Foul Behind the Basic Spot

[MTUMP]

To me a simply reply is one a friend on this forum uses a lot...>Read Rule 2!

Rule 2-33
ART. 1 . . . A loose-ball play is action during:
a. A free kick or scrimmage kick other than post-scrimmage kick fouls.
b. A legal forward pass.
c. A backward pass (including the snap), an illegal kick or fumble made by A from in or behind the neutral zone prior to a change of team possession.
d. The run or runs which precedes such legal or illegal kick, legal forward pass, backward pass or fumble..

Thus, the run/actiojn PRECEDING the loose ball make is covered under a loose ball play. The run AFTER the loose ball is enforced as a running play (2-33-2)

Rule 2-33 ART. 2 . . . A running play is any action not included in Article 1, including the related run as in 2-41-9a.

Seems straight-forward.

[HLin NC]

Yes, you enforced it correctly. The end of the run was where the QB was brought down- which you state was by the face mask- which leads me to wonder should it not have been a 15 yard personal foul. The five yard penalty is for grasping the facemask. If it was enough to tackle him with it you've got a different foul altogether.

[Welpe]

A tackle by the facemask is going to be 15 yards every time.

As MTUMP said, this goes back to the Rule 2 definition. In this case, the type of play was a running play which makes the basic spot the end of the run.

Under all but one, fouls by the defense are always enforced from the basic spot.

[robert.gdp]

The facemask mask was incidental. During the tackle the facemask was grabbed. But either way, the fact regarding the basic spot remains unchanged according to this reference which is quoted from the book, word for word.

"While it is possible to have several running plays during a down, with each one having its own basic spot for penalty enforcement (where the related run ended), there can only be one loose ball play during a down. Rule 10-3-1d states in part" also includes the run (or runs) which precedes such legal pass, legal or illegal kick or fumble" (from in or behind the neutral zone). This means it includes all actions from the time of the snap to the end of the "loose-ball play." When any foul occurs during a free kick, scrimmage kick, legal forward pass, backward pass (including the snap) or fumble made by A from in or behind the neutral zone - even if several of these actions happen during the same down - the basic spot remains the same: the previous spot, which is the spot of the snap or free kick (Football Fundamental IX-6; 10.4.2 SITUATION B COMMENT)."

The above paragraph is saying that anything behind the Line of Scrimmage (LOS) remains a loose ball play until the ball goes beyond the LOS. From the NFHS 2014 Rules by Topic, page 245, 10.4.2 SITUATION B re-enforce this statement.

Originally Posted by Welpe

A tackle by the facemask is going to be 15 yards every time.

As MTUMP said, this goes back to the Rule 2 definition. In this case, the type of play was a running play which makes the basic spot the end of the run.

Under all but one, fouls by the defense are always enforced from the basic spot.

[HLin NC]

Read this part again..."A loose-ball play is action during....."

then this..."The run or runs which precedes"

The snap had ended when the ball was possessed. The run did not precede the backward pass (snap) it followed.

[robert.gdp]

I understand exactly what you mean. But the point I believe you are missing is that, the play starts with a loose ball play. Which is the snap. Key words, "(In or Behind the Neutral Zone)" any actions from the snap, to the legal forward pass down field, is consider a loose ball play. Once a forward pass has happen, and in possession, now you have a running play unless there is a fumble or backward pass. If the ball is handed off, you still have a loose ball play while again, the keys (In or Behind the Neutral zone). Once beyond the neutral, you start another action. Take a look at rules by topic 10.4.2 SITUATION B, scenario (b) reinforce that.

Originally Posted by HLin NC

Read this part again..."A loose-ball play is action during....."

then this..."The run or runs which precedes"

The snap had ended when the ball was possessed. The run did not precede the backward pass (snap) it followed.

[bisonlj]

I believe you are misreading the statement and rule.

The actions which result in a loose ball play happen in or behind the neutral zone (pass, fumble, kick, etc.), but the rule clearly states these actions all end when it is possessed or otherwise declared dead. So if the loose ball action is a forward pass, the pass ends when it is caught or incomplete. The loose ball play will include anything up to the end of the pass. The same thing for a fumble behind the line of scrimmage. It ends when the ball is possessed or otherwise declared dead. That also ends the loose ball play. If the ball is then passed, kicked or fumbled again behind the line of scrimmage, the length of the loose ball play is now extended.

Often the determination of loose ball plays and running plays during a down aren't determined until the down is complete. That's why we mark fumbles beyond the neutral zone with bean bags.

Please keep asking questions. The penalty enforcement rules can be very complex, but once you understand the concepts of basic spot, types of play and all-but-one, it becomes much more clear.

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by robert.gdp

I understand exactly what you mean. But the point I believe you are missing is that, the play starts with a loose ball play. Which is the snap. Key words, "(In or Behind the Neutral Zone)" any actions from the snap, to the legal forward pass down field, is consider a loose ball play. Once a forward pass has happen, and in possession, now you have a running play unless there is a fumble or backward pass.

This is all correct.

Originally Posted by robert.gdp

If the ball is handed off, you still have a loose ball play while again, the keys (In or Behind the Neutral zone). Once beyond the neutral, you start another action.

This is where you are incorrect. A handoff is not something that triggers a loose ball play. Even if it did, there is nothing that says it remains a loose ball play UNTIL it crosses the neutral zone. A backward pass triggers a loose ball play if it happens in or behind the neutral zone, but it does not if it happen beyond the neutral zone. The loose ball play ends though once the backward pass is caught or otherwise declared dead.

Hope that helps!

[Matt]

Originally Posted by robert.gdp

I understand exactly what you mean. But the point I believe you are missing is that, the play starts with a loose ball play. Which is the snap. Key words, "(In or Behind the Neutral Zone)" any actions from the snap, to the legal forward pass down field, is consider a loose ball play. Once a forward pass has happen, and in possession, now you have a running play unless there is a fumble or backward pass. If the ball is handed off, you still have a loose ball play while again, the keys (In or Behind the Neutral zone). Once beyond the neutral, you start another action. Take a look at rules by topic 10.4.2 SITUATION B, scenario (b) reinforce that.

The only loose-ball play on this is the snap. That loose-ball play ended when the QB gained possession. Anything that happens after that in this play is a run, because you can't have something that precedes something that didn't happen (the pass that never came.) If there had been another pass thrown, then you would have a loose-ball play ending with that pass.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by robert.gdp

But the point I believe you are missing is that,

Um. You have this backward. He, we, everyone here understands this enforcement perfectly. We have to. We see it literally a thousand times a season.

You don't. And you're not listening. Stop arguing and start listening.

[robert.gdp]

I agree with most of what you have said. but there is one important fact that is left out.

THIS IS COMING STRAIGHT OUT THE BOOK AS IT IS WRITTEN. I Quote,

"While it is possible to have several running plays during a down, with each one having its own basic spot for penalty enforcement (where the related run ended), there can only be one loose ball play during a down. Rule 10-3-1d states in part" also includes the run (or runs) which precedes such legal pass, legal or illegal kick or fumble" (from in or behind the neutral zone). This means it includes all actions from the time of the snap to the end of the "loose-ball play." When any foul occurs during a free kick, scrimmage kick, legal forward pass, backward pass (including the snap) or fumble made by A from in or behind the neutral zone - even if several of these actions happen during the same down - the basic spot remains the same: the previous spot, which is the spot of the snap or free kick (Football Fundamental IX-6; 10.4.2 SITUATION B COMMENT)."


The above paragraph is saying that anything behind the Line of Scrimmage (LOS) remains a loose ball play until the ball goes beyond the LOS. From the NFHS 2014 Rules by Topic, page 245, 10.4.2 SITUATION B re-enforce this statement.

Originally Posted by MTUMP

To me a simply reply is one a friend on this forum uses a lot...>Read Rule 2!

Rule 2-33
ART. 1 . . . A loose-ball play is action during:
a. A free kick or scrimmage kick other than post-scrimmage kick fouls.
b. A legal forward pass.
c. A backward pass (including the snap), an illegal kick or fumble made by A from in or behind the neutral zone prior to a change of team possession.
d. The run or runs which precedes such legal or illegal kick, legal forward pass, backward pass or fumble..

Thus, the run/actiojn PRECEDING the loose ball make is covered under a loose ball play. The run AFTER the loose ball is enforced as a running play (2-33-2)

Rule 2-33 ART. 2 . . . A running play is any action not included in Article 1, including the related run as in 2-41-9a.

Seems straight-forward.