So it's the off-season and I got thinking...

What's the most number of penalties you could have on a play, where the penalties are unrelated?

Here's my contribution. Remember, I ref in Canada, so this sitch is geared to our rules.

Say it's 1D/G @ B-10. Then you get this nonsense:

Offense:
<li>too many men (13 on the field)</li>
<li>illegal formation - only 6 on the LS</li>
<li>offside by the WR that is on the LS</li>
<li>holding</li>
<li>OPI</li>
<li>objectionable conduct - taunting (was on a TD pass)</li>

Defense:
<li>too many men (13 on the field)</li>
<li>offside (player in the (1y) NZ at the snap)</li>
<li>illegal contact - on the right side on field</li>
<li>roughing the passer</li>
<li>DPI - on the left because the right side WR is on the ground</li>
<li>facemask tackle</li>

That's 6 each. What is the call?

(Ok, yes I am bored. May can't get here soon enough.)

Candian Ruling
 

[You do have too much time on your hands.]

Ruling:

Team B can accept only one of the listed non-Objectionable Conduct fouls and the best one to pick is the OPI at 15 yards. The OC will be tacked on after all other penalties.

Team A can accept one of the listed non-OC and non-UR penalties. I am going to assume that the DPI was a 15 yard version. They can also have BOTH the UR fouls since you can add as many of those as you like. So they can accept the roughing the passer and the face mask.

So the OPI and the DPI saw off evenly. This leaves two URs against B which are enforced consecutively to half the distance twice which puts the ball at the 2.5 yard line. It is also an automatic first down since there was no A URs.

Now the OC is applied after all other fouls. This moves the ball to the 12.5 yard line.

So we have Team A 1st and 10 at the B 12.5.

So even though Team B was guilty of 15+15+15=45 yards worth of accepted penalties and Team was only guilty of 15+10=25 yards of accepted penalties, due to restrictions near the goal line and order of enforcement, Team A loses 2.5 yards!

There two on the offense you have forgot. Illegal Motion and Illegal Shift.

JR was quoting Canadian rules where we have no illegal motion or illegal shifts.

Now for NFHS rules for your first part (13 on the field) you'd only have one penalty. Illegal substitution. We're not going to play with 13 on the field.

Re: Canadian Ruling
 

Too much! I wasn't even going for such an effect!