My friends and I are going round and round on if a delay of game can be declined or not. Although it is a dead ball foul I believe that it can be declined. Situation: You are at the 40 yard line which is just out of your place kickers reach but not far enough back to really get a good placed punt. So you run out the play clock to get the five extra yards for your punter. I really believe that the defense can decline this so as the punter won't have a better angle and the five additional yards to place the ball inside the 20. Am i correct or not?

Under NF rules (which cover high school football everywhere except Texas) the foul for any distance penalty can be declined (10-1-1). So in short, yes, the defense can decline the delay penalty and "refuse" to back the kicking team up.

You could always do a false start or snap infraction too, and I don't think those are declineable either. But that is a very interesting point. Other thoughts anyone?

It is pretty simple--you can decline the distance penalty for any foul, even a false start. Just because you never (or almost never) see it, does not mean it cannot be done.

Also, please remember that if a delay of game penalty is declined, the clock starts on the ready. The clock only starts on the snap if a delay of game penalty is accepted.

Same in Texas under NCAA - you can decline the distance markoff on ANY foul. I've seen the intentional delay of game to help the punter declined once or twice on Sundays. Never in person though.

I saw it happen a number of years ago in an NFL game between Houston and I believe Cincinnati. Kickers let the play clock run out, receivers decline the penalty. Kickers let it run out again, and are hit with a 15 yard USC call.

Interesting!! Two delays of game with no distance penalty, but an USC foul and 15 yards. K accomplishes its original intention.

Any penalty may be declined
 

Even the distance portion of an Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty may be declined (under NF rules). A team that continually lets the clock run out can potentially forfeit a game- but the offended team can decline the yardage even for a UC penalty.

Actually, as I think about this, under NF rules both the 5 yard delay and the 15 yard USC should be enforced (if you decide to hit them with the USC after the 2nd intentional delay).

Re: Any penalty may be declined
 

So assuming that they don't learn, after the third intentional delay (and second UC penalty), the head coach gets the rest of the game off...

Fortunately, the kickers in my games aren't good enough to worry about this... ;)