Equipment fouls

[Bullycon]

RichMSN's reply to my mouthpiece story got me thinking a little more about equipment-related fouls and how little I understood them. So I've summarized my understanding of them below. Does anyone see anything wrong below?

There are three fouls that can be called regarding player equipment:
1) Failure to wear required equipment during a down. (1-5-6)
2) Failure to wear required equipment just before the snap. (3-6-2d)
3) Failure of the head coach to have his players wear required equipment. (9-8-1h, referencing 1-5-2, 1-5-3, 1-5-5)

So, what circumstances call for each foul? A few scenarios, with my assumed rulings:

A: Official observes player without a mouthpiece as the ball is about to be snapped.
Kill play and administer 5-yard penalty for delay?

B: Official observes player without a mouthpiece an instant after the ball is snapped.
5 yards, live-ball, succeeding spot? (Or kill the play immediately and penalize for delay?)

C: Official observes an unbuckled chin strap halfway into play.
No foul, since it cannot be assumed it has been this way since the snap?

D: Official observes a player as he unbuckles his chin strap during the down.
5 yards, succeeding spot?

E: Official observes a player as the down ends who has the bottom of his jersey tied into a knot.
15 yards, succeeding spot, charged to head coach?

F: Official observes a player with a knot-like jersey as the ball is about to be snapped.
Delay? Or 15 yard USC? Kill it before the snap in either case.

G:From an actual youth scrimmage this year:
As the team breaks the huddle, the coach points out one of his players and says, "He lost his mouthpiece, is he OK?" I said, "No, he cannot play without a mouthpiece." They replaced him and the game continued.

Assume the coach doesn't speak to me, a play is run, and after the play, I notice the kid does not have a mouthpiece. The coach then says, "He lost it on the previous play." 15 yard USC here? The coach just admitted he let a player play knowing he was missing required equipment.

[Canned Heat]

Preventive officiating will prevent most of these, if not all of them. Take a good look at the teams prior to the first whistle and you'll catch alot of stuff..like those stinking chin strap cover sleeves that are still IE. I think you're slightly borrowing trouble in a few of these examples. Tell the kids to get their equipment in check. We do this every single time prior to a kick off or timeout of any variety. If the kid has a mouthguard missing, he needs one and has to go. Only if the coach is really intent on skirting a rule and putting his kids or the opponents at risk would I penalize 15 yards for equipment in most cases. We have some of these and issues with towels on occasion. Nip it early and with a warning and all is usually good.

Example in E: If you did not see the kid tie it and did not notice it prior to kickoff, you'd be better off telling the kid to untie the knot and tuck it in rather than zapping the coach for 15 without at least a warning. This would be the start of a LONG day of officiating and a subsequent pissing match IMO..

[ajmc]

I agree with your logic, but I'm not allowing anyone to untie a knot on the field. The first (and hopefully only time) I'll see it, I'm sending hime off the field and not delaying anything - he leaves.

If a coach were to complain, I'd give him the choice of fixing what I suggested he fix, or accepting the USC penalty I declined to levy. If it should happen a second time, with the same or a different player, I'd flag it.

If observed before a play starts, I'd simply send the player off and would not extend the RFP, if a replacement was not readily available the options are take a charged TO or risk a delay of game foul.

[Bullycon]

Thanks for the responses, guys.

You're absolutely right on preventive officiating. I'm just wanting to make sure I have the appropriate rule for each situation.