2015 CFOA TestMost Missed Questions

“We are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full

well we will not catch it; because nothing is perfect. But we

are going to relentlessly chase it, because in the process we

will catch excellence. I am not remotely interested in just

being good.”

— Vince Lombardi

#43 (22% answered correctly)

Q: Illegal participation can be a non-player foul.

#43 (22% answered correctly)

Q: Illegal participation can be a non-player foul.

A: False (2-16-2f; 9-6-3, 4)

DISCUSSION

A non-player foul is a non contact foul that occurs either while the ball is dead or during that is not IP or doesn’t influence the play.

2-16-2f: Nonplayer or unsportsmanlike – a noncontact (other than unintentional contact as specified in 9-4-8) foul while the ball is dead or during the down which is not illegal participation and does not influence the play in progress.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• A non-player foul is always enforced from where the play ends (succeeding spot), the same as a dead-ball foul.

• A non-player foul is not simply any foul by a non-player.• There are only 3 non-player fouls:– Replaced player enters field during down and doesn’t

participate - 5 yd penalty (3-7-6).– Contact sideline interference – first offense – 15 yd penalty

(9-4-8).– Any violation of Rule 9-8.

#84 (29% answered correctly)

Q: Fourth and 10 on the K-30. After giving a valid fair catch signal at the R-45, R22 muffs the ball. The ball hits the ground and is loose when R22 blocks K82 in the back above the waist at the R-45. R23 recovers the loose ball at the R-48.

#84 (29% answered correctly)

Q: Fourth and 10 on the K-30. After giving a valid fair catch signal at the R-45, R22 muffs the ball. The ball hits the ground and is loose when R22 blocks K82 in the back above the waist at the R-45. R23 recovers the loose ball at the R-48.

A: E. Team R’s ball, first and 10 at the R-30 (9-3-3Pen)

DISCUSSION

A receiver who gives any type of FC signal cannot block until the kick has ended. That is usually synonymous with the end of the play.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The penalty for any type of block after giving a signal is 15 yards – it doesn’t matter what type of block it is.

Do not confuse a block after giving a FC signal with a typical block in the back. A block in the back is a 10-yard penalty and the penalty for a block after giving a FC signal is a 15-yard penalty.

#80 (33% answered correctly)

Q: R20 has one foot out of bounds behind his own goal line when he touches K72’s free kick, which is otherwise untouched and is rolling at the R-2.

#80 (33% answered correctly)

Q: R20 has one foot out of bounds behind his own goal line when he touches K72’s free kick, which is otherwise untouched and is rolling at the R-2.

A: D. Free kick out of bounds (6-1-8).

DISCUSSION

The ball never touched anything inbounds (2-29-3).

6-1-9: A free kick shall not be kicked out of bounds between the goal lines untouched inbounds by R.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

A loose ball (the kick) is OOB at the foremost point of the ball when it touches anything that is OOB (a player) (2-29-3).

#88 (49% answered correctly)

Q: Fourth and seven on the K-10. K38, in position to punt, muffs the snap from center. To prevent Team R from recovering the ball, K38 bats it backward at the K-2 and into and out of the end zone.

#88 (49% answered correctly)

Q: Fourth and seven on the K-10. K38, in position to punt, muffs the snap from center. To prevent Team R from recovering the ball, K38 bats it backward at the K-2 and into and out of the end zone.

A: D. If the penalty is accepted, it is a Team K’s ball, fourth and 16 at the K-1 (10-5-2; 9-7Pen; 10-1-5).

DISCUSSION

The result of the play is a safety but the question asks about acceptance of the penalty for illegal batting.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The penalty is enforced half-the-distance from the spot of the foul. There is no loss of down.

Note: Don’t just assume the other team will decline the penalty and accept the safety, make sure you give the captain/coach the options and let them decide.

#100 (55% answered correctly)

Q: With first and 10 from A's 10-yard line, A8 drops back into his end zone, where he is tackled by the face mask/helmet opening and fumbles. The ball rolls out of bounds at the A-5. What is the ruling?

#100 (55% answered correctly)

Q: With first and 10 from A's 10-yard line, A8 drops back into his end zone, where he is tackled by the face mask/helmet opening and fumbles. The ball rolls out of bounds at the A-5. What is the ruling?

A: D. Following penalty administration, A’s ball, 1 & 10 @the A-25 (10-3-1 Note, 10-3-1c, 10-4-2b)

DISCUSSION

Because there was a fumble behind the NZ, it is a loose-ball play and the penalty is enforced from the previous spot (basic spot).

Note: 10-4-7 applies only to running plays and a fumble in the EZ during a running play can only occur after a change of possession. If the fumble occurs before possession changes, it would be in A’s EZ and thus behind the NZ making it a loose-ball play.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The difference between a loose-ball play and a running play.

The enforcement spot is the previous spot and not the goal line. We all understand the difference between a loose-ball play and a running play. Almost always, the type of play is readily apparent, but in this case the fumble changes it from a running play to a loose-ball play because the fumble occurs behind the line of scrimmage. If he doesn’t fumble, it remains a running play and the enforcement spot is the goal line.

Additional Notes• A loose ball is not always equivalent to a “loose ball play”.• 2-33-1: A loose-ball play is action during:

a) A free kick or scrimmage kick other than post-scrimmage kick foulsb) A legal forward passc) 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.• 2-33-2: A running play is any action not included in Article 1, including the related

run as in 2-41-9a.• Fumbles, etc, BEYOND THE NEUTRAL ZONE, while “loose balls”, are not “loose ball

plays”. The term “loose ball play” is important for penalty enforcement. A fumble beyond the NZ is a running play followed by a loose ball – the enforcement of fouls during the loose ball would be based on the basic spot of the end of the run (as opposed to previous spot, as is the case for “loose ball plays”).

More Case Examples

PLAY 1: A8 throws a forward pass which is intercepted by B20 in his end zone. As he begins to run, he is tackled by his facemask by A88 and fumbles the ball which rolls forward and out of bounds at the B-2.

RULING: B’s ball, 1st and 10 from the B-35.

RUNNING PLAY. End of run is in end zone, and so since it would have otherwise been a touchback, the basic spot is the 20 yard line. (10-4-6)

More Case Examples

PLAY 2: A8 throws a forward pass which is intercepted by B20 at the B-5. In order to evade tacklers, he circles back into the end zone where he is tackled by his facemask by A84 and fumbles the ball which rolls forward and out of bounds at the B-3.

RULING: B’s ball, 1st and 10 from the B-15.

RUNNING PLAY. End of run is in end zone, and so since it would have otherwise been a safety, the basic spot is the goal line. (10-4-7)

More Case Examples

PLAY 3: First and 10 on the A-10. A8 drops back into his end zone, where he is tackled by his face mask by B96 and fumbles. The ball rolls out of bounds at the A-5.

RULING: A’s ball, 1st and 10 from the A-25.

LOOSE BALL PLAY. Fumble occurred behind neutral zone, so basic spot is the previous spot, regardless of where A8 was tackled.

#85 (55% answered correctly)

Q: Second and 10 on the A-30. A11 throws a deep pass and B24 goes through A88’s back to intercept the ball. Before the BJ can get his flag out, and while the ball is still live, a Team A assistant coach comes on to the field to protest the play.

#85 (55% answered correctly)

Q: Second and 10 on the A-30. A11 throws a deep pass and B24 goes through A88’s back to intercept the ball. Before the BJ can get his flag out, and while the ball is still live, a Team A assistant coach comes on to the field to protest the play.

A: C. Team A’s ball, first and 10 at the A-30 (2-32-10, 10-2-1a; FUND IX-5).

DISCUSSION

The DPI is a live-ball foul and the USC on the coach is enforced as dead-ball foul.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Both penalties are enforced in the order of their occurrence.

USC’s are enforced as a dead-ball foul even if they occur while the ball is live, unless they cancel another dead-ball foul.

Note: the new rule change about offsetting fouls only applies to 15-yard dead ball fouls (including USC and non-player fouls). Live ball fouls are not part of the change and will never “offset” a dead-ball foul.

#23 (57% answered correctly)

Q: When the runner is airborne and the ball is beyond the sideline plane, the goal line includes the extension beyond the sideline.

#23 (57% answered correctly)

Q: When the runner is airborne and the ball is beyond the sideline plane, the goal line includes the extension beyond the sideline.

A: False (8-2-1a)

DISCUSSION

When the runner is airborne and he goes OOB, the progress spot is where the ball crossed the sideline.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The extension of the goal line only applies to inbounds runners. To be ruled inbounds, the runner must have a portion of his body touching the ground inbounds. A runner who is airborne is not touching inbounds.

#50 (58% answered correctly)

Q: A foul that occurs simultaneously with the snap is an exception to the all-but-one enforcement principle.

#50 (58% answered correctly)

Q: A foul that occurs simultaneously with the snap is an exception to the all-but-one enforcement principle.

A: True (Fund X-3a).

DISCUSSION

The question involves semantics to a degree. A better way to state this is “A foul that occurs simultaneously with the snap is enforced under the all-but-one enforcement principle.”

The all-but-one enforcement principle (which contains an exception, does not apply to fouls that occur simultaneously with the snap.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Fouls that occur simultaneously with the snap are always enforced from the previous spot. They are:Illegal MotionIllegal ShiftIllegal FormationIllegal NumberingSelected forms of Illegal Substitution and Illegal participation.

#87 (58% answered correctly)

Q: Punt receiver R19 catches the ball at his nine yard line, circles back into the end zone, and is tackled there. During R19's run, K64 commits a personal foul at the B-10.

#87 (58% answered correctly)

Q: Punt receiver R19 catches the ball at his nine yard line, circles back into the end zone, and is tackled there. During R19's run, K64 commits a personal foul at the B-10.

A: B. Team R’s ball, first and 10 at the B-15 (10-5-2; FUND X-7).

DISCUSSIONR19 voluntarily took the ball into the EZ.

The result of a play is a safety.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

When the play results in a safety, the basic spot for fouls by the team not in possession is the goal line.

Fouls by the team not in possession (the ‘defense’) are not enforced from the spot of the foul unless that spot is coincidentally the basic spot.

#21 (60% answered correctly)

Q: There can be only one loose-ball play during any down.

#21 (60% answered correctly)

Q: There can be only one loose-ball play during any down.

A: True (Fund IX-6).

DISCUSSION

Any action which precedes a loose-ball becomes part of the loose-ball play. For example, a QB scramble (a run), precedes a pass (a loose-ball); the preceding scramble is treated as part of the loose-ball play.

Note: If there are multiple loose balls that qualify for a “loose ball play”, they all wrap into a single “loose ball play” for enforcement purposes, meaning that the basic spot is the previous spot.As another example, a scramble, a fumble, a recovery (by the fumbling player), and then a pass is all considered to be a single “loose ball play” for enforcement.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

There can be multiple running plays during the down, but they must all be after any loose-ball play.

#86 (65% answered correctly)

Q: Second and eight on the B-40. A10’s pass is intercepted by B23 at the B-20. After the interception and during the return, B55 blocks A88 in the back at the B-30. At the A-45, A78 grabs and twists B23’s facemask. Then B23 fumbles the ball. A32 recovers the ball at the A-40.

#86 (65% answered correctly)

Q: Second and eight on the B-40. A10’s pass is intercepted by B23 at the B-20. After the interception and during the return, B55 blocks A88 in the back at the B-30. At the A-45, A78 grabs and twists B23’s facemask. Then B23 fumbles the ball. A32 recovers the ball at the A-40.

A: A. Team A’s ball, second and eight on the B-40 (10-2-1b; FUND IX-5).

DISCUSSION

This is a double foul and the penalties offset; the down is replayed.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The team in final possession, Team A, did not get the ball with clean hands so there are no options to the double foul.

The fact that the Team B got the ball before they fouled (with clean hands) is irrelevant because they did not have possession when the play ended.

10-2-1 – It is a double foul if both teams commit fouls, other than nonplayer or unsportsmanlike, during the same live-ball period in which: (b) There is a change of team possession, and the team in possession at the end of the down fouls prior to final change of possession unless all fouls committed by R are post-scrimmage kick fouls.

#7 (67% answered correctly)

Q: If a player possesses the ball while airborne and is driven out-of-bounds by a defensive tackler prior to touching grounds inbounds, it may be ruled a catch.

#7 (67% answered correctly)

Q: If a player possesses the ball while airborne and is driven out-of-bounds by a defensive tackler prior to touching grounds inbounds, it may be ruled a catch.

A: False (2-4-1).

DISCUSSION

This is commonly known as a force out and it is no longer a catch.

Note: It doesn’t matter which direction the player was pushed – forward, backward, or sideways.

2-4-1 – A catch is the act of establishing player possession of a live ball which is in flight, and first contacting the ground inbounds while maintaining possession of the ball or having the forward progress of the player in possession stopped while the opponent is carrying the player who is in possession and inbounds.

There used to be provisions for direction, but those were removed a few years ago.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

To make a catch, an airborne player who secures the ball must first return to the ground with a part of his body regardless of any contact by the defense unless he caught and carried OOB.

• In football, carried is not synonymous with driven. – Carried means caught and transported without touching

the ground.– Driven means pushed, shoved, knocked, etc.