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Did He Touch It and Does it Matter? An Examination into the Impact of Touching the Football

Did He Touch It and Does it Matter? An Examination into the Impact of Touching the Football. A.O.S FOOTBALL 2006. Outline. Rules framework Rules Philosophy Mechanics Implications and Conclusions Discussion / Q & A. Rules Framework. Definition of “touching” Playing Terms

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Did He Touch It and Does it Matter? An Examination into the Impact of Touching the Football

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  1. Did He Touch It and Does it Matter? An Examination into the Impact of Touching the Football A.O.S FOOTBALL 2006

  2. Outline • Rules framework • Rules Philosophy • Mechanics • Implications and Conclusions • Discussion / Q & A

  3. Rules Framework • Definition of “touching” • Playing Terms • Rules involving touching • Fundamentals involving Touching

  4. Touching Defined (2.44) Touching refers to any contact with the ball, i.e. either by touching or being touched by it. Touching by an official in the field of play or end zone is ignored.

  5. Touching Defined (cont) Who, What, When, Where, Why and How are all relevant factors with respect to touching. • not limited to players • Kick, pass, ball in player possession, loose ball • Before R touched it, before it went out of bounds, etc. • Field of play, end zone, out of bounds, etc. • Intentional or unintentional, forced • Playing terms

  6. Specific Types of Touches • Batting • First Touching • Kicks • Muff

  7. Batting(2-2-2) Batting is intentionally striking or slapping the ball with the hand or arm.

  8. First Touching2-12-1 & 2-12-2 • During a free kick it is first touching if the ball is touched in the field of play by any kicker before it crosses R’s free kick line and before it is touched there by any R player • During a scrimmage kick it is first touching if the ball is touched by any kicker in the field of play and beyond the expanded neutral zone before it is touched there by R and before it has come to rest

  9. A kick is the intentional striking of the ball with the knee, lower leg, or foot A kick ends when a player gains possession or when the ball becomes dead Note: A kick does not end just because its touched An illegal kick is any intentional striking of the ball with the knee, lower leg, or foot which does not comply with Articles 3 & 4 (free kick and scrimmage kick, respectively). Note: when a ball is loose following an illegal kick, it is treated as a fumble. Kicks(2-23-1 & 2-23-9)

  10. Muff(2-26) A muff is the touching or accidental kicking of a loose ball by a player in an unsuccessful attempt to secure possession

  11. Player Designation Fair Catch Signal Out of Bounds Force Catch Recovery Interception Handing Snap Other Playing Terms

  12. Periods, Time Factors and Substitutions Ball in Play, Dead Ball and Out of Bounds Series of Downs, Number of Down and Team Possession After Penalty Kicking the Ball and Fair Catch Snapping, Handing, and Passing the Ball Scoring Plays and Touchback Conduct of Players and Others Enforcement of Penalties Rules involving Touching

  13. Periods, Time Factors and Substitutions • Touching the ball may cause the clock to be started of stopped (Rule 3-4) • Touching the ball can have a bearing on player designation (Rule 3-7)

  14. Rule 3-4 • The clock starts when a free kick is touched, other than first touching by K. • The clock shall be stopped when the ball is out of bounds or dead by rule • Touching can trigger both • The clock shall be stopped after a foul to administer the penalty • Touching by itself is a foul in some circumstances and can influence fouls in many other circumstances as we’ll see.

  15. Rule 3-7 • Player vs. Substitute • A substitute is a team member who may replace a player or fill a player vacancy. A substitute becomes a player when he enters the field and communicates with a teammate or an official, enters the huddle, is positioned in a formation or participates in the play • We’ll come back to Illegal Substitution vs. Illegal Participation

  16. Ball in Play, Dead Ball and Out of Bounds • Touching may cause the ball to become dead (Rule 4-2) • Touching may determine the spot of the ball (Rule 4-3)

  17. Out of Bounds(2-28-2 & 2-28-3) • A ball in player possession is out of bounds when the runner or ball touches anything, other than another player or game official, who is on or outside a sideline or end line • A loose ball is out of bounds when it touches anything, including a player or game official, who is out of bounds

  18. Rule 4-2 • The ball becomes dead and the down is ended • When a live ball goes out of bounds • When a kick which is a scoring attempt, while in flight touches a K player in R’s end zone, or after breaking the plane of R’s goal line has apparently failed. Exception: If a scoring attempt touches an upright, crossbar, an official, or R player in the end zone and caroms through the goal, the touching is ignored and the attempt is successful.

  19. Rule 4-2 (cont.) • The ball becomes dead and the down is ended (cont.) • When any loose ball touches, or is touched by, anything inbounds other than a player, substitute, replaced player, an official, the ground, or authorized equipment. In this case, the ball will be put in play in accordance with the procedure for an inadvertent whistle as in 4-2-3(b) • When the kickers catch or recover any free kick anywhere, and when the kickers catch or recover a scrimmage kick beyond the NZ and when the kickers are first (i.e. before any touching by R) to touch a scrimmage kick after it has come to rest beyond the NZ and between the goal lines

  20. Rule 4-3 • Since touching can be a foul as well as cause the ball to become dead, touching may determine the spot where play is resumed • When the out-of-bounds spot is between the goal lines, play resumes at the inbounds spot • When the ball becomes dead between the inbound lines, play is resumed at the deal ball spot • When the ball becomes dead in a side zone or is awarded to a team there or is left there by a penalty, play is generally resumed at the inbounds spot • More on free kick out of bounds, first touching, and the spot of first touching later

  21. Series of Downs, Number of Down and Team Possession After Penalty • Touching the ball may mean the award of a new series when a scrimmage down ends with the ball in the field of play or out of bounds between the goal lines (Rule 5-1-3) • Touching the ball may mean the award of a new series when a free-kick down ends with the ball in the field of play or out of bounds between the goal lines (Rule 5-1-5)

  22. Rule 5-1-3 • a new series is awarded to: • (f) the team in possession at the end of the down, if R is the first to touch a scrimmage kick while it is beyond the ENZ, unless the penalty is accepted for a non-post scrimmage kick foul which occurred before the kick ended.

  23. Rule 5-1-5 • A new series is awarded to: • (a) R at the inbounds spot if R touches the kicked ball before it goes out of bounds • (e) R at the spot of first touching by K, if K is first to touch the kicked ball before it has gone 10 yards

  24. Kicking the Ball and Fair Catch • Free Kicks (Rule 6-1) • Scrimmage Kicks (Rule 6-2) • Touchback (Rule 6-3) – will cover Rule 8 • Fair Catch (Rule 6-5)

  25. Rule 6-1 • R may take the ball at the spot of first touching, any spot of subsequent first touches, or may choose to accept result of play when K is guilty of first touching • “forced” first touching is ignored • This right is cancelled if R touches the kick and thereafter fouls during the down. Also cancelled if the penalty for any foul during the down is accepted

  26. Rule 6-1 (cont.) • K may recover a free kick before it goes beyond R’s free kick line if R touches it • Likely scenario is a muff by R • “forced” touching in the NZ is ignored if its caused by K muffing ball into R or by blocking R into ball • A free kick shall not be kicked out of bounds between the goal lines untouched inbounds by R • Unique penalty options (5 – rekick; 25 from previous spot; decline and put in play at inbounds spot • No provision in rules for forced touching beyond NZ on free kick • Touched by R, then out…put in play by R at inbound spot

  27. Rule 6-2 • First touching of a scrimmage kick - R may take the ball at the spot of first touching, any spot of subsequent first touches, or may choose to accept result of play when K is guilty of first touching • Forced first touching is ignored • This right is cancelled if R touches the kick and thereafter fouls during the down. Also cancelled if the penalty for any foul during the down is accepted

  28. Rule 6-2 (cont) • Any kicker may catch or recover a scrimmage kick while it is beyond the ENZ provided it has been touched by R who was clearly beyond the NZ at the time of touching • Forced touching is ignored • Specific touch may be a muff • R’s ball, deal ball • The touching of a low scrimmage kick by any player is ignored if the touching is in or behind the ENZ

  29. Rule 6-3 • Touching by R has a bearing on whether or not a fair catch signal is valid, invalid or illegal • Invalid if any R gives signal after the touch • Illegal if runner signals after kick is caught or recovered

  30. 6-5 (cont.) • Touching the ball can be kick catch interference if K touches any free kick in flight in or beyond the NZ to R’s goal line or any scrimmage kick in flight beyond the NZ to R’s goal line • Applies even in the absence of a fair catch signal • Exception for scrimmage K R is not in position to catch • Forced touching ignored • Does not apply after R touches free kick or after R who is clearly beyond the NZ touches a scrimmage kick

  31. Snapping, Handing, and Passing the Ball • Touching the ball can trigger dead ball fouls (Rule 7-1) • Touching has a bearing on pass eligibility (Rule 7-5) • Touching impact pass interference restrictions (Rule 7-5) • Touching can be a foul (Rule 7-5)

  32. Rule 7-1 • Following the ready for play and after touching the ball, the snapper is restricted under snap infraction rules • Players other than the snapper are restricted from touching the ball after the ready for play • Encroachment restrictions begin once the snapper touches the ball • Snap must immediately leave hands of the snapper and touch a back or the ground before it touches a linemen. • Snap ends when it touches the ground or other player

  33. Rule 7-5 • All A players become eligible when B touches a legal forward pass • Pass interference restrictions on a legal forward pass end for: • all A players when B touches the ball • Eligible A players when A touches a legal forward pass • B players when a legal forward pass is touched by A or B

  34. Rule 7-5 (cont.) • An ineligible A player has illegally touched a forward pass if he bats, muffs, or catches a forward pass while he is behind, in or beyond the NZ unless the pass has been touched by B • Bats, muff, catch = intentional acts • Subject of a rule change this year.

  35. Scoring Plays and Touchback • Touching and Force

  36. Rule 8-5 • Force (2-13-1) is the result of energy exerted by a player which provides movement of the ball. The term force is only used in one direction, i.e. from the field of play into the end zone. Initial force results from a carry, fumble, kick, pass, or snap. After a backwards pass, fumble, or kick has been grounded, a new force may result from a bat, an illegal kick, or a muff. • Note that force doesn’t use the term touching but rather “energy exerted.” It does, however, use several other terms that involve touching.

  37. Conduct of Players and Others • Touching can impact the rules on illegal personal contact • More on illegal participation • Specific rules on illegal kicking and batting

  38. Rule 9 • Touching the kick near the kicker may be a “loophole” for the ensuing contact with the kicker, and/or holder when it is unavoidable • Participation by a replaced player or substitute is illegal participation as in 9-6. Q: Does touching the football constitute “participating in the play” ? A: You bet it does

  39. Rule 9 (cont.) • No Player shall intentionally kick the ball other than as a free kick or scrimmage kick • No player shall bat a loose ball other than a pass or a fumble in flight or a low scrimmage kick which he is attempting to block in or behind the expanded neutral zone • Exception for K to bat a scrimmage kick toward his goal line • Any pass in flight may be batted in any direction, by an eligible receiver unless it is a backward pass batted forward by the passing team • A ball in player possession shall not be batted forward by a player of the team in possession

  40. Enforcement of Penalties • Touching has an influence on many potential fouls as we have seen • Touching has an influence on a few situations with special enforcements • Yardage penalties

  41. Rule 10 • Loss of 5 yards for • Illegal Touching (also loss of down) • No Loss of 10 yards fouls • Loss of 15 yards for • Illegal Kicking • Illegal Batting • Kick Catch Interference

  42. Touching Fundamentals • If R is the first to touch a scrimmage kick beyond the neutral zone, a new series will be awarded to the team in possession at the end of the down, unless there was a foul before the kick and the penalty was accepted, or there was a double foul or there was an inadvertent whistle during the kick following the touching by R • Catching is always proceeded by the act of touching the ball; thus, if touching the ball causes the ball to become dead, establishing possession of the ball has no significance.

  43. Fundamentals (cont.) • No kick may legally be batted unless it is an attempt to block the kick in or behind the neutral zone, or if a grounded scrimmage kick which is beyond the NZ is batted by K toward his own goal line, or if a scrimmage kick in flight beyond the NZ is batted by K or caught by K when no player of R is in position to catch the ball • First touching of a kick by K is always ignored if the penalty is accepted for a foul during the down

  44. Fundamentals (cont.) • Touching of a low scrimmage kick by any player is ignored if it occurs in or behind the ENZ. Such touching may cause the ball to go out of bounds • Any pass in flight may be batted in any direction by an eligible receiver unless it is a backwards pass batted forward by the passing team • It is a foul to bat any loose ball which has touched the ground, except K may bat a grounded scrimmage kick which is beyond the NZ toward his own goal line and may bat a scrimmage kick in flight beyond the NZ when no player of R is in position to catch the ball

  45. Make them earn it When in doubt Untouched Unintentional Rules Philosophy

  46. Mechanics • Equipment • Positioning • Communication

  47. Equipment • Whistle • Kills the play • Bean Bag • Spot(s) of first touching • Penalty Flag • Spot of foul Both generate necessary points of reference

  48. Positioning • Keep play boxed in and don’t be too close • Over / Under in the side zones (BJ and Wings) • Umpire’s position relative to NZ • BJ in front of and looking in at return man • R in front of and looking in at Kicker and Holder

  49. Press Box Start / Stop the Clock S16 (both arms to shoulders) for first touching and illegal touching S31 (one arm to shoulder) for illegal batting / kicking S33 for kick catch interference Crew Communication Verbal communication Eye contact “tip” Communication

  50. Implications and Conclusions • Touching impacts all Phases of the Game • Touching has a bearing on some of the most important elements of the game • Touching is present in 9 of 10 rules so a comprehensive understanding of its implications is a critical part of rules knowledge. • Proper Mechanics help us “get it right” • Officials must know the Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why’s

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