Obscure Rules in football

[Necked]

After reading about that seldom seen rule about hitting the center on FG snaps, it got me to wondering what other obscure/seldom-if-ever called rules exist. Anybody happen to know of any?

[Emerson1]

After reading about that seldom seen rule about hitting the center on FG snaps, it got me to wondering what other obscure/seldom-if-ever called rules exist. Anybody happen to know of any?
Are you saying rules that ate constantly broken and never called? Or rules every coach knows so they avoid doing it like this one?

[Necked]

Well, we all know holding happens on every play, but I'm interested on the ones that you seldom see, or even know about. For example, I think there is one that states a team can get an uncontested field goal try after any fair catch.

[DUKE22]

Pushing, pulling, or assisting a ball carrier in any way. You know 4th and goal from the 1, the two backs push the QB into the endzone. This hardly ever gets called.

[Txbroadcaster]

Well, we all know holding happens on every play, but I'm interested on the ones that you seldom see, or even know about. For example, I think there is one that states a team can get an uncontested field goal try after any fair catch.


they can get a drop kick not a true FG

[eagles_victory]

Well, we all know holding happens on every play, but I'm interested on the ones that you seldom see, or even know about. For example, I think there is one that states a team can get an uncontested field goal try after any fair catch. I wish they would call this more. I have seen it called in a few jr high games but that is it.

[TexMike]

Well, we all know holding happens on every play, but I'm interested on the ones that you seldom see, or even know about. For example, I think there is one that states a team can get an uncontested field goal try after any fair catch.

Depends what rules you are talking about. This may be true in the NFL or National Fed of State HS's but not true in NCAA (which is what we use for HS football in Texas). Making a fair catch does not give you the right to an uncontested FG attempt (place kick or drop kick).

Seldomly seen fouls include playong with cleats that are too long, alteration of playing surface for an advantage, planned loose ball play, delaying the start of a half, noise by persons subject to the rules, intentionally contacting an official, not wearing mandatory equipment, and prohibited signal devices.

[Additup]

Depends what rules you are talking about. This may be true in the NFL or National Fed of State HS's but not true in NCAA (which is what we use for HS football in Texas). Making a fair catch does not give you the right to an uncontested FG attempt (place kick or drop kick).

Seldomly seen fouls include playong with cleats that are too long, alteration of playing surface for an advantage, planned loose ball play, delaying the start of a half, noise by persons subject to the rules, intentionally contacting an official, not wearing mandatory equipment, and prohibited signal devices.
The nfl rules Have the free kick after a fair catch possibility... ncaa rule I miss was removed a few years ago. It allowed the team that just got scored on to kick off instead of receive the ball. It gave you a way to force a team to go 80 yards for a score instead of just going 40 yards if they recovered an onside kick. Referee chaos trying to get everyone to understand what was happening, so they took it out about 5 years ago... if john tyler would have used that rule against Plano East in '94, the greatest finish of a high school football game would never have happened!

[Additup]

Seen any hs games where an official has called unsportsmanlike as a player is going into the endzone this year? It's a live ball foul this year, so 6 points come off the board AND it's a 15 yard penalty from wherever it happened... be careful stepping into this one officials - VERY subjective situation in a close game or on game winning touchdowns.

[TexMike]

Seen any hs games where an official has called unsportsmanlike as a player is going into the endzone this year? It's a live ball foul this year, so 6 points come off the board AND it's a 15 yard penalty from wherever it happened... be careful stepping into this one officials - VERY subjective situation in a close game or on game winning touchdowns.

You asked for it, you got it Toyota..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOcyzgnyhGw

[Old Tiger]

You asked for it, you got it Toyota..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOcyzgnyhGwThat is such bullcrap.





Also it is unsportsman like conduct for a punter or kicker to fake getting hit but its never called.

[eagles_victory]

That is such bullcrap.





Also it is unsportsman like conduct for a punter or kicker to fake getting hit but its never called. The new unsportsmanlike penalties being able to take points off the board has gotta be the worst rule. A lot of refs are already out there trying to be the show and be seen enough already this gives them even more of a platform.

[TexMike]

And how many times this year have you seen it used?

[YTBulldogs]

You asked for it, you got it Toyota..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOcyzgnyhGw

Lord, that's weak Mike. I'd never call that ULC. Now, had he turned and pointed at that defender from the 3, yes. Certainly, they don't want us calling this a new foul do they?

Really didn't see what he did wrong on the video. They calling raising the ball?

What chapter was this that made the call?

[VWG]

And how many times this year have you seen it used?



crickets.........

[TexMike]

Lord, that's weak Mike. I'd never call that ULC. Now, had he turned and pointed at that defender from the 3, yes. Certainly, they don't want us calling this a new foul do they?

Really didn't see what he did wrong on the video. They calling raising the ball?

What chapter was this that made the call?
At that moment, the covering official felt the raising of the ball over the head warranted the flag. I suspect were he asked today he might say it was NOT warranted. Not to excuse him at all but when players do anything except complete the TD they place themseleves in danger as the rule itself is so subjetive it is left to the discretion of the official if the act went over the line or not. In fact the guidance from the rulebook editor is, "if it feels wrong, flag it".

It was not a cghpater that made the call, it was an indivudual offical (and only 1 of the entire 5 man crew).

[YTBulldogs]

In fact the guidance from the rulebook editor is, "if it feels wrong, flag it".

It was not a chapter that made the call, it was an indivudual offical (and only 1 of the entire 5 man crew).

True that. Just can't believe an official would have a "wrong feeling" when he raised the ball prior to scoring.

[Snotbubbles]

A high-five from the BJ was more warranted then a flag on this play. Hope the team ended up scoring after the mark off? Hate to see this (just raising the ball in the air) cost someone the game.

[Necked]

Also it is unsportsman like conduct for a punter or kicker to fake getting hit but its never called.

How is this penalty assessed? Is it a live ball foul? Every USC I remember seeing was a dead ball infraction.

[YTBulldogs]

How is this penalty assessed? Is it a live ball foul? Every USC I remember seeing was a dead ball infraction.

This year, if the player conducts a ULC prior to scoring, it's treated as a live ball and marked off from where the ULC began. New rule change the coaches implemented for this year. If the ULC happens after he scores, then it's treated like it always has been, a deadball option.

[Necked]

Here is another situation I've been thinking about & ya'll may be able to solve for me:
Team A attempts a 2pt conversion. Team B intercepts & has a clear path to the endzone. The runner is brought down from behind using a horse collar tackle or the facemask. How would that penalty be assessed? Do the officials have the option to award team B the 2 points in that situation?

[YTBulldogs]

Here is another situation I've been thinking about & ya'll may be able to solve for me:
Team A attempts a 2pt conversion. Team B intercepts & has a clear path to the endzone. The runner is brought down from behind using a horse collar tackle or the facemask. How would that penalty be assessed? Do the officials have the option to award team B the 2 points in that situation?

Failed conversion. Enforce 15 yards on KO.

[NastySlot]

You asked for it, you got it Toyota..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOcyzgnyhGw


Southwest Dragon Stadium...nice stadium and setting.....as long as it doesn't rain too much.....seen it under water and only goal post showing on the field.

[Necked]

This year, if the player conducts a ULC prior to scoring, it's treated as a live ball and marked off from where the ULC began. New rule change the coaches implemented for this year. If the ULC happens after he scores, then it's treated like it always has been, a deadball option.

In this case it would be the Punter committing the USL infraction. How would you penalize the kicking team? Add to end of runback? I'm not even sure that faking being hit by the punter IS a penalty.

[YTBulldogs]

In this case it would be the Punter committing the USL infraction. How would you penalize the kicking team? I'm not even sure that faking being hit by the punter IS a penalty.

Yes, it's a penalty for faking being roughed by a punter/kicker/holder. 15-yards previous spot and re-punt or take the result of the play.

[Necked]

Yes, it's a penalty for faking being roughed by a punter/kicker/holder. 15-yards previous spot and re-punt or take the result of the play.

That has to be a tough one for officials to pull the trigger on. I saw that very situation a couple of weeks ago where the punter clearly fake it. While everyone turned to watch the flight of the ball I watched the punter writhing around on the ground holding his knee, & the official just wagged his finger at him.:tisk:

[YTBulldogs]

That has to be a tough one for officials to pull the trigger on. I saw that very situation a couple of weeks ago where the punter clearly fake it. While everyone turned to watch the flight of the ball I watched the punter writhing around on the ground holding his knee, & the official just wagged his finger at him.:tisk:

Yeah, I think that is how it's mainly handled.

[TexMike]

Here is another situation I've been thinking about & ya'll may be able to solve for me:
Team A attempts a 2pt conversion. Team B intercepts & has a clear path to the endzone. The runner is brought down from behind using a horse collar tackle or the facemask. How would that penalty be assessed? Do the officials have the option to award team B the 2 points in that situation? Since the foul happend AFTER the change of possession the penalty is declined by rule. The exceptions are for FLAGRANT personal fouls fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct. The penalties for those would carry over. If you judge the personal foul was FLAGRANT, then you MUST eject the offender also.

[hawkfan]

Pushing, pulling, or assisting a ball carrier in any way. You know 4th and goal from the 1, the two backs push the QB into the endzone. This hardly ever gets called.

Actually the rule is you CAN push the person you just can't pull them

[TexMike]

The rule is you cannot grasp. pull, push, lift or charge into a teammate who is a runner in order to assist hi in forward progress.

[Necked]

If you judge the personal foul was FLAGRANT, then you MUST eject the offender also.
Would fighting be the only time you would see this happen, or is there some other situation in which you might order an ejection?

[TexMike]

If you judge ANY personal foul was so extreme that it placed the player who was fouled in danger of catastrophic injury you should call the foul flagrant. And when you call it flagrant, an ejection is required. Could be clipping, could be targeting, could be roughing the kicker/holder/passer, etc

[Necked]

Yeah, I think that is how it's mainly handled.

Interesting. I dont know that I would be so cavalier about that if I were an official. You just know that coaches talk to punters about how to take advantage of the running into the kicker rule so I personally wouldnt mind penalizing them when they fail to pull it off...

[Necked]

If you judge ANY personal foul was so extreme that it placed the player who was fouled in danger of catastrophic injury you should call the foul flagrant. And when you call it flagrant, an ejection is required. Could be clipping, could be targeting, could be roughing the kicker/holder/passer, etc

I understand, thanks Mike...

[FB-fanatic]

Hurdling.

[Necked]

Hurdling.
Intersesting...what is the basis for calling this foul? I know I've seen runners jump a defender before, the Pearland runner in the championship game for example....

[TexMike]

The runner is exempt from hurdling foul. All others are prohibited from jumping feet first over an opponent who has no part of his body on the ground other than 1 or both feet. If player has one hand down for example and he is jumped over, that is not hurdling.

[Necked]

Thanks Mike. Hard to grasp that one. Had to google & find a video that showed it...

[oldtownag]

1 point Safety!

Texas vs. Texas A&M about 10 or 15 years ago.

[TexMike]

If you are referring to the play I think you are...It was the 2004 game. The holder muffed the snap and the kicker kicked it before holder could get it placed. By rule, that was an illegal kick as he was kicking a loose ball. Should have been a flag on Texas. Regardless, ball went to the line and an A & M player picked it up at about the 2. He then fumbled and ball went back into the A & M into the end zone where the Aggies recovered and were tackled. 1 point for the Horns (although should have been a penalty on Texas)

[Buff42]

When two trains meet each other at a railroad crossing, both must come to a full stop and neither may leave until the other is gone. Oh crap, wait, that's an obscure Texas Blue Law. My bad.

[FB-fanatic]

The runner is exempt from hurdling foul. All others are prohibited from jumping feet first over an opponent who has no part of his body on the ground other than 1 or both feet. If player has one hand down for example and he is jumped over, that is not hurdling.

Are you sure a runner is exempt:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAChvvvwPnc

I had read in the past that it was introduced in the 50's when some runners had used the technique of jumping and power kicking an opponent in the chest while running over them.

[TexMike]

I am 100 percent sure. The clip you have is from 1991.

[waterboy]

Has anybody ever seen this happen:

Team A is punting on 4th down. The punt goes basically straight up in the air and lands behind the line of scrimmage. Team A picks up the ball and runs it 65 yards for a TD.

I've seen this twice. In one game a punter muffs the punt, picks up the ball, runs around and finally gets the punt off. The punt is partially blocked and lands behind the line of scrimmage. A player on the punting team picks up the ball and runs it in for a score. Can he do that even though the punt was partially blocked?

The second time was the other night. The punt went almost straight up and actually landed almost a yard beyond the line of scrimmage, bounced back behind the line of scrimmage. A player on the punting team picked it up and ran it in for a score. The ruling on the field was that the ball didn't cross the line of scrimmage. I "thought" the ball had crossed the line of scrimmage, and so did a couple of thousand fans, but I wasn't positive until I looked at the video. Oh well, the right team won anyway, both times....:wave:

[TexMike]

If the punt does not cross the line of scrimmage, the offense can take the ball and run, pass, or kick it again.

[waterboy]

If the punt does not cross the line of scrimmage, the offense can take the ball and run, pass, or kick it again.
I know that's the rule, but what if the punt is partially blocked, does the offense still get to advance the ball if it doesn't cross the line of scrimmage? I didn't think they could do that.

I know the other one was a judgment call, where the ref didn't see where the ball bounced, but the first bounce was across the line of scrimmage so the ball should have been dead as soon as the punting team touched the ball. That was just a missed call.

[TexMike]

It does not matter if it is partially blocked, fully blocked or blocked not at all....if the kick does not cross the neutral zone, the offense can catch/recover it and run, pass, kick.

And on the 2d one..no the ball is not dead as soon as the punting team touches it. That is a spot of illegal touching and there should be a bean bag but the ball does not become dead unless the kickers take the ball into possession.

[waterboy]

It does not matter if it is partially blocked, fully blocked or blocked not at all....if the kick does not cross the neutral zone, the offense can catch/recover it and run, pass, kick.


Thanks for clearing that one up. I didn't know for sure.



And on the 2d one..no the ball is not dead as soon as the punting team touches it. That is a spot of illegal touching and there should be a bean bag but the ball does not become dead unless the kickers take the ball into possession.

So.....picking up the ball by the punting team doesn't count as taking the ball into possession? The ball bounced a yard beyond the line of scrimmage, bounced backward about 7 or 8 yards, a player on the punting team catches the ball on the bounce, and advances. Is this legal? I'm just trying to figure it out.

[TexMike]

You said: "I know the other one was a judgment call, where the ref didn't see where the ball bounced, but the first bounce was across the line of scrimmage so the ball should have been dead as soon as the punting team touched the ball."

What I am saying is the "touch" by itself does not cause ball to become dead. Certainly if the kickers pick the ball up they have taken it into possession and it becomes dead but just touching the ball is not the same. This is why it sometimes seems coaches and officials are not comunicating. We have to be precise with the words we use because rulings are much different based on the actual definition of whatever terms we are using.

[CenTexSports]

I like the rule that allow the Referee to award a touchdown if he deems it appropriate.

[waterboy]

You said: "I know the other one was a judgment call, where the ref didn't see where the ball bounced, but the first bounce was across the line of scrimmage so the ball should have been dead as soon as the punting team touched the ball."

What I am saying is the "touch" by itself does not cause ball to become dead. Certainly if the kickers pick the ball up they have taken it into possession and it becomes dead but just touching the ball is not the same. This is why it sometimes seems coaches and officials are not comunicating. We have to be precise with the words we use because rulings are much different based on the actual definition of whatever terms we are using.
Oh, I misunderstood what you were saying. Sorry, I don't why I said touch when I should have said possession. It should not have been a live ball after he took possession, right?. I can actually see how the ref would miss that call. It was CLOSE, and only on the replay was I sure. It was just one of those bad calls that happen in the heat of the game, and if not for the rarity of that play the ref would've been watching closer.

[TexMike]

Correct, if he took possession of a ball that had crossed the NZ it would become dead. That being said, if defense touched the ball in the act of trying to block it anywhere up to 3 yds beyond the NZ, then, by rule, you judge the kick did not cross the NZ.

[lostaussie]

If the punt does not cross the line of scrimmage, the offense can take the ball and run, pass, or kick it again.they sure can.............we've seen it twice:doh:Both times, as waterboy said, for TD's. Traylor didn't even argue this year:D well not much anyway:D

[Tx Challenge]

The one rule that a lot of us get confused on is encroachment. Offense or Defensive penalty? Here is a thread from several years ago that was eye opening to a lot of us.

http://bbs.3adownlow.com/vb/showthread.php?85559

[Additup]

1 point Safety!

Texas vs. Texas A&M about 10 or 15 years ago.

A 1 point safety is a good obscure one...PAT try is intercepted and defender goes back into the endzone after bringing it out and gets tackled in the end zone...won a few beverages over the years on the one point safety rule.