
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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. True |
| Downs - New
Series: |
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31.
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The down does not end when a runner is held so
that the runner’s forward progress is stopped. False |
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32.
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Roughing the kicker is a foul that results in a
15-yard penalty plus a first down. True |
| Equipment -
Game/Field: |
|
33.
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The ball shall contain one set of either 10 or 14
evenly spaced laces. False |
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34.
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Supplementary equipment to aid in game
administration may be used if authorized by the referee. False |
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35.
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The
goal is a vertical plane midway between the sidelines extending
indefinitely above the crossbar and outer edges of the uprights and in
the same vertical plane as the inside edge of the end line. False |
|
36.
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The kicking tee may not elevate the ball more
than 2 inches above the ground. True |
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37.
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The bottom edge of the crossbar shall be 10 feet
above the ground. False |
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38.
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Advertising and/or commercial markings on the
field of play are prohibited. True |
| Equipment -
Player: |
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39.
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A player’s towel may have a ball-drying product
applied to it that will affect the football. False |
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40.
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Players of the same team can participate during
the same down while wearing identical numbers. False |
|
41.
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The
equipment that all players are required to wear shall be professionally
manufactured and not altered to decrease protection. True |
|
42.
|
Tear-away jerseys may be worn if both coaches
agree to use them. False |
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43.
|
Equipment
that becomes illegal through game use is handled by rule procedure
without penalizing the player or the head coach. True |
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44.
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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. True |
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45.
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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. False |
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46.
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Player’s jersey numbers are limited to those that
are 1 through 99. True |
| Fouls: |
|
47.
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Tripping an opponent who is not the runner is
legal. False |
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48.
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If a false start causes B to encroach, only the
false start is penalized. True |
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49.
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If a player is charged with an unsportsmanlike
foul because of a prolonged or excessive act, he must also be
disqualified. False |
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50.
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If
a replaced player is unable to leave the field prior to the snap, it is
an illegal substitution foul if he does not participate nor affect
play. True |
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51.
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An offensive player cannot commit a spearing
foul. False |
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52.
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It is an unsportsmanlike foul if disqualified A1
re-enters to participate. False |
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53.
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The spot of a foul is where the foul
occurs. True |
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54.
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In all situations, the first team box violation
charged to Team A or B results in a 5-yard penalty. False |
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55.
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A live-ball foul and a dead-ball foul cannot be
combined to create a double foul. True |
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56.
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It is an unsportsmanlike foul if a coach is
detected using tobacco. True |
| Fundamentals
- Fundamental Statements: |
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57.
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A foul can cause the loss of the ball. False |
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58.
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The distance penalty for any foul may be
declined. True |
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59.
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Forward pass interference can occur behind, in or
beyond the neutral zone. False |
|
60.
|
A scrimmage kick recovered in or behind the
neutral zone may not be advanced by K or R. False |
| Illegal
Participation: |
|
61.
|
If a substitute or replaced player influences the
play, it is illegal participation. True |
|
62.
|
Illegal participation can be a non-player
foul. False |
| Illegal
Formation: |
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63.
|
An offensive player is on his line of scrimmage
when he complies with the position requirements of a lineman. True |
|
64.
|
A defensive player is considered on the line of
scrimmage when he is within 2 yards of the line of scrimmage at the
snap. False |
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65.
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A scrimmage formation requires a minimum of five
A players legally on their line at the snap. False |
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66.
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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. True |
| Passing: |
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67.
|
If an illegal forward pass strikes the ground,
the ball remains live. False |
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68.
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A player who is an eligible receiver at the snap
may become ineligible during the down. False |
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69.
|
A backward pass is a pass thrown with its initial
direction parallel with or toward the runner’s end line. True |
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70.
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Pass eligibility rules apply to both legal and
illegal forward passes. False |
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71.
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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. True |
|
72.
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A forward pass is a pass thrown with its initial
direction toward the opponent’s end line. True |
| Penalty
Enforcement: |
|
73.
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It is unsportsmanlike conduct for any player to
commit any act that tends to engender ill will. True |
|
74.
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If
a player commits an obviously unfair act that has no specific rules
coverage, the referee may enforce any penalty he considers
equitable. True |
|
75.
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The penalty for an unsportsmanlike foul is
enforced from the spot of the foul. False |
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76.
|
If the head coach is ejected, the game must be
forfeited immediately. False |
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77.
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If B fouls during a successful field goal by A,
the penalty is automatically declined. False |
|
78.
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If a foul occurs simultaneously with the snap, it
is enforced from the succeeding spot. False |
| Possession: |
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79.
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A muff and a fumble are considered one and the
same by definition. False |
|
80.
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When a ball is loose, it is in possession of the
team of the player who was last in possession. True |
| Safety: |
|
81.
|
It is a safety if A1 retreats into A’s end zone
and fumbles the ball beyond the end line. True |
|
82.
|
On kicks entering R’s end zone, the determination
of force dictates whether it is a touchback or a safety. False |
|
83.
|
The
team whose goal line is involved shall put the ball in play anywhere
between the inbounds lines on its 20-yard line by a snap after a
touchback and by a free kick after a safety. True |
|
84.
|
If B1 intercepts a forward pass in B’s end zone
and drops to one knee, it is a safety. False |
| Scrimmage
Kicks: |
|
85.
|
Team A may punt, drop-kick or place-kick from in
or behind the neutral zone before the team possession has
changed. True |
|
86.
|
A punt is a legal kick made while the ball is in
a fixed position on the ground. False |
|
87.
|
If a scrimmage kick becomes dead inbounds with no
player in possession, it belongs to R. True |
|
88.
|
The touching of a low scrimmage kick by any
player is ignored if the touching is in or behind the expanded neutral
zone. True |
| Snap: |
|
89.
|
After touching the ball, the snapper may remove
both hands from the ball. False |
|
90.
|
An illegal snap causes the ball to remain
dead. True |
|
91.
|
The snapper may have his free hand on the ground
in advance of the ball. False |
|
92.
|
A snap is the legal act of passing or handing the
ball backward from its position on the ground. True |
| Time-outs: |
|
93.
|
Charged team time-outs shall be reduced in length
if both teams are ready to play before the ready-for-play signal.
True |
|
94.
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The ball shall be declared ready-for-play
immediately when the team that called the time-out is ready to resume
play. False |
|
95.
|
A clock will start with the ready-for-play
following a television time-out. False |
|
96.
|
An official’s time-out can be called for unusual
heat or humidity situations. True |
| Timing: |
|
97.
|
A state association may establish guidelines to
use a running clock when a point differential is reached. True |
|
98.
|
After the ball goes out of bounds, the clock
always starts with the ready-for-play. False |
|
99.
|
The clock will start with the snap following the
enforcement of a “delay of game” penalty. True |
|
100.
|
On all free kicks, the clock will start when the
ball is marked ready-for-play. False |
