This document discusses penalty enforcement rules and mechanics. It outlines basic enforcement spots for different types of plays and fouls. It provides guidance on signaling penalties to the referee, communicating with other officials, and properly administering penalties. It also covers the new 10-second runoff rule implemented in 2011 to stop the clock in the final minute of halves when certain fouls occur. Officials must work together to correctly enforce penalties and communicate the application of the runoff rule when necessary.

1. Penalty Enforcement
Doug Smith
August 28, 2012

2. Critical Issue
Don’t Hurry
BUT
Be quick
(Expeditious)

3. Basics of Penalty Enforcement
• Know enforcement spots
– Specified by rule
– 3 and 1 rule
– 4 and 0 rule
• Possible Enforcement Spots
– Previous Spot
– Spot of the Foul
– Succeeding Spot
– End of Run
– Post Scrimmage Kick (PSK) – Only Scrimmage Kicks

4. Basic Spots
• Running Plays
– Previous Spot if Related Run Ends Behind LOS
– End of Related Run if Ends Beyond LOS
– End of Related Run if No NZ
• End in EZ, No Change of Possession
– 20 Yard line IF Result of Play is Touchback
– Goal Line IF Change in Field of Play, Play Ends in EZ
– Goal Line IF Change in EZ, Related Run Ends in
EZ, Result of Play Not a Touchback

5. Basic Spots
• Pass Plays
– Previous Spot
• Kick Plays
– Previous Spot on Legal Kick Plays EXCEPT PSK
– Post Scrimmage Kick Spot IFF (If and only IF)
• Kick not a try, successful FG or in Extra Period
• Ball Crosses NZ
• Foul Occurs 3 or More Yards Beyond NZ
• Foul Occurs Before the End of the Kick
• Team B Will Next Put the Ball in Play

6. Calling Officials
• Preliminary Signal to Referee
– False Start, Offsides, Holding
– Pass Interference (Offense, Defense, Spot Foul)
• Get Together (Quickly) on Multiple Flags
– Same Player? Same Foul?
• HL – Let Referee Know if Short of Line to Gain
or if It’s a First Down

7. Calling Officials (Cont.)
• If Need to Report – I.E. It’s Not Obvious
– Foul
– Player
– Team
– Ball Status
– Clock Status
– Result of Play
– Down (accepted or not)

8. Before Enforcement
• Referee
– Make Decision for Team if Obvious
– Preliminary Signal IF Real Option or
Discussion Among Calling Officials
– No More Than 3 Steps to Clear Players
• Back Judge
– “Bounce Back” on Some Crews
• Make Sure it Sounds Right
• Get Number for SJ/LJ to Record

9. Who Does What?
• Umpire – Listen to Penalty Being Reported to R
– Get the right ball
– Eye contact with HL, Communicate Enforce Spot
– Signal 5, 10, 15 yards and Half the Distance to HL
– Eye Contact with HL BEFORE Spotting Ball
• HL – Eye Contact w/Umpire
– Get to Enforcement Spot
– Walk Off Penalty with Umpire, Check #1
• LJ – Hold Enforcement Spot Until Ball Spotted
– Don’t Leave Enforcement Spot Until YOU Agree with
Enforcement, Check #2

10. Communications
• Sideline Officials
– Communicate with Coach on All Fouls
• Everyone Help Referee With Clock at
Ready!
– Primary SJ, LJ

11. What Makes A Great Crew
• The 3 Officials With No “Specific” Assignment
– FJ, BJ, SJ
What They Need to Do
• HAVE TO COVER THE FLAG!!
• HAVE TO COVER THE END OF THE RUN
• Return Flag to Calling Official If Necessary (R!)

12. IF YOU THINK THE
ENFORCEMENT IS WRONG:
Speak Up On the Field
Don’t Wait for the Locker Room
GET IT RIGHT!!

13. 10 Second Runoff
Rule 3-4-4

14. New In 2011
Revised in 2012 (of course)
• When: Less than 1 minute in 2nd/4th
Quarter
• Clock has to be Running When the Event
Occurs AND
• Event is the only reason the clock is
stopped.

15. What Penalties
• 1. Foul that prevents snap
False Start, Encroachment, DOS w/Contact
• 2. Illegal Grounding to Stop Clock
• 3. Incomplete Illegal Forward Pass
• 4. Backward Pass OB to Stop Clock
• 5. Any FOUL with Intent to Stop Clock

16. New This Year
• Player’s Helmet Comes Off and IT IS the ONLY
Reason that the Clock is Stopped
• Not a Runoff if:
– First Down
– Injured Player
– Ball Goes OB
– OR ANYTHING ELSE

17. OPTIONS
• If Offended Team Accepts the penalty –
– There is an Option (for that team) on the Runoff
– Offending Team Can Avoid Runoff with Timeout
But the Player MUST STILL LEAVE GAME if
helmet comes off.
• If the Penalty is Declined
There is NO Runoff (“by Rule”)

18. After Penalty Administration
• If There is no Runoff
– Clock ALWAYS Starts on the Snap
• If There is a Runoff
– Clock ALWAYS Starts on the Ready

19. Mechanics
The Tough Part
• EVERYONE on Crew Must Know Runoff in Play
and Remaining Time Outs
• Wings Communicate with Coaches
– First, the Coach WITH the Option for the Runoff
– Second, the Offending Coach IFF He has a Time Out
Remaining
• IT WILL NEVER BE ELEGANT BUT
TRY TO BE EXPEDITIOUS