Flag Football Penalty Enforcement

Loose Ball

A loose ball play is action during:

A punt

A legal forward pass

A backward pass, including the snap, or fumble made by A from on or behind his/her scrimmage line.

The run or runs which precedes such legal pass, punt, or fumble

Running play

A running play is any action which is not a loose ball play

Behind the line it includes:

A run which is not followed by a loose ball behind the line

A run which followed by an illegal pass from behind the line.

Beyond the line it includes any run.

Running Play

Basic Spot????

End of the Run

What type of play was it?

Running Play

What type of play was it?

Loose Ball Play

Basic Spot????

Previous Spot

Was the foul by Team A (offense)

behind the basic spot?

YES

Enforce from

the spot of

the foul

What type of play was it?

Running Play

Basic Spot???

End of the Run

Was the foul by Team A

behind the basic spot?

Yes, enforce from

the spot of the foul

Flag Football Penalty Enforcement

Updated Fall 2015

All But One Principle

All fouls are enforced from the basic spot

EXCEPT fouls committed by the Offense (Team A)

behind the basic spot.

This ONE foul is enforced from the

spot of the foul

Previous Spot

NO

Enforce from the basic spot

Loose Ball Play vs. Running Play

QB Scrambles

The Snap

Catch and run

Throws a pass

Running play

Loose ball play

Important Terms

R

x

o

x

Spot of the foul

o

Previous Spot

x

o

x

End of the Run

&

Succeeding Spot

deflagged

catch

BJ

LOS

Basic Spot

Previous Spot

Where the ball was last snapped

End of Run

Where the player looses possession or the ball becomes dead in player possession

Succeeding Spot

Where the ball will next be snapped

Spot of the Foul

Where the foul occurred

If a foul occurs during a down, the basic spot is determined by the action that occurs during the down. This is the basic spot for penalty enforcement.

Terminology

All-But-One

all fouls are penalized from the basic spot unless

the offense fouls behind the basic spot (exception: roughing the passer).

Double Foul

is when both teams commit live ball fouls.

Multiple Foul

is when 2 or more live ball fouls are committed by the same team.

Special note:

penalties for dead ball fouls are administered separately and in order of their occurrence. A dead ball foul is not coupled with a live ball foul or another dead ball foul to create a double or multiple fouls. All dead ball fouls are administered from the succeeding spot. Any dead ball foul that occurs after the time has expired for any period is measured from the succeeding spot.

Of a Running Play - End of the Run

Of a Loose Ball Play - Previous Spot

Dead Ball Fouls

Live Ball Foul

A foul which occurs during a down

Dead Ball Foul

A foul which occurs in the time interval after a down has ended and before the ball is next snapped

Clean Hands Principle

if each team fouls during a down in which there is a change of team possession, the team last in possession may retain the ball, provided its foul is not prior to the final change of possession, and it declines all live ball fouls.

F – False Start

I – Illegal Snap

E – Encroachment

L – Leaving the Field on the wrong side or either end zone

D – Delay of Game

Fouls Simultaneous with Snap

Half the Distance

a measurement cannot take the ball more than half the distance from the enforcement spot to the offending team’s goal line.

Loss of Down

fouls committed by A that carry a loss of the right to replay the down

Automatic First Down

fouls committed by B that carry an automatic first down

M – Illegal Motion

I – Illegal Substitution

S – Illegal Shift

H – Have a minimum number of players on the line

A – A players 5 yards off sideline

P – Illegal Participation

S – Must be at least 2 yards behind the line to receive the snap

What Kind of play was it?

End of the Run