Mike Pasenelli CACPFO Rules Interpreter Revised 17 February 2013
Go over key parts of rule 7 2
Outline of Rule 7 Section 1: Deals mostly with restrictions on the snapper and other players on the line Section 2: Formations/numbering Section 3: Handing Section 4: Fumbles & backward passes Section 5: Forward passes 3
He must line up with his shoulders approximately parallel to his opponent s goal line He is the player who snaps the ball What the definition does not say: It does not restrict his place in the formation-the snapper can be on the end of the line, in the middle, or anywhere else That s why it is a good idea never to refer to him as the center The snapper may (7-1-2): May lift the ball for lateral rotation The snapper may not (7-1-2, 7-1-3): Rotate it the ball end for end Remove both hands from the ball Make any movement that simulates a snap 4
There are two phases of encroachment: First begins with the ready-for-play signal Second begins when the snapper touches the ball The ready for play signal establishes the neutral zone, but it mainly restricts the defense The defense cannot be in the NZ to give signals once the RFP is signaled The offense cannot contact an opponent Once the snapper has placed his hand or hands on the ball, the neutral zone becomes a plane, and no one except the snapper can be in the NZ Both things (ready for play, and snapper s hands on the ball) have to take place for encroachment to take place (7.1.6C) Exceptions are replaced players who cross the NZ to get to the sideline, and incoming substitutes who pass through the NZ on the way to their side of the formation 5
Interior linemen (offensive players on the LOS between the ends, not the snapper): If an interior lineman places his hands or hands on or near the ground, he cannot move the hand, and he cannot make any quick movement If a B player encroaches, and then the interior lineman false starts, only the encroachment is penalized For all other offensive players: They may not make any movement which simulates action at the snap 6
There are restrictions for A at the time the ball is snapped governing the location of players, formations and motion 7-2-1 requires all A players to be within the 9 yard marks at some time after the RFP and before the snap Formations and location of A players refer to their position as being on the line or in the backfield 2-32-9 On the line must meet all of the requirements when the ball is snapped: Facing his opponent s goal line with his shoulders approximately parallel Head or foot breaking the plane formed by the snapper s waist 2-32-3 In the backfield No part of his body breaks the plane formed by the waist of the nearest teammate who is legally on the line Note: the person who will receive the snap (we refer to him as the quarterback, a term not in the rule book) is always a back 7
Rule 2-32-9 A lineman is any Team A player who is facing his opponent's goal line with the line of his shoulders approximately parallel thereto and with his head or foot breaking the plane of an imaginary line drawn parallel to the line of scrimmage through the waist of the snapper when the ball is snapped. Snapper 54 88 73 60 65 77 82 25 16 on the line 36 Legal Position at the Snap - on the line - in the backfield Rule 2-32-3 in "limbo" i.e. Illegal Position in the backfield A back is any Team A player, except for the player under the snapper, who 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 except for the player under the snapper, who is also considered a back. Bob Masucci 8 July, 2000
At the snap, A must have at least 7 players on the line They can have more, but they must have at least 7 Of the 7 linemen, 5 must be wearing numbers between 50 and 79, unless A is in a scrimmage kick formation B s restrictions are: No B player can encroach Otherwise, they can be anywhere on the field, wearing any number 9
1 st of 2 types
2 nd of 2 types
Can replace long snapper in field goal formation on any down
Can only replace long snapper in punt formation on 4 th down
4 th Down 34,17, 21 & 30 Are using the numbering exception
4 th Down: 37, 44, 18 & 20 Are using the numbering exception
Back Requirements: no more than 11 players, 7 on line, 5 numbered 50-79 16
One player can be in motion at the snap He must be moving parallel to or towards his own goal line at the snap If the player in motion starts from a position on the line or in no-man s land, he must either Establish himself as a back by stopping while legally in the backfield for at least 1 full second, or Be at least 5 yards behind the LOS at the snap 17
One player can be in motion at the snap He must be moving parallel to or towards his own goal line at the snap If the player in motion starts from a position on the line or in no-man s land, he must either Establish himself as a back by stopping while legally in the backfield for at least 1 full second Be at least 5 yards behind the LOS at the snap 18
2-19-1: Handing is transferring player possession from one player to a teammate so that both players are touching the ball simultaneously The ball is never in flight-that would be a pass The ball never becomes loose-that would be a fumble We use the word handoff, which is not in the rule book Typical examples: A direct snap is handing-at one point both the snapper and the QB are in contact with the ball A QB handing off to a running back 20
The problem: forward handing 2-19-2: Forward handing occurs when the runner (player who has the ball) releases the ball when the entire ball is beyond the yard line where the runner is position 7-3-2: Forward handing is only allowed when both players are in or behind the neutral zone, prior to a change of possession, and the handing is to: A back or an end, and they were not the snapper or adjacent to the snapper A lineman who has turned to face his own goal line-note, this is forward handing even though the lineman is moving backward-it is the position of the ball and the player who is doing that handing that determines forward or backward handing Any player may hand the ball backward at any time 21
Review: passes Per the definitions in 2-31, a pass is either forward or backward The initial direction the ball takes determines whether a pass is forward or backward The rules do not make mention of laterals or forward laterals, so we do not use those terms in our discussions 7-4-1: Any player may make a backward pass at any time for any reason Philosophy: a backward pass is a free ball, and if caught or recovered by any player, it may be advanced (7-4-2), so the passing team is taking a big chance by making a backward pass 2-18: A fumble is loss of player possession, but no by handing, passing or kicking: a fumble is either caused by the runner just losing the ball or by another player causing the runner to lose the ball 22
A fumble or backward pass that goes out of bounds or becomes dead in joint possession, belongs to the fumbling/passing team, unless lost after 4 th down. 23
The passer has to have both feet in or behind the neutral zone when he passes in order to make a forward pass legal Only one forward pass may be thrown during a down A forward pass can only be thrown prior to a change in team possession So, from the above, we have 3 of the ways a pass is illegal (7-5-2): A forward pass made from beyond the neutral zone A second or subsequent forward pass forward pass A forward pass thrown after a change in team possession 24
There are 2 other types of illegal forward passes A pass intentionally thrown into an area not occupied by an eligible offensive receiver A pass intentionally thrown incomplete to save loss of yardage or to conserve time Exception: it is legal to conserve time by intentionally throwing the ball forward to the ground ( spiking ) immediately after receiving a direct hand-to-hand snap Penalty for an illegal forward pass is measured from the spot of the illegal forward pass, 5 yards, loss of down (OPI s hand pass touches the ground) Intentional grounding is a type of illegal forward pass, but it has its own signal Note: clarification in the rule book that a forward pass thrown after a change in team possession does not carry the LOD provision 25
When a forward pass, legal or illegal, hits the ground or goes out of bounds, or is caught by a player who is out of bounds, the pass is incomplete and the ball is dead When a forward pass is legal and incomplete, the ball is returned to the previous spot and the passing team retains possession of the ball, unless after 4 th down 26
Eligibility requirements apply only to a legal forward pass The following players are eligible pass receivers: Every B player A players who, at the snap, were An end or a back; and Wear an eligible number (1-49 or 80-99) An A player who was eligible at the start of the down remains eligible throughout the down. There is no action that A can take, or can be taken against A, that makes an eligible receiver ineligible. Once B touches a legal forward pass, all A players become eligible 27
Who is an eligible receiver for A?: Backs & Ends with eligible numbers. Maximum of 6 in a legal formation. End Back 28
Pass interference restrictions only apply To legal forward passes For players who are beyond the neutral zone If the legal forward pass, untouched by B in or behind the neutral zone, crosses the neutral zone Pass interference restrictions begin For A at the snap For B when the ball leave s the passer s hand Pass interference restrictions end All eligible A players when the pass has been touched by any player All ineligible A players when B touches the pass All B players when the pass has been touched by any player 29
Pass interference is defined as: Any A or B player who is beyond the neutral zone interferes with an eligible opponent s ability to move toward, catch or bat the pass Any player hinders an opponents vision without making an attempt to catch, intercept or bat the ball, even though no contact was made Pass interference is not: Unavoidable contact when 2 or more eligible receivers are making a simultaneous, good faith attempt to move toward, catch or bat the pass Contact by A is made on a B lineman and the contact does not continue beyond the expanded neutral zone Contact by B is obviously away from the direction of the pass 30
Ineligible A players may not advance beyond the expanded neutral zone (2-28-2: 2 yards) on a legal forward pass play before a legal forward pass that crosses the neutral zone is in flight If B touches the pass in or behind the neutral zone, this restriction does not apply, even if the ineligible receiver was downfield prior to B s touching (7.5.10E) 31
Ineligible A players can not bat, muff or catch a legal forward pass unless the pass has first been touched by B The penalty for this foul is 5 yards plus loss of down (OPI s hand pass touches the ground) 32
Go over key parts of rule 7 33