2014 Football Rules Changes

Tony DuttonSan Angelo Chapter

July, 2014

9-1-3 & 9-1-4Targeting

• 9-1-3: No player shall target and initiate make forcible contact against an opponent with the crown (top) of his helmet.

• 9-1-4: No player shall target and initiate make forcible contact to the head or neck of a defenseless opponent with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder.

Emphasis

• Any forcible contact • With the crown of the helmet or • To the head or neck area of a defenseless

player should be called • Whether it is the initial contact or not.

2-27-14-bDefenseless Player

• A receiver attempting to catch a forward pass or in position to receive a backward pass, or one who has completed a catch and has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a ball carrier.

C

The “Pitch Man”

• May be blocked legally• May not be tackled or held (holding)• May not be blocked below the waist (personal

foul)• May not be targeted and hit with forcible

contact by the crown of an opponent’s helmet (personal foul and disqualification)

• May not be targeted and hit with forcible contact in the head or neck area (personal foul and disqualification)

2-27-6Airborne Player

• An airborne player is a player not in contact with the ground because he leaps, jumps, dives, launches, etc. in other than normal running action.

2-27-15Inbounds & Out of Bounds Player

a. Out of Bounds1.A player is out of bounds when any part of his body touches anything other than another player or a game official on or outside a boundary line.2.An out of bounds player who becomes airborne remains out of bounds until he touches the ground without simultaneously being out of bounds.

2-27-15Inbounds & Out of Bounds Player

b. In Bounds1.An inbounds player is a player who is not out of bounds.2.An inbounds player who becomes airborne remains inbounds until he is out of bounds.

Unanswered Question• What is required for a player to establish

himself inbounds?– One foot?– One hand?– Two feet?– One knee?

• Latest, as long as the player gets a body part touching ground inbounds, and no body part touching out of bounds, he has established himself inbounds.

PlaySituation

Free kick from the 35. B17 leaps frominbounds and is the first player to touch thekick when he grasps the ball while airborne.He then lands out of bounds with the ballin his control.

B17

RULING: B17 is inbounds when he touches the kick. B will have the ball at the yard linewhere B17 crosses the sideline. [NOTE:This ruling reverses AR 6-2-2-IV.]

PlaySituation

Free kick from the 35. When he touchesthe kick, returner B33 has one foot touchingthe sideline.

B33

RULING: Team A foul, free kick out of Bounds.

PlaySituation

Receiver A88 is running near the sideline.He steps out of bounds on his own, leaps to receive a forward pass, grasps the ball whileairborne, and lands in bounds with the ballin his possession.

A88

RULING: Incomplete forward pass. By ruleA88 was still out of bounds when he touchedthe pass, since he had no established inbounds,so the ball is out of bounds when he touches it.This is not a foul for illegal touching, since A88did not touch the ball in the field of play.

PlaySituation

Receiver A88 is running near the sideline.He steps out of bounds on his own, returns,establishes in bounds, leaps to receivea forward pass, grasps the ball while airborne,and lands in bounds with the ball in his possession.

A88

RULING: Foul for illegally touching a forwardpass in the field of play. A88 did not regain his eligibility before touching the ball. Lossof down at the previous spot.

PlaySituation

Receiver A88 is running near the sideline.He is blocked out of bounds by a defender.From out of bounds he leaps to receive a forward pass, grasps the ball while airborne, and lands in bounds with the ball in his possession.

A88

RULING: Incomplete forward pass. By ruleA88 was still out of bounds when he touchedthe pass, since he had no established inbounds,so the ball is out of bounds when he touches it.The fact that he was forced out of bounds hasno bearing on this ruling.

B

PlaySituation

Receiver A88 is running near the sideline.He is blocked out of bounds by a defender.From out of bounds he returns, establishesinbounds, leaps to receive a forward pass, grasps the ball while airborne, and lands in bounds with the ball in his possession.

A88

RULING: Complete forward pass. A88 didnot lose his eligibility when he was blockedout of bounds, and he had established inbounds before touching the ball.

B

PlaySituation

Defensive back B22 is near the sideline and attempts to intercept a forward pass. HeInadvertently steps on the sideline as he goesairborne, grasps the ball, and returns to theground inbounds.

B22

RULING: Incomplete pass. By definition B22is out of bounds when he touches the ball while airborne, making the ball out of boundswhen he touches it.

3-5-3-cMore than 11 players

• If officials do not detect the excessive number of players until during the down or after the down is over, or if Team B players have entered the field just before the snap but have not been in the formation, the infraction is treated as a live ball foul.

Play Situation• The ball has been made ready for play, and

Team A is in its formation and is at the line of scrimmage. B22, a twelfth player, runs onto the field and is at about the numbers when the ball is snapped.

• RULING: Live-ball foul, substitution infraction. Five-yard penalty, previous spot. Because B22 was not in and had not been in the formation when the ball was snapped, this is a live-ball foul, and the officials should not shut down the play.

7-3-12Forward Pass Play Penalties

• Penalties for personal fouls by Team B during a completed legal forward pass play are enforced at the end of the last run when it ends beyond the neutral zone. If the pass is incomplete or intercepted, or if there is a change of possession during the down, the penalty is enforced at the previous spot (Rule 9-1 Penalty)

9-1 Personal Fouls Penalty Statement

• [Page FR-86, Add the following:]• For Team B personal fouls during a legal

forward pass play (7-3-12):• Enforcement is at the end of the last run when

it ends beyond the neutral zone and there is no change of possession during the down.

• Enforcement is at the previous spot for personal fouls during all other pass plays.

Penalty Summarized

• Pass completed, last run ends beyond the neutral zone, and no change of possession

• All other Team B personal fouls during a legal forward pass play

• Enforce from the end of the last run

• Enforce from the previous spot

PlaySituation

X Pass is complete to A88who is tackled.

A88

RULING: Penalize Team B 15 yardsfrom the end of the run.

QB

B63A76

While the ball is in the air, defensive tackle B63 pulls A76 by the facemask.

QB throws a pass toward A88.

Compare 2013.What if the pass is incomplete?What if A88 fumbles and B recovers?What if A88 scores?

9-1-9Roughing the Passer

• New paragraph 9-1-9-b.• When an offensive player is in a passing

posture with one or both feet on the ground, no defensive player rushing unabated shall hit him forcibly at the knee area or below. The defensive player also may not initiate a roll or lunge and forcibly hit this opponent in the knee area or below.

Key Elements

• Player in a passing posture• One or both feet on the ground• Defensive player rushing unabated• Hit forcibly• Knee area or below

Three Exceptions

It is not a foul:1.If the offensive player is a runner not in a passing posture,2.If the defender grabs or wraps this opponent in an attempt to make a conventional tackle,3.If the defender is not rushing unabated or is blocked or fouled into this opponent.•Note: The player does not have to actually pass the ball to get this added protection.

PlaySituation

QB A11 drops back in the pocket and sets up to pass.He then scrambles to his right and is on the run whenhe releases the pass to A44 who is tackled at the 40.Just as A11 releases the ball he is hit by end B88 whodrives his shoulder into A11’s knee.

A44

RULING: No foul by B88 since A11 was notin a passing posture when B88 hits him, and because of the timing this is not a “traditional”roughing-the-passer foul. Whether A11 is inside or outside the tackle box when he releases the ball is irrelevant for this rule.

A11

B88

X

PlaySituation

QB A11 drops back in the pocket and sets up to pass.He then scrambles to his right sets up again andis in a passing posture when he releases the pass to A44. Just as A11 releases the ball he is hit by end B88 who drives his shoulder into A11’s knee. The pass is intercepted and retuned to the A-40.

A44

RULING: Foul by B88 for forcibly hitting thepasser at the knee or below. Automatic firstdown and 15-yard penalty from the previousspot. This is a foul even though A11 had scrambled, because the had reestablished inthe passing posture when B88 hit him.

A11

B88

X

PlaySituation

QB A11 drops back in the pocket and sets up to pass.End B88 tries to get around tackle A77 who blocks himinto A11 just as he releases the ball. A11 is in a passingposture when B88 makes contact with his shoulder at A11’s shin. In the referee’s judgment this contact iscaused by A77’s block.

A77

RULING: No foul by B88. The contact wasdue to his being blocked into A11.A11

B88

PlaySituation

QB A11 drops back in the pocket and sets up to pass.Tackle A77 moves into pass protection and blocks B88to the ground. From his prone position B88 lungesand forcibly contacts A11 just as he releases a passfrom a passing posture. B88’s contact against A11 isat the lower part of his leg.

A77

RULING: Foul by B88. The second act of lunging leads to the illegal contact. Dependingon the result of the play, the penalty is enforced at the previous spot or the end of the last run by Team A.

A11

B88

PlaySituation

QB A11 drops back in the pocket and sets up to pass.Tackle A77 moves into pass protection and blocks B88slowing his path to A11. B88 then surges again andforcibly hits A11 just as he releases a pass from a passing posture. B88’s contact against A11is at thelower part of his leg.

A77

RULING: If the referee judges that the block on B88 did not diminish the power of his contact against A11, then this is a foul under9-1-9-b. Note that “unabated” does not meanthat B88 has a clear path all the way to A11;instead it means that his action is not diminished in force.

A11

B88

PlaySituation

QB A11 drops back in the pocket and sets up to pass.Tackle A77 moves into pass protection and blocks B88slowing his path to A11. Trying to play off the block, B88 continues on to rush A11, and contacts him with His shoulder at the lower part of his leg just as A11releases a pass from a passing posture. The refereejudges that the contact by B88 is not forcible and that its potential force was diminished by A77’s block.

A77RULING: No foul. B88 was not unabatedin his rush to the quarterback.

A11

B88

PlaySituation

QB A11 drops back in the pocket and sets up to pass.He then scrambles to his right sets up again andis in a passing posture when he is hit by end B88 whodrives his shoulder into A11’s knee. A11 then pullsthe ball in and goes to the ground because of beingtackled by B88.

RULING: Foul by B88. While A11 is technically not a passer because he did not release the ball, the action by B88 is a foul under 9-1-9-bbecause of the vulnerability of A11 as a potential passer in a passing posture.

A11

B88

PlaySituation

QB A11 drops back in the pocket and sets up to pass.He then scrambles to his right sets up again andis in a passing posture when he is hit by end B88 whograbs A11 around the shin and ankles. A11 then pullsthe ball in and goes to the ground because of beingtackled by B88.

RULING: No foul. This is not forcible contact.A11

B88

40-Second & 25-SecondPlay Clocks for UIL Games

• “(Note: Visual play clocks are not mandatory, but if visual play clocks are available and operated, they must be capable of counting down from both 40 seconds and 25 seconds).” 2014 UIL Exceptions to NCAA Football Rules, EXCEPTION:2-29-2

• 40 & 25 second play clocks will be used for all UIL games, 7th grade up. Charles Breithaupt

25-Second Play Clock

• Referee’s Signal: One open palm in an over-the-head pumping motion

25-Second Play ClockWhen Game Clock Stopped For

1. Penalty administration2. Charged team timeout3. Media timeout4. Injury timeout for

offensive player (40 seconds for defensive)

5. Measurement6. Team B first down7. After a kick down

8. Score9. Start of each period10. Start of team

possession in extra period

11. Other administrative stoppage

12. Offensive player helmet off through play (40 seconds for defensive)

40-Second Play Clock

• Referee’s Signal: Both palms open in an over-the-head pumping motion

• The 40-second clock will be used for all other game situations when the 25-second clock is not required

• The 40-second play clock will begin approximately one-second after an official signals the ball dead

3-2-4-b-2

• If the 40-second clock does not start or is interrupted for reasons beyond the control of the officials or play-clock operator, the referee shall:

Stop the game clock, and Signal that the play clock be reset at 40-

seconds, and The play clock is started immediately

3-2-4-b-3

• If the 40-second clock is running and the ball is not ready to snap after 20 seconds into the count, the referee shall:

Declare a timeout Signal that the play clock be reset at 25-

seconds, and Give the ready for play or the start the

clock signal, either beginning the 25-second count

Note

• By rule, the Referee shall stop the game clock to reset the play clock to 25 or 40 seconds

• In most cases, however, the Referee will only give the over-the-head pumping motion and not stop the game clock

• In cases where time is critical, the Referee will stop the game clock in accordance with the rule and reset if necessary

When Ball is Ready for Play(Rule 2-2-4)

• A dead ball is ready for play when:• Two possibilities:1.The play clock is set at 25 (or 40)

seconds, and the referee sounds his whistle and signals start the clock or signals the ball is ready for play

2.The 40-second play clock is running

40-Second Play Clock Running

• The ball is ready for play when:1.An official places the ball at a hash mark

or between the inbounds marks, and2.Steps away to his position

Goal for Officials• Have the ball ready for play within 8 to 12

seconds• 8 seconds (or fewer) for short gains inside

the hash marks• 12 seconds (or slightly longer) for long

gains outside the numbers• Keys to success: ball persons and chain

crew• The UIL has recommendations

UIL Recommendations• Game balls – Ideal Situation• Two game balls for each team on each sideline• One ball person from each team on each sideline

and one ball retriever on each sideline• Ball persons should be at least 7th graders or above;

ball retrievers may be younger• Chain Crew• Must be ready to hustle (and sometimes run), most

importantly, the down box person• Complete UIL guidelines at

www.uiltexas.org>Athletics>Football>Rules & Guidelines

And That’s All.Comments, Questions?