FOOTBALL OFFICIATING PHILOSOPHIES

1. FOOTBALL OFFICIATING PHILOSOPHIES

2. Officiating Philosophies have been used with success in the BSC since 1999. All philosophies are approved each year by the coaches. Additions are made as the rules change.

3. Clarification of Blocking Rules

4. Clarification of Blocking Rules • Blocking Notes • All takedowns will be called regardless of the position of the player on the field or whether or not it occurs at the point of attack. • If there is a potential for offensive holding but the action occurs away from the point of attack and has no effect on the play, offensive holding will not be called.

5. Clarification of Blocking Rules • Blocking Notes • If there is a potential for defensive holding but the action occurs away from the point of attack and has no effect on the play, defensive holding will not be called. • Holding on offensive lineman by the defense that restricts their ability to pull and participate in the play will be called defensive holding

6. OFFENSIVE LINE OFSCRIMMAGE GUIDELINES

7. OFFENSIVE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE GUIDELINES On the Line of Scrimmage An offensive player is “on the line of scrimmage” when he faces his opponent’s goal line with the line of his shoulders parallel thereto and his head breaking the plane of the line drawn through the waistline of the snapper. A. If the offensive player is lined up with his head between the waistline of the snapper and a line drawn through the rear end of the snapper a warning will be given after the play. Each team will be given one warning per game. After the warning players who are in this position will be penalized. B. If the offensive player is lined up with his head behind the rear end of the snapper a foul will be called without warning.

8. On the Line of Scrimmage • An offensive wide receiver or slot back will be given some leeway in determining if he is off the line of scrimmage, but to be on the line of scrimmage he must be within one yard of the offensive line of scrimmage. (break the plane of the line drawn through the waistline of the snapper) • Wide receivers or slot backs lined up outside a tight end will be ruled to be on the line of scrimmage and covering the tight end if they are within one yard of the line of scrimmage. • If there is not a tight end on the side of the slot back/wide receiver any separation is enough to rule the slot back/wide receiver in the backfield.

9. Clarification of Pass Interference Rules

10. Defensive Pass Interference • Contact by a defender who is not playing the ball and such contact restricts the receiver’s opportunity to make the catch. • Playing through the back of a receiver in an attempt to make a play on the ball. • Grabbing a receiver’s arm(s) in such a manner that restricts his opportunity to catch a pass.

11. Defensive Pass Interference • Extending an arm across the body of a receiver thus restricting his ability to catch a pass, regardless of the fact of whether or not the defender is playing the ball. • Cutting off the path of receiver by making contact with him without playing the ball. • Hooking a receiver in an attempt to get the ball in such a manner that it causes the receiver’s body to turn prior to the ball arriving.

12. Not Defensive Pass Interference Actions that do not constitute defensive pass interference include but are not limited to: • Incidental contact by a defender’s hands, arm or body when both players are competing for the ball, or neither player is looking for the ball. If there is any question whether contact is incidental the ruling shall be no interference. • Inadvertent tangling of feet when both players are playing the ball or neither player is playing the ball. • Contact that would normally be considered pass interference, but the pass is clearly uncatchable by the involved players. • Laying a hand on a receiver in an attempt to make a play on the ball that does not restrict the receiver. • Contact by a defender who has gained position on a receiver in an attempt to catch the ball.

13. Offensive Pass Interference • Actions that constitute offensive pass interference include but are not limited to: • Blocking downfield by an offensive player prior to the ball being touched if the pass crosses the neutral zone. • Initiating contact with a defender by shoving or pushing off thus creating a separation in an attempt to catch a pass. • Driving through a defender who has established a position on the field.

14. Not Offensive Pass Interference • Actions that do not constitute offensive pass interference include but are not limited to: • Incidental contact by a receiver’s hands, arms or body when both players are competing for the ball, or neither player is looking for the ball. • Inadvertent tangling of feet when both players are playing the ball or neither player is playing the ball. • Contact that would normally be considered pass interference, but the ball is clearly uncatchable by involved players. • It is not offensive pass interference on a pick play if the defensive player is blocking the offensive player when the contact occurs and the offensive player doesn’t make a separate action or if the contact occurs within one yard of the line of scrimmage.

15. Pass Interference Notes • Note 1: If there is any question whether player contact is incidental, the ruling should be no interference. • Note 2: Defensive players have as much right to the path of the ball as eligible offensive players.  • Note 3: Pass interference for both teams ends when the pass is touched. • Note 4: There can be no pass interference at or behind the line of scrimmage or if the pass does not cross the neutral zone, but defensive actions such as tackling a receiver can still result in a penalty for defensive holding.

16. OFFICIATING PHILOSOPHIES • OPI – contact away from the play. • If pass has not been thrown and block/contact occurs anywhere downfield and the pass crosses the line of scrimmage – call OPI • If pass has been thrown and block/contact occurs in the half of the field where ball is thrown – call OPI

17. OFFICIATING PHILOSOPHIES • What Constitutes a Catch • To be ruled a catch the receiver must be able to perform an act common to football. It is the same in the end zone and in the field of play. • If going to the ground while making the catch the following approved rulings apply: Ruling 7-3-6-XI, XII,XIII, XIV, XV • Be definite on catch before ruling catch-fumble. If close rule the pass incomplete.

18. OFFICIATING PHILOSOPHIES • What constitutes a catch • To be ruled a catch the receiver must be able to perform an act common to football. It is the same in the end zone and in the field of play. • Be definite on catch before ruling catch-fumble ruling. If close rule the pass incomplete.

19. OFFICIATING PHILOSOPHIES • Intercepting Momentum • If the interception is near the goal line (inside one yard) try to make the play a touchback.

20. OFFICIATING PHILOSOPHIES • Passing situations • Neutral Zone will be expanded one yard when determining if a pass (untouched) is beyond the line. • Neutral zone will be expanded one yard when determining if a pass is touched beyond or behind the line. • Neutral zone will be expanded by three yards when determining an ineligible player downfield. (Players entire body must be beyond three yards) • Passer beyond the line – Passer’s entire body and ball must be beyond the line • If the passer is legally throwing the ball away, do not penalize the offense for having ineligible players downfield.

21. OFFICIATING PHILOSOPHIES • Runner near the sideline. • If contact occurs before the runner has a foot down out of bounds – legal • If whistle has blown and player has eased up then this is a foul. Be alert and be sure any action is not part of the initial play before calling foul.

22. OFFICIATING PHILOSOPHIES • Blocking Out of Bounds • In order to be a foul for blocking out of bounds both feet of the player being blocked and the player blocking must have touched out of bounds and be out of bounds when the contact occurs.

23. OFFICIATING PHILOSOPHIES • Following a Change of Possession • The ball will be placed on a yard line to begin the next series. (Exception: If the change of possession occurs on a 4th down (running or passing) play the ball will be left at the dead ball spot to begin the next series.

24. OFFICIATING PHILOSOPHIES • Defensive Holding on a Receiver • To be defensive holding there must be some restriction to the movement of the offensive receiver.

25. OFFICIATING PHILOSOPHIES • Kicker’s Restraining Line • The kicker’s restraining line on kickoffs will be officiated as a plane. • If any player (other than the kicker) breaks the plane before the ball is kicked offside will be called.

26. OFFICIATING PHILOSOPHIES • Game Clock • 5/5 AXIOM: In order to adjust the game clock errors, there must be more than a five-second differential if there is more than five minutes remaining in either half. • Any time loss due to the clock being started erroneously, such as when a dead-ball foul is called, the clock must be adjusted.