What is the best way to handle the enforcement of dead ball fouls? Do you give all the options to the opposing captain or do you assume the penalty will be accepted? On the preliminary signal, do you give the dead ball signal?

Give the dead ball signal on the preliminary and final signal. I would just say something to the captain like, "you want to move them back 15 yards, right?" If he says "no" or does not understand, I would explain it better to him. I will make sure that the team makes the "right decision" on any obvious one. If they don't get it, for instance it is LOD so they will not want to decline, I will make sure he does not make a mistake because he does not get it. These are kids sometimes think they understand, but don't, and you may have to explain it a couple more times, changing how you say it, so they get it. Don't be so stubborn that if they say "decline" you say "ok" if it is obvious they do not understand the enforcement of the penalty.
This board shows that we do not know and understand the rules flawlessly, so if we don't, you know the kids won't. Help them "get it right" if needed. That is what a good R will do. We are here for the players, coaches, and the game, so do them all justice and get it right.
Sorry if I rambled, but it really bothers me when an official thinks he is bigger than the game and tries to dominate the situation.

I have to agree, but on the high school or college level. Sometimes in intramural flag we warn the team so many times that the captain does the talking, so we take whatever we hear first hoping it will teach them a lesson. One time we had a team miss an extra point and had an offensive penalty. One loud mouth on the D insisted on taking the penalty. So we gave it to him and everyone got a good laugh on both teams.

Wow a loss of down and 15 yard penelty on a dead ball foul. I can see the 15 but LOD?? I would just say to the offended team "you want that and give me an answer that starts with Y and ends in S."

Canadian Philosophy
 

Why do you ask him? Of course he wants to go up 15 yards.

Here in the Great White North, we just tell the non-offending team that we're moving 15 yards to their benefit. Then we tell the other team.

At this point, I also tell a rookie HL so he can get the sticks set asap.

Are you talking the 5-yarders like encroachment and false start? Or are you talking about dead ball fouls that occur nearly after the time the ball becomes dead (like late hits)?

If you are talking 5-yarders, I simply ask the captain if the want the penalty. I don't give a preliminary signal as such before confering. My crew calls these fouls, "Blow and Go". One signal as ball is being marched back, ready-for-play.


If you are talking about 15-yarders that occur after the play becomes dead (late hits, etc), then YES, I give a preliminary signal and confer with a captain but usually I don't say anything more than, "You want it to be (X) down and move them back 15 yards, right?