[mikesears]

I don't mean to be dense, but I still don't understand this.

Rule 2-30-10: A nonplayer is a coach, trainer, other attendant, a substitute or a replaced player who does not participate by touching the ball, hindering an opponent or influencing the play. See 9-6 for illegal participation.

Rule 2-30-15: A substitute is a team member who may replace a player or fill a player vacancy. A substitute becomes a player when he enters the field and communicates with a teammate or an official, enters the huddle, is positioned in a formation or participates in the play. An entering substitute is not considered to be a player for encroachment restrictions until he is on his team’s side of the neutral zone. A team member entering the field to fill a player vacancy remains a substitute until he is on his team’s side of the neutral zone.

Rule 2-30-12: A replaced player is one who has been notified by a substitute that he is to leave the field. A player is also replaced when the entering substitute becomes a player.

Hopefully, we know what a coach, trainer, and other team attendents are without definitions.

Rule 9-6-4a: It is illegal participation when any player, replaced player or substitute enters during a down.

This says nothing about entering an participating. The rule simply says, enters DURING the down.

The Penalty Summary Says: Live ball, basic spot foul.

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Casebook play 5.1.2.b: During A1’s run for a first down to B’s 20-yard line, B12 commits a nonplayer foul for a substitute entering the field during the down, but not touching the ball, influencing the play, etc. Immediately following the down, A1 taunts an opponent.

Ruling: If accepted, the penalty for B entering during the down is enforced from the previous spot. WHY THE PREVIOUS SPOT? After the decision in this foul, A will be penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct and A will have the ball 1st and 10. (9-5-1a; 9-6-1a)

Note that 9-5-1a addresses baiting and taunting (the unsportsmanlike conduct) and there is no Rule 9-6-1a. Could they have meant 9-6-4a which addresses a player, substitute or replaced player entering during the down?

Onto more of my confusion......

According to the penalty enforcement section, non player fouls are enforced from the succeeding spot. (10-4-5c).

In the casebook play provided, they go directly against all of the rules regarding penalty enforcment. First, they call this a non-player foul. Second, this is a running play. The basic spot for a running play is the spot where the run ends. Unless they want this treated as a foul simultaneous with the snap, but I don't see how that can apply, because the player likely wouldn't be coming onto the field right at the snap.

I AM VERY CONFUSED BY THIS...... I NEED SOME HELP UNDERSTANDING THIS.