Index of Rules and Interpretations

10-second Runoff from Game Clock -- Foul (Delays/Clock Tactics) 63 10-second Subtraction from Game Clock -- Common Procedures (Delays/Clock Tactics) 64

Administration and Enforcement (The Ball) 21 After the Ball is Snapped (Backward Pass and Fumble) 98 All Become Eligible (Scrimmage Kicks) 83 Approved Rulings and Official's Signals 29 At Rest (Backward Pass and Fumble) 98

Ball Dead in End Zone (Free Kicks) 80 Ball Declared Dead (Ball in Play - Dead Ball) 69 Ball Ready for Play (Ball in Play - Dead Ball) 71 Basic Spot (Spots) 41 Batting a Backward Pass in Flight (Batting and Kicking) 136 Batting a Loose Ball (Batting and Kicking) 135 Batting Ball in Possession (Batting and Kicking) 136 Batting (Fumble, Muff, Batting and Touching the Ball; Blocking a Kick) 34 Behind the Neutral Zone (Scrimmage Kicks) 82 Belongs To (Catch, Recovery, Possession) 31 Below Waist (Blocking) 30 Between Downs (Down, Between Downs and Loss of Down) 32 Beyond the Neutral Zone (Scrimmage Kicks) 83 Blocking a Scrimmage Kick (Fumble, Muff, Batting and Touching the Ball; Blocking a Kick) 34 Blocking Below the Waist (Personal Fouls) 120 Blocking (Blocking) 30 Blocking in the Back (Blocking, Use of Hands or Arms) 135 Block in the Back (Blocking) 30 Boundary Lines (Lines) 35

Catchable Forward Pass (Passes) 39 Catch, Interception, Recovery (Catch, Recovery, Possession) 31 Catch or Recovery by Kicking Team (Scrimmage Kicks) 84 Catch or Recovery by Receiving Team (Scrimmage Kicks) 84 Caught or Recovered (Backward Pass and Fumble) 97 Charged Team Timeouts (Timeouts: Starting and Stopping the Clock) 57 Chop Block (Blocking) 30 Chop Blocking (Personal Fouls) 123 Clipping 32 Clipping (Personal Fouls) 119 Coaches' Certification (Players and Playing Equipment) 27 Coaches' Phones (Players and Playing Equipment) 28 Complete Pass (Forward Pass) 101 Contact Against an Opponent Out of the Play (Personal Fouls) 124 Contact Against the Snapper (Personal Fouls) 124 Contacting an Official (Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls) 131 Continued Participation Without Helmet (Personal Fouls) 126 Continuity of Downs Broken (A Series: Started, Broken, Renewed) 75 Criteria for reversing an on-field ruling (Procedures) 150 Crosses Neutral Zone (Passes) 39

Dead Ball Becomes Alive (Ball in Play - Dead Ball) 68 Dead-Ball Fouls (Penalties Completed) 139 Dead-Ball Spot (Spots) 40 Dead Ball (The Ball: Live, Dead, Loose, Ready For Play) 29 Dead Where Caught (Fair Catch) 89 Defenseless player (Team and Player Designations) 44 Defensive Linemen on Place Kicks (Scrimmage Kicks) 87 Defensive Team Requirements (The Scrimmage) 96 Definition of coach (Team and Player Designations) 44 Delaying the Start of a Half (Delays/Clock Tactics) 61 Determining the Enforcement Spot and the Basic Spot (Enforcement Procedures) 141 Dimensions and Markings (The Field) 16 Disqualified players and coaches (Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls) 132 Disqualified Player (Team and Player Designations) 43 Down (Down, Between Downs and Loss of Down) 32 Drop Kick (Kicks; Kicking the Ball) 36 During Live Ball (Backward Pass and Fumble) 97

Eligibility Gained or Regained (Forward Pass) 101 Eligibility Lost by Going Out of Bounds (Forward Pass) 101 Eligibility to Block (Free Kicks) 81 Eligibility to Touch Legal Forward Pass (Forward Pass) 100 Encroachment (Encroachment and Offside) 38 End Lines (Lines) 35 End Zones (Field Areas) 46 Enforcement Spots (Enforcement Procedures) 140 Enforcement Spot (Spots) 40 Equipment and personnel (Procedures) 150 Explictly reviewable fouls (Scope of the video judge) 149 Extension of Periods (Playing Time and Intermissions) 51 Extra Periods (Start of Each Period) 48

Fair Catch (Fair Catch) 32 Field Goal Attempt (Kicks; Kicking the Ball) 37 Field of Play (Field Areas) 46 Field Surface (The Field) 20 Fighting 137, 46 First and Third Periods (Start of Each Period) 48 Flagrant Personal Foul (Foul and Violation) 33 Flagrant Personal Fouls (Personal Fouls) 117 Forced Touching Disregarded (Free Kicks) 80 Forced Touching Disregarded (Scrimmage Kicks) 84 Forfeited Games (Value of Scores) 108 Forward and Backward Pass (Passes) 38 Forward, Beyond (Forward, Beyond and Forward Progress) 33 Forward Passer (Team and Player Designations) 43 Forward Pass Play (Play Classification) 45 Forward Progress (A Series: Started, Broken, Renewed) 74 Forward Progress (Forward, Beyond and Forward Progress) 33 Foul After Change of Team Possession (Down and Possession After a Penalty) 76 Foul Against Kicker (Free Kicks) 81 Foul Before Change of Team Possession (Down and Possession After a Penalty) 76 Foul Between Downs (Down and Possession After a Penalty) 76 Foul Between Series (Down and Possession After a Penalty) 77 Foul During Free Kick Down (Down and Possession After a Penalty) 76 Foul (Foul and Violation) 33 Foul Not Called (Flagrant Fouls) 137 Fouls After a Try (Try Down) 112 Fouls by Both Teams (Down and Possession After a Penalty) 77 Fouls By Kicking Team (Free Kicks) 80 Fouls By Kicking Team (Scrimmage Kicks) 86 Fouls by Team A During Kicks (Enforcement Procedures) 144 Fouls During a Try After a Change of Team Possession (Try Down) 112 Fouls During a Try Before a Change of Team Possession (Try Down) 111 Fouls During or After a Touchdown, Field Goal or Try (Enforcement Procedures) 144 Frame (of the Body) (Blocking) 30 Free-blocking zone (Blocking) 30 Free Kick at Rest (Free Kicks) 80 Free Kick Caught or Recovered (Free Kicks) 80 Free Kick Formation (Free Kicks) 78 Free Kick (Kicks; Kicking the Ball) 37 Free Kick Play (Play Classification) 45 Fumble (Fumble, Muff, Batting and Touching the Ball; Blocking a Kick) 34

Game Administration and Sideline Interference (Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls) 131 Game Clock (Timing Devices) 45 Game Officials (General Provisions) 15 Goal Lines and Pylons (Lines) 34 Goal Lines (General Provisions) 15 Goals (The Field) 18

Half-Distance Enforcement Procedures (Enforcement Procedures) 146 Handing the Ball 35 Handing the Ball Forward (The Scrimmage) 97 Hash Marks (Lines) 35 Held Ball Out of Bounds (Out of Bounds) 72 Helmet and Face Mask Fouls (Personal Fouls) 122 Helmet Comes Off -- Timeout (Timeouts: Starting and Stopping the Clock) 60 Holding and Use of Hands or Arms: Defense (Blocking, Use of Hands or Arms) 134 Holding and Use of Hands or Arms: Offense (Blocking, Use of Hands or Arms) 133 Horse Collar Tackle (Personal Fouls) 125 How and When Completed (Penalties Completed) 138 How Scored (Field Goal) 112 How Scored (Safety) 114 How Scored (Touchdown) 108 How Scored (Try Down) 109 Huddle 36 Hurdling 36 Hurdling (Personal Fouls) 124

Illegal Block or Contact (Fair Catch) 91 Illegal Contact and Pass Interference (Forward Pass) 103 Illegal Delay of the Game (Delays/Clock Tactics) 61 Illegal equipment (Players and Playing Equipment) 25 Illegal Forward Pass (Forward Pass) 99 Illegally Kicking a Ball (Batting and Kicking) 136 Illegal Touching (Forward Pass) 107 Illegal Wedge Formation (Free Kicks) 81 Inbounds Spot (Spots) 41 Incomplete Pass (Forward Pass) 103 Ineligible Receiver Downfield (Forward Pass) 106 Information provision (Procedures) 151 Initial Impetus (Responsibility and Impetus) 116 Initiating review (Procedures) 150 Injured players (Scope of the video judge) 149 Injury Timeout (Timeouts: Starting and Stopping the Clock) 58 Interference with Opportunity (Opportunity to Catch a Kick) 87 Interfering for or Helping the Ball Carrier or Passer (Blocking, Use of Hands or Arms) 132 Interval Fouls (Penalties Completed) 140 Invalid Signal (Fair Catch) 33 Invalid Signals: Catch or Recovery (Fair Catch) 90

Jersey Design, Colour and Numerals (Players and Playing Equipment) 23 Jurisdiction 147

Kick After Safety (Safety) 115 Kicker and Holder (Team and Player Designations) 42 Kicking Team (Free Kick Out of Bounds) 81 Kicking the Ball; Legal and Illegal Kicks (Kicks; Kicking the Ball) 36 Kickoff (Kicks; Kicking the Ball) 37

Late Hit, Action Out of Bounds (Personal Fouls) 122 Legal and Illegal Kicks (Scrimmage Kicks) 85 Legal Forward Pass (Forward Pass) 99 Legal Substitutions (Substitutions) 64 Length of Periods and Intermissions (Playing Time and Intermissions) 50 Length of Timeouts (Timeouts: Starting and Stopping the Clock) 59 Leverage and Leaping (Personal Fouls) 124 Limit Lines (The Field) 17 Lineman and Back (Team and Player Designations) 42 Line-to-Gain and Down Indicators (The Field) 19 Line to Gain (A Series: Started, Broken, Renewed) 74 Live Ball Becomes Dead (Ball in Play - Dead Ball) 68 Live-Ball - Dead-Ball Fouls (Penalties Completed) 139 Live-Ball Fouls by the Same Team (Penalties Completed) 138 Live Ball (The Ball: Live, Dead, Loose, Ready For Play) 29 Loose Ball Out of Bounds (Out of Bounds) 72 Loose Ball (The Ball: Live, Dead, Loose, Ready For Play) 29 Loose Behind the Goal Line (Scrimmage Kicks) 85 Loss of down (Down, Between Downs and Loss of Down) 32

Mandatory and Illegal Equipment Enforcement (Players and Playing Equipment) 26 Mandatory equipment (Players and Playing Equipment) 22 Markers or Obstructions (The Field) 19 Marking Balls (The Ball) 21 Marking Boundary Areas (The Field) 17 More than eleven players on the field (Substitutions) 66 Muff (Fumble, Muff, Batting and Touching the Ball; Blocking a Kick) 34

Next Play (Field Goal) 113 Next Play (Try Down) 112 Nine-Yard Marks (Lines) 35 No Advance (Fair Catch) 90 No Tackling (Fair Catch) 91

Offensive and Defensive Teams (Team and Player Designations) 42 Offensive Team Requirements -- At the Snap (The Scrimmage) 94 Offensive Team Requirements -- Prior to the Snap (The Scrimmage) 93 Offsetting Fouls (Penalties Completed) 138 Offside on a free kick play (Encroachment and Offside) 38 Offside on a scrimmage play (Encroachment and Offside) 38 Opportunity to Score (Try Down) 110 Optional equipment (Players and Playing Equipment) 25 Out of Bounds at Forward Point (Out of Bounds) 72 Out of Bounds (Backward Pass and Fumble) 98 Out of Bounds Behind Goal Line (Scrimmage Kicks) 85 Out of Bounds Between Goal Lines or at Rest Inbounds (Scrimmage Kicks) 84 Out of Bounds Player (Scrimmage Kicks) 86 Out-of-Bounds Spot (Spots) 41

Passing (Passes) 38 Pass Interference: Summary (Forward Pass) 105 Penalty Declined (Down and Possession After a Penalty) 76 Penalty Resulting in New Series (Down and Possession After a Penalty) 76 Personal Foul (Foul and Violation) 33 Persons Subject to the Rules (General Provisions) 15 Philosophy (Philosophy and rationale) 148 Place Kick (Kicks; Kicking the Ball) 36 Planned Loose Ball (The Scrimmage) 97 Play-Clock Count (Ball in Play - Dead Ball) 71 Play Clock (Timing Devices) 45 Player Ejection (Flagrant Fouls) 137 Player Out of Bounds and In Bounds (Team and Player Designations) 44 Player Out of Bounds (Free Kicks) 81 Player Out of Bounds (Out of Bounds) 72 Players' Numbering (Players and Playing Equipment) 22 Player (Team and Player Designations) 43 Player Vacancy (Team and Player Designations) 43 Playing Enclosure (Field Areas) 46 Playing Surface (Field Areas) 46 Possession (Catch, Recovery, Possession) 30 Possession Series (Series and Possession Series) 40 Postscrimmage Kick Enforcement (Enforcement Procedures) 143 Postscrimmage Kick Spot (Spots) 41 Previous Spot (Spots) 40 Prohibited Field Equipment (Players and Playing Equipment) 27 Prohibited Signal Devices (Players and Playing Equipment) 27 Punt (Kicks; Kicking the Ball) 36 Pylons (The Field) 19

Rationale (Philosophy and rationale) 148 Receiving Team (Free Kick Out of Bounds) 82 Recommended Numbering (Players and Playing Equipment) 22 Referee microphone (Players and Playing Equipment) 28 Referee's Notification (Timeouts: Starting and Stopping the Clock) 60 Removing persons from the playing enclosure (Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls) 132 Replaced Player (Team and Player Designations) 43 Requesting a review (Scope of the video judge) 148 Responsibilities 147 Responsibility (Responsibility and Impetus) 116 Restraining Lines (Free Kicks) 78 Restraining Lines (Lines) 35 Result of the Play (Play Classification) 46 Return Kick (Kicks; Kicking the Ball) 37 Reviewable plays (Scope of the video judge) 149 Roughing or Running into Kicker or Holder (Personal Fouls) 125 Roughing the Passer (Personal Fouls) 122 Rules Decisions Final (Down and Possession After a Penalty) 77 Runner and Ball Carrier (Team and Player Designations) 43 Running Play and Run (Play Classification) 45

Scoring Plays (Value of Scores) 108 Scrimmage Down (Scrimmage) 39 Scrimmage Kick Formation (Kicks; Kicking the Ball) 37 Scrimmage Kick (Kicks; Kicking the Ball) 37 Scrimmage Kick Play (Play Classification) 45 Scrimmage Line (Scrimmage) 39 Second and Fourth Periods (Start of Each Period) 48 Series (Series and Possession Series) 40 Shift 39 Shift and False Start (The Scrimmage) 92 Sidelines (Lines) 34 Side Zone (Field Areas) 46 Simultaneous Catch or Recovery (Catch, Recovery, Possession) 32 Simultaneous with Snap (Penalties Completed) 138 Snap After a Touchback (Touchback) 115 Snapper (Team and Player Designations) 43 Snapping the Ball 40 Special Enforcement of Post-Possession Fouls (Enforcement Procedures) 146 Specifications: Mandatory Equipment (Players and Playing Equipment) 23 Specifications (The Ball) 20 Spot of the Foul (Spots) 41 Spot Where Kick Ends (Spots) 41 Spot Where Run Ends (Spots) 41 Squad Member (Team and Player Designations) 43 Starting and Stopping the Clock (Timeouts: Starting and Stopping the Clock) 54 Starting with a Snap (The Scrimmage) 92 Striking Fouls and Tripping (Personal Fouls) 117 Substitute (Team and Player Designations) 43 Substitution Procedures (Substitutions) 64 Succeeding Spot (Spots) 40 Suspending the game (Timeouts: Starting and Stopping the Clock) 57

Tackle Box 47 Targeting 47 Targeting and Making Forcible Contact to Head or Neck Area of a Defenseless Player (Personal Fouls) 118 Targeting and Making Forcible Contact With the Crown of the Helmet (Personal Fouls) 118 Team Area and Coaching Box (The Field) 17 Team B personal foul during legal forward pass play (Forward Pass) 107 Team Captains (General Provisions) 15 Teams A and B (Team and Player Designations) 42 Teams Subject to the Rules (General Provisions) 16 The Field (Field Areas) 46 The Game (General Provisions) 15 The Neutral Zone 38 Timeout (Timeouts: Starting and Stopping the Clock) 54 Timing Adjustments (Playing Time and Intermissions) 51 Timing Devices (Playing Time and Intermissions) 52 Touching and Recovery of a Free Kick; Illegal Touching (Free Kicks) 79 Touching (Fumble, Muff, Batting and Touching the Ball; Blocking a Kick) 34 Touching Ground On or Behind Goal Line (Scrimmage Kicks) 85

Unfair Acts (Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls) 130 Unfair Clock Tactics (Delays/Clock Tactics) 62 Unfair Tactics (Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls) 129 Unsportsmanlike Acts (Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls) 127 Use of Hands or Arms by Defense: Passing Downs (Blocking, Use of Hands or Arms) 134

Valid Signal (Fair Catch) 33 Violation (Foul and Violation) 33 Violation Timeouts (Timeouts: Starting and Stopping the Clock) 59

When Ball is Ready for Play (The Ball: Live, Dead, Loose, Ready For Play) 29 When Declared (Touchback) 115 When to Award Series (A Series: Started, Broken, Renewed) 74 Who May Block (Blocking, Use of Hands or Arms) 132 Winning Team and Final Score (General Provisions) 15

Yard Lines (Lines) 35


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Editor: Jim Briggs, BAFA/BAFRA Rules Committee
rules@bafra.org