July 2017 Study Guide Have come to the end of study guides. Season is fast approaching with the completion of first camp already. This guide concentrates on new rules, a mechanics change, mistakes made in playoffs, especially the Dome, and camp topics. STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM FEDERATION: Hopefully clarification will come out soon as they have a scheduled meeting on July 18, 2017. Concerning the new rule (3-4-7) allowing the offended team on an accepted penalty during the second and fourth quarter, when less than two minutes remain, to decide if the clock will be started on the snap. No provision was made by the NFHS to identify which team would be offered the option should there be a live ball foul and then a dead ball foul. Example: Team A has an illegal shift on a running play and the ball stays in bounds. There is a late hit by Team B. Both are offended but which team gets the option has not been communicated by the NFHS. It is anticipated this will be decided upon and communicated soon after July 18, 2017. District coordinators will pass along likely an omnibus release from the GHSA office. MECHANICS CHALLENGE: There is a new mechanic. On anticipated onsides kicks where the Referee communicates that to the crew, the Umpire will move to the middle of the field. He still has five yard run up and off sides responsibility although the latter will be shared. It is felt that from this position he can best cover the ball going the required distance and the initiation of contact. An unwritten mechanic but now needed to be instinctive to game management is learning to anticipate the blindside block. Be certain that this rule has yet to completely filter down into all leagues and coaching staffs we work. There are likely many GHSA coaches that are unaware. Recognizing situations that this type of contact can occur is an integral part of crew function. Although not germane to Friday night competition the
training committee is very aware that the four man crew- JV and middle school- will have officials either downfield or not facing the player getting blocked to determine defensive action. This should be discussed in association and crew meetings. RESPONSE: Confirm that all crew members have downloaded the mechanics manual. Discuss in depth the mechanics of seeing the blindside block. RULES CHALLENGE: There are many new rules but three major ones. First, the defenseless player definition has been expanded. Rule 2-32-16. Second, added a judgment burden with blindside block restrictions. Rules 2-3-10 and 9-4-3n. Finally, the above rule allowing the offended team the option of starting with less than two minutes in the second and fourth quarter. Please also be aware of the subtle change in the post-scrimmage kick rule involving helmet coming off a Team R player during a scrimmage kick. NFHS is splitting hairs with this but we have to deal with it. RESPONSE: Review in depth the new rules with emphasis on the above, and further emphasis on blindside blocks. QUESTIONS ELIMINATED FROM PART II: Please omit the following questions from further consideration. The reasons vary. If others arise they will simply be stricken from the question pool not to be seen again. #10- answer given is wrong #36-two wrong answers present #51-answer given is wrong. The clock should start on the ready. In camp the forward progress presentation will emphasize this. ABBREVIATIONS USED: By now you should be familiar with those used thus far, especially down and distance. No need to elaborate on that one. LOS: Line of scrimmage. DPI: Defensive pass interference EZ: End Zone
101. Team K in scrimmage kick formation, 4/3 from K38 yard line. After the ready for play, with Team K linemen in a two point stance, all linemen quickly break to the Team K sideline as the regular offense comes on the field. This action draws the Team R defensive end into the neutral zone. The LJ drops his flag and signals encroachment. This official is correct: 102. Team A comes to the LOS apparently to run a play from scrimmage on 4/1 from the K40 yard line. From the A sideline the punt team enters the field. The offense begins to exit. Just short of Team A sideline, the offense turns and runs back to huddle as the entering substitutes turn and begin to exit the field. Team A is guilty of illegal substitution. 103. With 1:32 remaining in the fourth quarter Team A is behind by three points and beginning a drive 1/10 from the A35 yard line. A forward pass is completed to A80 who is downed by a horse collar tackle at the B43 yard line past the line to gain in bounds. After enforcement of the penalty the Team A coach requests the clock to start on the snap. This request should be granted. 104. Team K is in legal free kick formation to start the second half. The kicker approaches the ball and drives it immediately off the tee into the artificial turf. The ball bounces into the air in a similar manner to being kicked directly into the air off the tee. R23 awaits to catch the ball at the K49 yard line but is blocked above the waist by K34. The covering official at the K free kick line drops his flag but does not end the play by using his whistle. Which statement is TRUE:
A. The block by K34 is legal contact. B. K34 is guilty of kick-catch interference. C. The action by K34 is a dead ball personal foul. D. The covering official allowing the play to continue was correct. 105. Team K is in scrimmage kick formation, 4/6 at the K40 yard line. The punt is successful but Team R had 12 players in formation at the snap. In haste the deep judges did not complete their count prior to the snap but did so at the completion of the play and confirm 12 participating. R28 caught the punt at the R24 yard line and returned it for a touchdown. Which statement is TRUE: A. After a fifteen yard penalty from the previous spot, as an illegal participation foul that occurs at the snap is not enforced under PSK enforcement. Team K will start a new series at the R45 yard line. B. Team R new series 1/10 from the R12 yard line. C. Team R touchdown as the count cannot be completed after the play has ended. 106. Concerning blindside blocks which statement is FALSE: A. With forceful contact, not open hands extended arms, a block in the back is now a blindside block. B. If the player about to be blocked makes any defensive movement indicating he sees the contact coming it is not a blindside block assuming location of contact is legal. C. Blindside blocks may occur legally in the free blocking zone. D. The penalty for a blindside block that is also a block in the back is ten yards. 107. 2/4 at the B48 yard line for Team A. Ball carrier A32 runs a sweep to the right. Cornerback B42 is quickly supporting the run defense and is facing A32 when A25 forcibly hits B42 with his shoulder pad on the
left arm below the shoulder with the helmet in front of the defender s body. Contact is at the B44 yard line and a penalty flag is droppe at that spot.. The run ended at the B40 yard line. Covering officials saw no defensive maneuver in response to approaching contact by B42. Which statement is TRUE: A. With contact occurring with the helmet in front this is legal contact. B. Illegal blindside block. Penalty is accepted. Team A ball 2/15 at the A41 yard line. C. Illegal blindside block. Team A ball 2/10 at the A46 yard line. 108. Team A 3/9 from the A21 yard line. Ball carrier A23 advances to the A26 yard line where he is hit by a multitude of defenders with such force his prosthetic left arm falls completely off. The ball was carried in the right arm. A23 advances to the A 32 yard line where he is downed. Which statement is TRUE: A. Team A 1/10 at the A32. B. Team A 4/4 at the A26 yard line. C. The ball is dead at the yard line where the arm came completely off. Mechanics wise this is similar to the helmet coming completely off the runner. D. B and C are correct. 109. Team A trails 29-24 with 1:18 left in the fourth quarter and have no time outs remaining. After a completed pass with the receiver unable to get out of bounds or achieve the line to gain, Team A quickly lines up and after the ready for play A67 false starts. Which is TRUE: A. The penalty is accepted and after enforcement Team B elects to make no choice as to when the clock will start. By rule the clock will start on the ready for play. B. Team B could choose for the clock to be started on the snap. C. Both A and B are true.
110. Team B leads 30-27 with 3 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Team A 3/17 from the B39 yard line. The clock starts on the snap. QB A11 throws a pass into the corner of the EZ in the direction of A90. Defensive back B47 never turns and faces the direction of the pass, never plays the ball and without making any contact with A90 holds his arms and hands up in the face of A90 blocking his view of the ball. Time expires during the down as the pass falls incomplete. Which statement is TRUE: A. The game can be extended for an untimed down. B. B47 is guilty of DPI. C. Team A will have an untimed down after enforcement from the B24 yard line. D. The game is over. 111. The Umpire is late arriving due to traffic. The crew already is on the field as he dresses. The Referee and Head Linesman meet with both coaches who confirm their players are legally equipped. However, the visiting team head coach wants a cast and tape wrapping approved for play. Despite the coaches declaration his team is legally equipped to the Referee and the Head Linesman only the Umpire may approve equipment as legal. 112. K free kick to start the game goes out of bounds untouched at the R10 on the R sideline. Team R elects to put the ball in play 25 yards from the previous spot. The head coach for R asks that the ball be spotted in the middle of the field. This request should be denied. 113. Team A 3/8 from the B40 yard line. A10 takes the snap and looks to pass quickly to receiver A88 who is being held by the jersey by B15. A flag is dropped by the Line Judge for defensive holding at the B35
yard line. A10 scrambles and runs out of bounds at the B20 yard line. Which statement is TRUE: A. If A accepts the penalty they will have the ball 1/10 at the B30 yard line. B. If A accepts the penalty they will have the ball at the 1/10 from the B10 yard line. C. If A accepts the penalty they will have the ball 1/10 from the B25 yard line. 114. Team K on 4/10 punts from the K 20 yard line. R42 catches the punt at the R40 yard line, advances and is downed at the 50 yard line. During the play an R player enters and participates at the K40 yard line. Which statement is TRUE: A. K will have the ball 1/10 at the K35. B. R will have the ball 1/10 at the R35. C. R will have the ball 1/10 at the R25. D. R will have the ball 1/10 at the R45. 115. Team K 4/6 at K10 yard line. Punter K87 muffs the snap in the EZ and the ball remains there. K87 kicks the ball off the ground from the EZ and it rolls to the K20 where Team R falls on the loose ball. The Referee drops his flag for an illegal kick. Which statement is TRUE: A. R can decline the penalty and assume possession at the K20 or accept the penalty and K will have 4/11 from the K5 yard line. B. The Referee is incorrect. This flag should be waved off. C. R has no choice but to accept a safety. D. R can decline the penalty at assume possession at the K20 or R can accept the penalty which results in a safety. 116. Team A 3/5 from the B10 yard line. The clock is running with three seconds remaining in the second quarter. B63 encroaches. If Team A accepts the penalty they have the option of starting the clock on the snap for the subsequent play.
117. Team K executes a free kick after a score in the third quarter. The kicker drives the ball into the ground immediately after leaving the tee and it bounces into the air in the manner of balls coming directly off the tee. The Umpire immediately blows his whistle. The Referee should administer this as an inadvertent whistle and replay the kick. 118. Team A, in an attempt to stop the clock late in the fourth quarter, muffs the direct hand to hand snap. A10 picks up the ball off the ground and throws the ball forward to stop the clock. Team B has the option to start the clock on the ready for play. 119. Unless the Referee judges time to be conserved illegally and enforces his prerogative to start the clock on the ready for play, the clock shall start at the snap after any incomplete illegal forward pass. 120. Which statement is NOT a legal recovery by Team K on a free kick: A. R14 touches the ball prior to it traveling 10 yards and then K37 blocks R14 above the waist and recovers the ball. B. After the ball travels 10 yards K18 blocks R60 above the waist prior to any R player touching the ball and Team K recovers the ball. C. After the ball touches the ground and travels ten yards K18 blocks R45 above the waist and recovers the ball. D. K56 initiates contact on R29 prior to the ball traveling 10
yards and no R player had initiated contact on a K player in the neutral zone. K87 then recovers the ball in the neutral zone. 121. A10 takes the snap under center and immediately throws a flat pass to A90, the split end, who catches the ball five yards past the line of scrimmage. The flanker, an inside receiver off the LOS, has released downfield and blocks the defensive back covering A90 in press coverage prior to the catch. A90 gains ten yards for a first down in bounds. Which statement is FALSE: A. The clock for the next snap will start on the ready. B. Using GHSA mechanics the official primarily responsible for determining forward or backwards pass on this play is the wing to the side of the pass play. C. This is offensive pass interference. D. The penalty for offensive pass interference is fifteen yards from the previous spot and loss of down. 122. Concerning how we enforce dead ball fouls, which statement is TRUE: A. Two five yard dead ball penalties on each team cancel. B. A five yard dead ball penalty on Team A cancels a live ball treated as a dead ball foul fifteen yard penalty on Team B. C. Dead ball fouls that are simultaneously committed by each team and are fifteen yard penalties will cancel. D. Dead ball fouls can be part of double fouls. 123. Concerning inadvertent whistles which statement is FALSE: A. R24 muffs a punt beyond the neutral zone. The Field Judge inadvertently sounds his whistle during the loose ball. The down must be replayed. B. A12 fumbles on third and four yards to go at B10 yard line. The ball was snapped at the B20 yard line. During the
fumble there is an inadvertent whistle. Team A may take possession at the B10 yard line, first and ten, as an option. C. A12 throws a pass towards B s end zone. B46 makes a running interception at the B2 yard line and momentum takes him into the end zone. The Side Judge misreads the play and while B46 is in the end zone blows an inadvertent whistle. Unless Team B elects to replay the down this is a safety. D. There is an inadvertent whistle while a legal forward pass is in flight that ultimately is incomplete. This down must be replayed and the clock will start on the ready. 124. Concerning untimed downs which statement is TRUE: A. The period is extended for an untimed down. After the ready for play A78 false starts. After enforcement Team A still has the untimed down. B. A12 releases a forward pass two yards past the line of scrimmage. Time expires for the first quarter during the play. After enforcement the period is extended for an untimed down. C. Team B intercepts a pass. The crew is in reverse mechanics. The Linesman is unintentionally contacted by an assistant coach of Team A. Time expires for the third quarter during the down. B39 is run out of bounds at the A12 yard line. After enforcement to the A6 yard line Team B will have an untimed down. D. A12 drops to pass from his own end zone. A76 blocks blitzing linebacker B47 in the end zone along with teammate A34. Time expires for the first quarter. The subsequent kickoff by Team A after the safety will be an untimed down part of the first quarter. 125. Team B is ahead 16-10 with 5 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. The previous play ended out of bounds and the clock will now start on the snap. Team A now has the ball 2/goal at the B6 yard line. A35 runs
a sweep the Line Judge side, is hit hard stopping his forward progress at the B4 yard line with the impact of the hit driving the runner back out of bounds at the B6 yard line. Which statement is TRUE: A. The Line Judge should give the wind the clock signal. B. Forward progress was stopped in the field of play at the B4 yard line. That is where the ball should be spotted. C. If time expires during the interval from the end of the run and the spotting of the ball the game is over. D. All the above are correct.