2012 RULE CHANGES OVERVIEW

2012 2012 RULE CHANGES OVERVIEW July 9, 2012

GOAL FOR THISPRESENTATION INTRODUCE SOME OF THE MOST RELEVANT NEW RULES FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON UPDATED OVERVIEW FROM SPRING MEETING NOW THAT FEDERATION BOOK IS OUT MORE SPECIFICS COVERED DURING LATER RULES AND MECHANICS PRESENTATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH STATE PHILOSOPHIES

HELMETS COMING OFF DURING PLAY • IF PLAYER’S HELMET COMES COMPLETELY OFF WHILE THE BALL IS LIVE, HE MUST SIT OUT THE NEXT PLAY UNLESS • IT IS THE RESULT OF AN OPPONENT’S FOUL • HALFTIME OR OVERTIME INTERMISSION • GENERAL RULE – TREATED LIKE AN INJURY • OFFICIAL’S TIME-OUT. RULE 3-5-10(d) • CAN’T BUY BACK IN WITH A TIME OUT • GOAL IS KEEPING THE HELMETS ON

HELMETS COMING OFF DURING PLAY • NOT GOING TO BE PICKY IF IT COMES OFF AS HE HITS THE GROUND • CB 3.5.10 E … During a down, the helmet of A1 or B1 comes off : (e) after either falls to the ground immediately following the ball becoming dead due to score or going OOB. RULING: The player must be replaced for one down. • IF IT WAS CAUSED BY ACTION DURING THE DOWN, AND COMES OFF IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE DEAD BALL, THE PLAYER MUST SIT OUT UNLESS THE EXCEPTIONS APPLY

HELMETS COMING OFF DURING PLAY • MECHANICALLY, WHAT WILL HAPPEN? • Clock will stop at the end of the down whenever a helmet comes off during the down. • If the RUNNER’s helmet comes off, the down is over. • If a NON-RUNNER’s helmet comes off, play continues, but the clock will stop when it’s over. • If the helmet came off as a result of a foul, the player can stay in the game. • We will need to be more aware of hands to face, especially in line play. • Preventive Officiating With Equipment • Pre-Game • Pre-Snap

HELMETS COMING OFF DURING PLAY • STILL WORKING ON SOME QUESTIONS • If a player’s helmet comes off, what is he allowed to do? • What can opponent’s do to a player who has lost his helmet? • If a player puts his helmet back on, what can happen?

HELMETS COMING OFF

NEW FREE KICK RULES FOR K TEAM K CANNOT INITIATE BLOCKS UNTIL THEY CAN LEGALLY TOUCH THE KICK Ball Must Go 10 Yards OR R Must First Touch Ball

RULE BOOK RULE 9-3-8 (Blocking Rules) No member of the kicking team shall initiate contact (block) an opponent until: a. The legal kick has traveled 10 yards; or b. The kicking team is eligible to recover a free kicked ball Only applies on free kicks

SPECIFICS APPLIES ONLY DURING A FREE KICK Once The Kick is Over, Team K Can Block LOCATION OF BALL IS IMPORTANT The block is illegal ANYWHERE if the BALL has not gone 10 yards or Team K is not yet eligible to recover MECHANICS WILL BE MODIFIED One official will have primary responsibility for the blocks

SPECIFICS FOUL IS FOR K INITIATING A BLOCK No foul if Team R player throws the block. When in doubt, Team R initiated the contact. CB 9-3-8 B. MOST LIKELY ON ONSIDE KICKS Deep kicks won’t present this problem. Could occur on shorter pooch kicks. FOUL-LIVE LOOSE BALL ILLEGAL BLOCK If accepted, enforce from previous sport and re-kick. Same ILB signal as normal, but only 10-yard penalty.

TEAM K – BLOCKS ON FREE KICKS

DEFINITION OF LEGAL CATCH PLAYER MUST ESTABLISH POSSESSION AND CONTACT GROUND INBOUNDS No Force-Out Rule Less Judgment Rewards Good Defense

RULE BOOK RULE 2-4-1 ART.1 … A catch is the act of establishing player possession of a live ball which is in flight, and first contacting the ground inbounds while maintaining possession of the ball. Removed language that said “or being contacted by an opponent in such a way that he is prevented from returning to the ground inbounds”

NEW CATCH RULE NO CATCH UNLESS RECEIVER TOUCHES DOWN INBOUNDS EVEN IF HE WOULD HAVE COME DOWN INBOUNDS BUT FOR OPPONENT’S CONTACT

ONE EXCEPTION FORWARD PROGRESS IS STOPPED BY CARRYING IN THE FIELD OF PLAY CASE BOOK 4.3.3 B … A’s ball. 3rd and 7 at B’s 30. A1 leaps near sideline to attempt to catch a pass near B’s 30. A1 is (a) airborne trying to make the catch and is knocked backwards by B2 attempting to make the tackle and A1 lands OOB at B’s 32; or (b) is airborne when he controls the ball attempting to complete the catch and is carried off the field by B2 landing OOB. RULING: In (a), incomplete. In (b), if forward progress was stopped inbounds, complete. If not, incomplete.

ONE EXCEPTION CASE BOOK 7.5.4 I …Airborne A1 jumps high in an attempt to catch a legal forward pass. While still in the air, he is tackled by B1 and held momentarily without touching the ground before he is carried (a) backward toward A’s goal line, or (b) forward toward B’s goal line. In both cases, he lands OOB. RULING: In (a), complete because forward progress was stopped inbounds. In (b), incomplete. ALL OTHER PARTS OF A CATCH REMAIN THE SAME

OLD FORCE OUT – NOW INCOMPLETE

BLOCKING BELOW THE WAIST RULE 2-3-7 Contact with an opponent’s hand(s) below the waist that Continues into the body below The waist is considered Blocking Below the waist

BLOCKING BELOW THE WAIST CB 9.3.2. D … A1 is leading interference on a sweep play and is outside the FBZ when he blocks B1: (b) As A1 moves in to block, initial contact is with B1’s hands that are below the waist and, thereafter, contact is at B’s knees. RULING: Illegal BBW. No Longer Absolving Illegal Block Just Because Opponent Protected Himself Hitting Hands or Body High and Sliding Down Is Still NOT a Foul

2012

2012 RULE CHANGES OVERVIEW