Foul by B

[DJ_NV]

Suudy's enforcements are correct in NF. In a) this is a running play so the end of the run is where A is tackled (the A25). Tack on 15 yards for the FM and repeat the down and you're back to where you started 2/20 @ A-40.

In b) this is loose-ball play, because we have a fumble (doesn't have to be a fumble, it could be any type of loose ball except an illegal forward passe.g. fumble, back. pass, any kick--legal or illegal--or a legal forward pass).

so therefore the BS is the previous spot, enforce 15 from the PS and it's 2/5 @ B-45.

Remember that before a COP, any runs (1 run or 50 runs) as long as any and all are followed by a loose ball (except an illegal FP) then all of the runs get rolled up into one and only one loose-ball play. Here is the key: The run has to end behind the NZ. Always, always, always... in order for this to be considered loose-ball play.

You could even have a run beyond the LOS, a fumble beyond the LOS, then have A recover and run the ball back behind the LOS and fumble it there and it's still loose-ball play because you had a run the ended behind the NZ before a COP. All of that nonsense gets wrapped up into one crazy loose-ball play.

So you ask yourself, why don't offensive players deliberately pass the ball backward behind the NZ if B fouls for sure, i.e. a quarterback getting tackled by the face mask on a sack? Seems to make sense, they get "free" penalty yardage as opposed to if he got tackled in possession of the ball. Realistically, very few coaches or players if any will have their wits about them in the situation to know to do this, plus the risk of doing so strategically, etc... In other words, probably not going to be the best decision from a player/coach standpoint especially when they're going to get the down over.

So then you ask yourself, why doesn't the Fed change the rule so that this isn't even an option? The NCAA has this. The basic spot for a running-play that ends behind the LOS is the previous spot. (Runs that end beyond the NZ and runs that end after a COP are still enforced from the EOR). With this enforcement, the defense doesn't get 'free' yardage because of their foul (sack for a 20 yd. loss even with a 5 yard FM is still a net loss of 15 yard for A even with a repeat of the down)



The reason the Fed will not change this rule is that they feel that the benefits of not having an exception to penalty enforcement and therefore giving away occasional 'free' yardage to B greatly outweigh the potential drawbacks of incorrectly enforcing fouls and having yet another 'exception'.