Improper equipment

[db]

Team A catches a punt on his 30 yard line . During the run back another member of Team A unhooks his chin strap in front of a referee and starts to walk off the field. The referee flags him for improper equipment. What is the call?

[bill c]

Without the aid of the case book -
First of all - we have an "unwritten rule" - that if the mouth piece or chin strap are not properly in place - DURING the down - we 'assume' it was knocked out, and we simply remind the player to keep it in. In your case - since the referee did see him commit the foul - and it was during the run by the offense (R) - it would be penalized by the all but one principle - 5 yard penalty.
Let me know what you think.

BillC
PS - thanks for your input on my question on game fees.

[Zeke5]

db,

I'm assuming that you reference to "Team A" is actually
"R" on a scrimmage kick.

I'd have to agree with BillC's penalty and assessment
facts, but I'd need more info on the situation in which
this player unhooked his chinstrap before I'd dart him.

1. Was this something he or another teammate was doing
throughout the game and was warned?

2. Was the player a safe distance from the action of the
runback, or from a K player looking for a cheap shot, or
was the player making no attempt to further participate
in the play?

Even though there would not be a coach out there who could
refute this call, this would be a rather "ticky tack" call
especially if it brought back a long return by R.

If the player's safety was not at issue, the player would
have to unhook his chinstrap in an egregious
unsportsmanlike manor (or remove his helmet) before I'd
ring him up for the 5 yarder.

That's just my $.02. Interesting play nonetheless.

[BktBallRef]

I would probably warn the player the first time I saw him do it. If his safety wasn't affected by it and obviously it had no influence on the play.

However, I have a different penalty enforcement. This is a five yard penalty for failure to properly wear required equipment during a down. But it also an unsportsmanlike conduct foul, even though it's only 5 yards. (1-5-6 Penalty, 10-4-4a) Since it's a USC foul, it would be enforced from the succeeding spot, not the all but one and it would not bring a long run back.

[James Neil]

can you guys explain the " all but 1 principal " to me . I keep seeing it mentioned but haven't found it in my studys yet . Thanks

[bill c]

James - This is a very key part of football officiating when penalizing. It's also called the 3 and 1 rule.
All fouls are penalized from the basic spot - except a foul by the offense BEHIND the basic spot. It gets the name because - you have 4 spots a foul can occur -
1 - Foul by offense beyond the basic spot
2 - Foul by the defense beyond the basic spot
3 - Foul by the defense behind the basic spot
4 - foul by the offense behind the basic spot

The first three - as I said - penalized from the basic spot (end of run - previous spot etc.).Therefore - ALL BUT ONE are penalized from basic spot. The exception (with this rule in mind - there are a few other exceptions) is by the offense BEHIND that spot. When this occurs - the foul is penalized from the spot of the foul - somewhere behind the basic spot. The thinking is - a foul behind that basic spot by the offense could have been the reason the play went as far as it did. Read your case book on penalty enforcements and look for fouls by offense behind the spot - to visualize them in your mind. That's the best way to get an understnading of this rule.

[James Neil]

Bill , thanks alot , that was very clear and as you said a very important part of officiating. Unbelivable how much there is to learn .Good thing I got till June to bone up.Don't want to screw up to badly .Really good thing is all the great help I've been getting from officials like yourself. Thanks again James