Hi Fella's,

Simple question here. NFHS only. When we have several players involved in excessive celebration, do we charge each player with a USC foul and only march off one?

For example, if after A88 scores a touchdown, A45, A78, A23, A12 and A55 all run up to A88. All players then do a coreographed (sp) dance.

Do all players get a USC foul? And if so, do we only penalize one foul?

I cant find this in the rule book.

UE

One foul.

I would have one foul but six guys with their first USC. And I would be sure to tell the head coach that all six have their first one. If he complains then you just ask him if he wants to have all 86 yards marked off (B3 to B18 to B33 to B48 to A37 to A22 to A11).

Technically, you have 6 fouls... but only one can be walked off (just as if you had a hold and a BIB on the same play - all but 1 is declined).

Technically (under NFHS) you have 6 dead ball USC's and all 6 could be marched off if you went "by the book".

NCAA concurs with this interp.

I hadn't been told that before. Seems contradictory, in fact, to the interp I was told. Is that in print anywhere?

I agree, six players celberating = 6 USCs and 6 walkoffs by rule.

No different then if 6 players got in a fight, would you just walk off one USC?

I've been corrected on my post for NCAA. All participants are marked down for their first unsportsmanlike act, but only 1 markoff of 15 yards.

Guys,

This is why I am asking. NCAA says one thing, Federation says different?

I know if NCAA we are only going to march off one foul and charge everyone with a USC. That was clarified a couple of years ago in a bulletin.

However, I haven't seen, nor can find this anywhere in an interpretation for the Federation. Our state RI (rule interpreter) says its one foul marked off, but all are charged.

I agree with Patton. By the book, it is six fouls that should be marked off. Can someone find something different?

I used the phrase "could be marched off if you went "by the book". However, if I was faced with this situation, I would enforce it as Warrenkicker stated.

My reasoning is that I feel this is ONE unsportsmanslike act done by multiple players. Just my opinion.

That's not how dead ball fouls are enforced. NF 10-2-4 "Penalties for dead-ball fouls are administered separately and in the order of their occurrence. A dead-ball foul is not coupled with a live-ball foul or another dead-ball foul to create a double or multiple foul”. So I don't think you are using a very good example about only enforcing one of these fouls. I agree that if we went by the “Book” all these players could be charged and each foul enforced just as we would for team members leaving the bench for a fight. But do we do this for excessive celebration? I don't believe I would. My vote goes with charging all but only enforcing one.