4th quarter, White leads Blue 14-10 with 50 seconds to play. Blue has the ball 4th & 9 from White's 19 yard line. Blue #39 runs a sweep to the right side but is forced out of bounds at the 14 yard line, short of the first down. After #39 goes out of bounds, he is hit by White #27. What's the foul, what are Blue's options, who's ball is it, what yard line will the ball next be put in play at and when will the clock start?

Dead ball foul.
 

Blue did not make the line to gain, so white is going to be awarded with a first down. You of course have a dead-ball foul with the late hit. So you will have white's ball, 1st and 10 and 15 yards from the spot of where the ball went out of bounds.

Peace

And, the clock starts on the snap following the change of possession.

is this a half the distance,... the ball goes out at the 14.... half the distance to the 7? or is it a saftey?

Half the distance to the 7. No penalty can force the ball from the field of play.

1&10 or 1&17?

1-10. You can only have first and more than 10 if there was a dead ball foul after the chains were set for the next series.

Then what is so tricky about the example above? There is something missing.

The trick is Blue does not get to keep the ball with White's foul. Blue did not reach the line to gain during the down. White's foul is a dead ball foul meaning the change of possession has already occurred.

For those who may not know there is the thought that Blue should keep the ball because White fouled.

Great situation.

Canadian Amateur Rules:

The foul is Unnecessary Roughness, 15y or half the distance.

The ball is dead when B-39 runs OOB @ A14 (1-8-1b). Yards were not gained on 4th down, therefore the continuity of downs have been broken (9-4-2b), therefore it is now A's ball.

Option (1): Blue can decline the penalty and the clock will start on the snap (1-5-1f), A 1D/10 @ A14.

Option (2): Blue can accept the penalty, a UR penalty, penalized half the distance to the goal line, and the clock will start on the snap (1-5-1f), A 1D/10 @ A7.

Mike