Measurement

[ajmc]

Sometimes it's easy to read more into a rule than is intended. A team is limited from substituting a ball within a series of downs, but there is no prohibition, or limit, relating to officials substituting a ball when circumstances dictate, because such a prohibition would be impractical and serve no rational purpose.

As long as the ball being substituted is an approved ball, which can either be a ball approved prior to the game, or any ball approved for use during the game, even if at the moment of exchange.

Above all else, the sensible application of rules requires common sense.