Rule 7
Fourth and 2 at A's 38. A-1 takes the snap and, from A's 35, throws a backward pass to A-2, who muffs (does not catch) the ball. The ball lands at A's 30.
It shall be B's ball, 1st and 10 at A's 30
Rule 7-6.5 on page 58
What is the cadence or "line" that the R will say to begin a game?
First and 20
First down line to gain is the 20
What are the basic spots for loose ball plays and run plays?
Loose Ball: Previous Spot
Run Plays: End of the run
Rule 10-2.4&5 pages 83-84
True or False: The Back Judge is responsible for announcing the time after every play under 2-minutes in the 2nd half.
True
Rule 3-2-6 page 36
When is a player considered to have officially been "de-flagged"?
When the clasp on the front of the flag belt breaks
If a pass is caught low and near the ground, what must the official visibly see in order to rule the pass incomplete? What should the official do if they do not see this?
The officials must visibly see the ball hit the ground. If an official does not visibly see this, it will be ruled a complete pass.
(When in doubt, the pass is complete)
Rule 7-8 page 62 and page 15 (If in doubts)
Once a punt is caught, the crew utilizes reverse mechanics. Who is responsible for the end of the run in a 4 Person Crew?
Field Judge
4- Person Mechanics Section 2 Article 3 page 137
The same team commit multiple penalties during the same down. How would this be enforced?
Only ONE penalty may be enforced and it can be chosen by the offended team.
Rule 10 Art.8 Page 88
When is it appropriate to use the stop-clock signal?
1. When the run play is out of bounds
2. When there is a first down
3. When there is a timeout by either team
4. When there is a penalty
5. After a punt play ends
Rule 3-2-7 page 36 (40pt each)
A-1 receives the snap, B-6 is rushing at A-1, A-1 scrambles and runs back into A's endzone. A-1 throws the ball 20 ft away from its nearest receiver in order to prevent B-6 from pull their flag.
What would the ruling of this play be?
Safety. A-1 intentionally grounded the ball in order to prevent being down in their own end zone. 2pt for team B and B will receive the ball at B's 30.
A-1 catches the snap from the center and IMMEDIATELY throws the ball into the ground to stop the clock. Is this play legal or illegal?
Legal play provided that they are not trying to avoid a loss of yardage.
Rule 7-7.2 page 60
A member from your team, act as the Back Judge and act out the mechanics and any other steps used for a punt play that touches the offensive player then hits the ground.
Blows whistle to kill play, runs to the spot that the ball hit the ground, marks the spot for either Line Judge or R to pick up.
K-1's punt is caught by R-1. After the catch, R-1 flag guards at R's 12. R-1 is then de-flagged at R's 40.
Be sure to state down and distance in your answer!
Penalize R 10 yards from R's 12 (which is the spot of the foul) R's ball 1st, line to gain is the 20 on R's 6 (half the distance).
Rule 10-5 page 84
Which signals are "automatic clock killers"?
Hint: We don't utilize the stopped clock signal when we have these situations
1. Touchdowns
2. Touchbacks
3. Safety
4. Incomplete Pass
Rule 3-2-7 page 36
What must we check on the scoring player when a touchdown has been scored? Why must we always perform these? What is the penalty if we discover this item has been tampered with?
We do a flag belt check to ensure that they are not tied. It is required to check the scoring player's flag belt after every scoring play. It is also appropriate to check if there is extreme dissent regarding a player's belt.
Penalty- Tampering with the Flag Belt, 10 yard from the previous spot + loss of down or automatic 1st down + disqualification
When can pass interference take place for the defense and when can it take place for the offense?
Defense: once the ball has been thrown
Offense: once the ball has been legally snapped
Rule 7-10.2-3 page 63
Name the Initial Position for the following (partial points possible):
Hint: don't forget the side of the field they are supposed to be on
Referee
Line Judge
Field Judge
Back Judge
Referee: Opposite side of the the field as the LJ and on the same side as the FJ, Start 7 yards behind and 7 yards wide of the deepest offensive back at a 45 degree angle.
Line Judge: Initial position between the neutral zone on the sideline opposite the R and FJ
Field Judge: Sideline opposite the LJ, 10 yards beyond the LOS at a 45 degree angle
Back Judge: Same side of the field as LJ, opposite side of the R, approx 20 yards deep, and 15 yards from the sideline
4-Person Mechanics Page 127
After an incomplete pass on a 3rd down, B-1 taunts A-2 and A-2 retaliates by shoving B-1.
B-1 is guilty of an unsporting conduct penalty and A-2 is guilty of a dead ball personal foul. The penalties offset/cancel each other out and it will be 4th down at the previous spot.
Rule 10-3 page 85
Under 2 minutes in the second half - A23 is de-flagged inbounds short of the line-to-gain on 1st down with 1:24 remaining. The ref blows in the RFP whistle, the play clock gets down to 5 seconds and the back judge announces the game clock is at 1:24. What is the issue here and how can it be resolved?
The clock should have been left rolling because the runner was de-flagged in bounds and did not cross the line to gain.
The referee can correct this timing error because it was recognized prior to the snap. The play clock should be reset to 1:04 and the ref may use their discretion to start the game clock on the RFP whistle or snap when they re-blow in the play.
Every person in the group: Stand up and report one of the following penalties: False start, defensive PI, illegal male advancement, encroachment, roughing the passer, intentional grounding
100 points per correct report
Correct answers include:
-Proper signals
-Proper order of report and verbiage
A-3 muffs a legal forward pass and B-2 pushes A-3 out of the way in an attempt to secure the loose ball.
Ruling: Personal foul on the defense for illegal contact, 10 yard penalty from the previous spot
Rule 7-10.3 page 64
+ Half points --> someone from your team stands up and reports the foul
3rd down from A's 30 yard line with 1 minute and 30 seconds left in the game, the defensive team commits pass interference and the pass is incomplete. The Back Judge and the Field Judge both throw a flag.
As a group of 4 referees and 2 team captains, stand up and go through the motions of what the penalty enforcement for this foul looks like. Include all necessary conversations with necessary parties.
The correct answer contains all of the following:
1. Calling officials getting together to discuss the foul (+200 bonus points if you mention stacking the flags)
2. Preliminary signal
3. Report the foul to the R stating- What, Who, When (status), and Where
4. Referee preliminary signal
5. Referee asks the captain what they would like to do (+300 bonus points if you mentioned why the team does not have the clock option here.)
Members of your team must correctly reenact and report the entirety of how to report the following penalties. You must have at least 3 refs (R, line, back) and two people as the offensive and defensive team captain.
On 1st and 40 we had: Flag guarding on the offense and defensive pass interference.
Hint: Remember SWAT
Throw flags, Kill the play, both refs meet up to talk
Ref 1: signals for flag guarding
Ref 2: signals for defensive pass interference
Ref 3: signals both mechanics, walks to team captains, asks both team captains if they would like to accept (they say yes), talk (report)
"flag guarding on the offense, 10 yard penalty
pass interference on the defense, 10 yard penalty
the penalties will off set, 2nd down"
When are the only times that the clock resumes on a RFP whistle under 2-minutes?
1. When there is a first down in-bounds
2. When there is an accepted penalty while the clock would have been running and the offended team elects for the clock to start on the whistle.
3. After a Referee's timeout or an inadvertent whistle
Rule 3-2-7 page 36 (167pt each)
Second and 16 from A's 4. A-1 throws a backward pass that is batted by B-1 at the A-2. The ball lands in A's end zone.
Safety. The force that put the ball in A's end zone was the backward pass.
Rule 8-7 page 67