Players-substitutions
1. Each team
is permitted 11 men on the field at the snap.
2.
Unlimited substitution is permitted. However, players
may enter the field only when the ball is dead.
Players who have been substituted for are not
permitted to linger on the field. Such lingering will
be interpreted as unsportsmanlike conduct.
3.
12 men delayed in huddle-illegal substitution.
4.
Players leaving the game must be out of bounds on
their own side, clearing the field between the end
lines, before a snap or free kick. If player crosses
end line leaving field, it is delay of game (five-yard
penalty).
5.
Substitutes who remain in the game must move onto the
field as far as the inside of the field numerals
before moving to a wide position.
6.
With the exception of the last two minutes of either
half, the offensive team, while in the process of
substitution or simulated substitution, is prohibited
from rushing quickly to the line and snapping the ball
with the obvious attempt to cause a defensive foul;
i.e., too many men on the field.
Kickoff
1. The kickoff shall
be from the kicking team's 30-yard line at the start
of each half and after a field goal and try-for-point.
A kickoff is one type of free kick.
2.
A one-inch tee may be used (no tee permitted for field
goal or try attempt) on a kickoff. The ball is put in
play by a placekick or dropkick.
3.
If the kickoff clears the opponent's goal posts it is
not a field goal.
4.
A kickoff is illegal unless it travels 10 yards OR is
touched by the receiving team. Once the ball is
touched by the receiving team it is a free ball.
Receivers may recover and advance. Kicking team may
recover but NOT advance UNLESS receiver had possession
and lost the ball.
5.
When a kickoff goes out of bounds between the goal
lines without being touched by the receiving team, the
ball belongs to the receivers 30 yards from the spot
of the kick or at the out-of-bounds spot unless the
ball went out-of-bounds the first time an onside kick
was attempted. In this case the kicking team is to be
penalized five yards and the ball must be kicked
again.
6.
When a kickoff goes out of bounds between the goal
lines and is touched last by receiving team, it is
receiver's ball at out-of-bounds spot.
Safety
1. In addition to a
kickoff, the other free kick is a kick after a safety
(safety kick). A punt may be used (a punt may not be
used on a kickoff).
2.
On a safety kick, the team scored upon puts ball in
play by a punt, dropkick, or placekick without tee. No
score can be made on a free kick following a safety,
even if a series of penalties places team in position.
(A field goal can be scored only on a play from
scrimmage or a free kick after a fair catch.)
Fair
catch kick
1. After a fair
catch, the receiving team has the option to put the
ball in play by a snap or a fair catch kick (field
goal attempt), with fair catch kick lines established
ten yards apart. All general rules apply as for a
field goal attempt from scrimmage. The clock starts
when the ball is kicked. (No tee permitted.)
Field
goal
1. All field goals
attempted (kicker) and missed from beyond the 20-yard
line will result in the defensive team taking
possession of the ball at the spot of the kick. On any
field goal attempted and missed where the spot of the
kick is on or inside the 20-yard line, ball will
revert to defensive team at the 20-yard line.
Safety
1. The important
factor in a safety is impetus. Two points are scored
for the opposing team when the ball is dead on or
behind a team's own goal line if the impetus came from
a player on that team.
Examples
of Safety:
|
(a) |
Blocked
punt goes out of kicking team's end zone. Impetus was
provided by punting team. The block only changes
direction of ball, not impetus. |
|
(b) |
Ball
carrier retreats from field of play into his own end
zone and is downed. Ball carrier provides impetus. |
|
(c) |
Offensive
team commits a foul and spot of enforcement is behind
its own goal line. |
|
(d) |
Player
on receiving team muffs punt and, trying to get ball,
forces or illegally kicks (creating new impetus) it
into end zone where it goes out of the end zone or is
recovered by a member of the receiving team in the end
zone. |
Examples
of Non-Safety:
|
(a) |
Player
intercepts a pass with both feet inbounds in the field
of play and his momentum carries him into his own end
zone. Ball is put in play at spot of interception. |
|
(b) |
Player
intercepts a pass in his own end zone and is downed in
the end zone, even after recovering in the end zone.
Impetus came from passing team, not from defense.
(Touchback) |
|
(c) |
Player
passes from behind his own goal line. Opponent bats
down ball in end zone. (Incomplete pass) |
Measuring
1. The forward point of the ball is used when
measuring.
Position
of players at snap
1. Offensive team
must have at least seven players on line.
2.
Offensive players, not on line, must be at least one
yard back at snap. (Exception: player who takes snap.)
3.
No interior lineman may move after taking or
simulating a three-point stance.
4.
No player of either team may invade neutral zone
before snap.
5.
No player of offensive team may charge or move, after
assuming set position, in such manner as to lead
defense to believe snap has started. No player of the
defensive team within one yard of the line of
scrimmage may make an abrupt movement in an attempt to
cause the offense to false start.
6.
If a player changes his eligibility, the Referee must
alert the defensive captain after player has reported
to him.
7.
All players of offensive team must be stationary at
snap, except one back who may be in motion parallel to
scrimmage line or backward (not forward).
8.
After a shift or huddle all players on offensive team
must come to an absolute stop for at least one second
with no movement of hands, feet, head, or swaying of
body.
9.
Quarterbacks can be called for a false start penalty
(five yards) if their actions are judged to be an
obvious attempt to draw an opponent offside.
Use
of hands, arms, and body
1. No player on
offense may assist a runner except by blocking for
him. There shall be no interlocking interference.
2.
A runner may ward off opponents with his hands and
arms but no other player on offense may use hands or
arms to obstruct an opponent by grasping with hands,
pushing, or encircling any part of his body during a
block. Hands (open or closed) can be thrust forward to
initially contact an opponent on or outside the
opponent's frame, but the blocker must work to bring
his hands on or inside the frame.
|
Note: |
Pass
blocking: Hand(s) thrust forward that slip outside the
body of the defender will be legal if blocker worked
to bring them back inside. Hand(s) or arm(s) that
encircle a defender-i.e., hook an opponent-are to be
considered illegal and officials are to call a foul
for holding. |
Blocker
cannot use his hands or arms to push from behind, hang
onto, or encircle an opponent in a manner that
restricts his movement as the play develops.
3.
Hands cannot be thrust forward above the frame to
contact an opponent on the neck, face or head.
|
Note: |
The
frame is defined as the part of the opponent's body
below the neck that is presented to the blocker. |
4.
A defensive player may not tackle or hold an opponent
other than a runner. Otherwise, he may use his hands,
arms, or body only:
|
(a) |
To
defend or protect himself against an obstructing
opponent. |
|
Exception: |
An
eligible receiver is considered to be an obstructing
opponent ONLY to a point five yards beyond the line of
scrimmage unless the player who receives the snap
clearly demonstrates no further intention to pass the
ball. Within this five-yard zone, a defensive player
may make contact with an eligible receiver that may be
maintained as long as it is continuous and unbroken up
until a point when the receiver is beyond the
defender. The defensive player cannot use his hands or
arms to push from behind, hang onto, or encircle an
eligible receiver in a manner that restricts movement
as the play develops. Beyond this five-yard
limitation, a defender may use his hands or arms ONLY
to defend or protect himself against impending contact
caused by a receiver. In such reaction, the defender
may not contact a receiver who attempts to take a path
to evade him. |
|
(b) |
To
push or pull opponent out of the way on line of
scrimmage. |
|
(c) |
In
actual attempt to get at or tackle runner. |
|
(d) |
To
push or pull opponent out of the way in a legal
attempt to recover a loose ball. |
|
(e) |
During
a legal block on an opponent who is not an eligible
pass receiver. |
|
(f) |
When
legally blocking an eligible pass receiver above the
waist. |
|
Exception: |
Eligible
receivers lined up within two yards of the tackle,
whether on or immediately behind the line, may be
blocked below the waist at or behind the line of
scrimmage. NO eligible receiver may be blocked below
the waist after he goes beyond the line. (Illegal cut) |
|
Note: |
Once
the quarterback hands off or pitches the ball to a
back, or if the quarterback leaves the pocket area,
the restrictions (illegal chuck, illegal cut) on the
defensive team relative to the offensive receivers
will end, provided the ball is not in the air. |
5.
A defensive player may not contact an opponent above
the shoulders with the palm of his hand except to ward
him off on the line. This exception is permitted only
if it is not a repeated act against the same opponent
during any one contact. In all other cases the palms
may be used on head, neck, or face only to ward off or
push an opponent in legal attempt to get at the ball.
6.
Any offensive player who pretends to possess the ball
or to whom a teammate pretends to give the ball may be
tackled provided he is crossing his scrimmage line
between the ends of a normal tight offensive line.
7.
An offensive player who lines up more than two yards
outside his own tackle or a player who, at the snap,
is in a backfield position and subsequently takes a
position more than two yards outside a tackle may not
clip an opponent anywhere nor may he contact an
opponent below the waist if the blocker is moving
toward the ball and if contact is made within an area
five yards on either side of the line.
8.
A player of either team may block at any time provided
it is not pass interference, fair catch interference,
or unnecessary roughness.
9.
A player may not bat or punch:
|
(a) |
A
loose ball (in field of play) toward his opponent's
goal line or in any direction in either end zone. |
|
(b) |
A
ball in player possession. |
|
Note: |
If
there is any question as to whether a defender is
stripping or batting a ball in player possession, the
official(s) will rule the action as a legal act
(stripping the ball). |
|
Exception: |
A
forward or backward pass may be batted, tipped, or
deflected in any direction at any time by either the
offense or the defense. |
|
Note: |
A
pass in flight that is controlled or caught may only
be thrown backward, if it is thrown forward it is
considered an illegal bat. |
10.
No player may deliberately kick any ball except as a
punt, dropkick, or placekick.
|
