The call?

[Rick KY]

You should have nothing but a warning for the offending player, since you need to see if the mouthpiece was hanging loose or in his mouth at the snap. If it was in and came out during the play there is no foul.

If you see the thing hanging loose you should warn the player to put it in his mouth before the snap to prevent a foul. Officials should try very hard to handle this situation using preventive officiating, this foul call should be discouraged. I'm not saying ignore it. If you throw a flag before the snap, you've got delay of game. After the snap you've got failure to wear required equipment during a down.

Handle it before the snap and you avoid a foul, or limit the penalty to 5 yards.
After the snap it's a 15 yarder.

Appreciate the course in preventative officiating, BUT can I get the original question answered?

Apparently the mouthpiece hadn't been seen swinging prior to the snap (freshman game w/3 man crew 1 no show) thus the foul after the snap but before the fumble recovery by Team B.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: Just to review...failure to have the proper equipment, e.g. not having a mouthpiece, or wearing illegal equipment is a 15-yard penalty. Having the proper equipment but not wearing it properly during the down is a 5-yard penalty from the succeeding spot.

[andy1033]

1.5.6 Failure to wear required equipment during a down is 15 yd . Failure to properly wear equpment when ball is about to come alive is 5 yds. If you want the answer to your question, no they do not have to decline the penalty to keep the ball as this is a USC foul, succeding spot enforcement.

How can you call failure to wear equipment if you don't know when it came out, during the down. If it is out before the down starts you should then whistle if you are going to call this not after play starts.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Ch1town

Appreciate the course in preventative officiating, BUT can I get the original question answered?

Apparently the mouthpiece hadn't been seen swinging prior to the snap (freshman game w/3 man crew 1 no show) thus the foul after the snap but before the fumble recovery by Team B.

You didn't read carefully enough. Seeing it dangle during the play is NOTHING. You MUST assume it came out after the snap since you didn't see it before the snap.