| Rules Changes or Emphasis for 2007 |
| 1. |
A passer is a player who throws a legal forward pass.
True 2-32-11 |
| 2. |
When the ball becomes dead in possession of a player, he shall place the ball on the ground or immediately return it to a nearby official.
True POE page 87 |
| 3. |
A line 4 inches wide and a minimum of 48 inches in length, shall be centered in the field of play 3 yards from each goal line.
False 1-2-3k |
| 4. |
Butt blocking is an act by a defensive player who initiates contact with a ball carrier with the front of his helmet.
False 2-20-1 |
| 5. |
Coaches and medical staffs need to work with individual athletes to develop fluid-replacement strategies that optimize hydration status before, during and after exercise.
True POE page 85 |
| 6. |
If the head coach has been disqualified, a "new" head coach may not be designated for the purpose of requesting time-out(s).
False 3-5-2a |
| 7. |
If worn attached to the helmet, an eye shield is illegal unless it is constructed of a molded, rigid material that is clear and permits 100 percent (no tint) allowable light transmission.
True 1-5-3n |
| 8. |
A flagrant foul is a foul so severe or extreme that it places an opponent in danger of serious injury, and/or involves violations that arc extremely or persistently vulgar or abusive conduct.
True 2-16-2c |
| 9. |
Beginning in 2007, forearm pads must have a securely attached label or stamp (NFHS/NCAA specifications) indicating compliance with test specifications from NOCSAE.
False 1-5-2c |
| 10. |
A 4-inch-wide broken restraining line shall be placed around the outside of the field, at least 2 yards from the sidelines and endlines, as an extension of the line limiting the team box area, except in stadiums where the total playing enclosure does not permit.
True 1-2-3d |
| Authorized Conferences |
| 11. |
The coach is permitted to use only one of the two types of conferences during a game.
False 2-6-1 |
| 12. |
There is no limit to the number of coaches who may take part in a conference on the field at the team huddle between the inbound marks.
False 2-6-2b |
| Batting |
| 13. |
Batting a fumble in flight is illegal.
False 9-7-2 |
| 14. |
A forward pass may be batted in any direction by all eligible receivers.
True 9-7-3 |
| 15. |
A player of the team in possession may bat a ball in player possession forward.
False 9-7-4 |
| 16. |
It is legal for R to bat K's scrimmage kick in an effort to block it in or behind the expanded neutral zone.
True 9-7-2 |
| Blocking |
| 17. |
Following an interception, it is legal for the intercepting team to block below the waist.
False 9-3-2 |
| 18. |
It is illegal for B1 to trip runner A1.
False 9-3-7 |
| 19. |
The kicker or place-kick holder may be blocked as soon as the kick has touched the ground or any other player.
True 9-3-4b |
| 20. |
A chop block is a delayed block of an opponent at the knees or below while the opponent is in contact with a teammate of the blocker in the free-blocking zone.
True 2-3-8 |
| Dead Ball |
| 21. |
When a backward pass strikes the ground, the ball becomes dead.
False 4-2-2c |
| 22. |
The ball becomes dead during a try when B1 secures possession or as soon as it is apparent that a kick try is unsuccessful.
True 4-2-2i |
| Definitions |
| 23. |
In a scrimmage kick formation, the snapper has special protection only until the ball has clearly been released in a legal snap.
False 9-4-6 |
| 24. |
The basic spot is a point of reference for penalty enforcement.
True 2-41-1 |
| 25. |
A substitute is a team member who may replace a player or fill a player vacancy.
True 2-32-15 |
| 26. |
A loose ball is a pass, fumble or kick.
True 2-1-3 |
| 27. |
If a loose ball touches a game official, who is straddling the sideline, the ball is not out of bounds.
False 2-29-3 |
| 28. |
A player is in the free-blocking zone when any part of his body is in the zone at the snap.
True 2-17-1 |
| 29. |
Dead ball is a term used to indicate a ball not in play during the interval between downs.
True 2-1-1 |
| 30. |
The expanded neutral zone may extend partially or completely into the end zone.
False 2-28-2 |
| Downs-New Series |
| 31. |
Roughing the kicker is a foul that results in a 15-yard penalty plus a first down.
True 9-4-5 Pen |
| 32. |
The down is ended when a live ball goes out of bounds.
True 2-7-1 |
| Equipment: Game-Field |
| 33. |
An unofficial auxiliary down indicator is required field equipment for a game.
False 1-3-5c |
| 34. |
The kicking tee may not elevate the ball more than 2 inches above the ground.
True 1-3-4 |
| 35. |
The bottom edge of the crossbar shall be 10 feet above the ground.
False 1-2-5b |
| 36. |
Advertising and/or commercial markings on the field of play are prohibited.
True 1-2-3h |
| 37. |
If the field is wet, the referee may allow use of a mat or towel on the ground to improve the kicker's footing on a place-kick.
False 2-24-7 |
| 38. |
Relative to ball choice, when there has been no change of possession, the try is not considered to be part of the previous series in which the touchdown was scored.
False 1-3-2 |
| Equipment: Player |
| 39. |
Tear-away jerseys may be worn if both coaches agree to use them.
False 1-5-3j |
| 40. |
Equipment that becomes illegal through game use is handled by rule procedure without penalizing the player or the head coach.
True 1-5-5 |
| 41. |
A player's hard forearm cast/splint must be covered on all exterior surfaces with no less than 1/2-inch thick, high density, closed-cell polyurethane, or an alternate material of the same minimum thickness and similar physical properties.
True 1-5-3c |
| 42. |
If a player does not have a helmet that met the NOCSAE test standards when manufactured, he may participate, but a 5-yard penalty shall be enforced.
False 1-5-1a |
| 43. |
Players' jersey numbers are limited to those which are 1 through 99.
True 1-4-3 |
| 44. |
The foul for not properly wearing the required equipment during a down carries a penalty of 15 yards.
False 1-5-6 |
| 45. |
If observed, an entering substitute with a number identical to a teammate who is on the field should not be permitted to enter the game.
True 7-2-5c |
| 46. |
The pants must cover the knee pads.
True 1-5-1e |
| Fouls |
| 47. |
An offensive player cannot commit a spearing foul.
False 2-20-1c |
| 48. |
It is an unsportsmanlike foul if disqualified A1 re-enters to participate.
False 9-6-4f |
| 49. |
The spot of a foul is where the foul occurs.
True 2-41-8 |
| 50. |
In all situations, the first team box violation charged to Team A or B results in a 5-yard penalty.
False 9-8-3 Pen |
| 51. |
A live-ball foul and a dead-ball foul cannot be combined to create a double foul.
True 2-16-2b |
| 52. |
It is an unsportsmanlike foul if a coach is detected using tobacco.
True 9-8-1j |
| 53. |
When a team commits two or more live-ball fouls, including unsportsmanlike fouls, it is a multiple foul.
False 2-16-2e |
| 54. |
Illegal motion, illegal shifts and false starts are all fouls simultaneous with the snap.
False 7-1-7 |
| 55. |
A disqualified player shall be removed even if the penalty for the foul is declined.
True 10-5-6 |
| 56. |
Butt blocking is a personal contact foul.
True 9-4-3i |
| Fundamentals - Fundamental Statements |
| 57. |
Forward pass interference can occur behind, in or beyond the neutral zone.
False 7-5-7 |
| 58. |
A scrimmage kick recovered in or behind the neutral zone may not be advanced by K or R.
False 6-2-3 |
| 59. |
A kick ends as soon as any player secures possession.
True 2-24-2 |
| 60. |
A player cannot fumble before gaining possession.
True Fundamentals 1.5 |
| Illegal Participation |
| 61. |
If end A1 accidentally goes out of bounds and returns during the down, he becomes an ineligible pass receiver.
False 9-6-1 |
| 62. |
It is illegal participation if a player is lying on the ground to deceive the opponents immediately before the snap or free kick.
True 9-6-4e |
| Illegal Formation |
| 63. |
A Team A player is a back if the player has no part of his body breaking the plane of an imaginary line drawn parallel to the line of scrimmage through the waist of the nearest teammate who is legally on the line.
True 2-32-3 |
| 64. |
Any player of A numbered 1-49 or 80-99 who is an interior lineman at the snap is not an eligible pass receiver.
True 7-5-6a |
| 65. |
When the numbering exception is in effect and a pass is thrown from a scrimmage-kick formation, it is an illegal forward pass.
False 7-2-5 Exc |
| 66. |
A defensive player is considered on the line of scrimmage when he is within 2 yards of the line of scrimmage at the snap.
False 2-25-3 |
| Passing |
| 67. |
A backward pass is a pass thrown with its initial direction parallel with or toward the runner's end line.
True 2-31-5 |
| 68. |
Pass eligibility rules apply to both legal and illegal forward passes.
False 7-5-6 |
| 69. |
A passer continues to be a passer until the legal forward pass ends or until he moves to participate in the play.
True 2-32-11 |
| 70. |
Team A is limited to one legal forward pass per down.
True 7-5-2e |
| 71. |
A forward pass is a pass thrown with its initial direction toward the opponent's end line.
True 2-31-2 |
| 72. |
Prior to the change of possession, any player of Team A may throw a legal forward pass, provided both feet of the passer are in or behind the neutral zone when the ball is released.
True 7-5-1 |
| Penalty Enforcement |
| 73. |
If a foul occurs simultaneously with the snap it is enforced from the succeeding spot.
False 10-4-2a |
| 74. |
The disqualified coach may be directed to sit in the stands directly behind the team so that he can take care of necessary duties other than actual coaching.
False 9-8 Pen |
| 75. |
If B fouls during a successful field goal by A, the penalty is automatically declined.
False 8-4-3 |
| 76. |
A period shall not be extended when a foul occurs that specifies a loss of down and the penalty is accepted.
True 3-3-3a |
| 77. |
The succeeding spot is the enforcement spot for a foul that occurs simultaneously with the snap or free kick.
False 10-4-2a |
| 78. |
The penalty for an unsportsmanlike foul is enforced from the spot of the foul.
False 10-4-5a |
| Possession |
| 79. |
A scrimmage kick which goes out of bounds between the goal lines belongs to the kicking team.
False 6-2-7 |
| 80. |
A muff and a fumble are considered one and the same by definition.
False 2-18, 2-27 |
| Safety |
| 81. |
It is a touchback if A1's fumble on B's 5-yard line is recovered by B1 in B's end zone.
True 8-5-3c |
| 82. |
It is a safety if A1's backward pass enters the end zone and touches the ground out of bounds behind A's goal line.
True 8-5-2b |
| 83. |
If B1 intercepts a forward pass in B's end zone and drops to one knee, it is a safety.
False 8-5-3d |
| 84. |
If a kickoff is at rest on R's 5-yard line and R1 intentionally kicks the ball through R's end zone, it is a touchback whether the penalty for illegal kicking is declined or accepted.
False 8-5-2b |
| Scrimmage Kicks |
| 85. |
R may recover any scrimmage kick anywhere between the goal lines and advance the ball.
True 6-2-2 |
| 86. |
Post-scrimmage kick enforcement procedure applies to all kicking situations.
False 2-16-2h |
| 87. |
Team A may punt, drop-kick or place-kick from in or behind the neutral zone before the team possession has changed.
True 6-2-1 |
| 88. |
A punt is a legal kick made while the ball is in a fixed position on the ground.
False 2-24-8 |
| Snap |
| 89. |
The snapper may have his free hand on the ground in advance of the ball.
False 7-1-1 |
| 90. |
A snap is the legal act of passing or handing the ball backward from its position on the ground.
True 2-40-1 |
| 91. |
After a snap, the ball remains live until the down ends.
True 2-7-1 |
| 92. |
The snap begins when the snapper moves the ball by tilting it on end during adjustment.
False 2-40-2 |
| Time-outs |
| 93. |
A clock will start with the ready-for-play following a television time-out.
False 3-4-3f |
| 94. |
An official's time-out can be called for unusual heat or humidity situations.
True 3-5-7h |
| 95. |
Unless the clock is already stopped, an official's time-out shall be taken as soon as the ball becomes dead following a change of team possession.
True 3-5-9 |
| 96. |
Successive charged time-outs may be granted during the same dead-ball period.
True 3-5-4 |
| Timing |
| 97. |
On all free kicks, the clock will start when the ball is marked ready-for-play.
False 3-4-1a |
| 98. |
The clock will start with the snap following the enforcement of a "delay of game" penalty.
True 3-4-3i |
| 99. |
After the ball has been out of bounds, the clock always starts with the ready-for-play.
False 3-4-3a |
| 100. |
The referee may correct an obvious timing error after a period has officially ended, if discovery is prior to the second live ball following the error.
False 3-5-11 |