Foul on scoring play

[Bob M.]

Originally posted by ljudge
Last year a new rule was put in that would allow a 1/2 the distance penalty on a try if there was a foul by the opponent of the scoring team on a play.

eg: A's ball 1st and 10 at B's 5. If team B commits a live-ball personal foul on the play it will be enforced on the try instead of automatically declining. That I know for sure and was new in 2004.

REPLY: Correct...

Originally posted by ljudge
If A illegally shifts and B returns an interception for a TD I thought that foul was still declined even under the new rule. I thought someone told me the only way we would enforce a foul against team A when B intercepts and scores is if team A fouls AFTER team B gains possession. I'm having a brain lapse on this one. I looked it up in the rule book and I can't seem to find it so I'm guessing I was incorrect. Anyone know?

REPLY: You're correct here also. The problem that is causing confusion is that even though the Fed changed the rule, they forgot to update the rule book! Here's the way NF 8-2-2 is supposed to read:

Art. 2...If during a touchdown-scoring play, a foul by the opponents of the scoring team occurs on a play where there is no change of possession; or a foul by the opponents of the scoring team occurs after the change of possession, if there is a change of possession, the scoring team may accept the results of the play and have the penalty enforced from the succeeding spot.

[Note: This omission was acknowledged in 2004 NFHS Football Rule Interpretations on the National Federation website.]