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2017 Football Rule Changes

Diplomat_Dean

Offensive Coordinator
Gold Member
Jan 26, 2005
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As we begin testing this season, here a list of rule changes and approved rulings. Nothing too major this year. Rule 9-2-6 (very bottom) is extension of Bo Pelini rule.



2017 Rules Changes

The Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP) has approved the following rules changes for 2017. The new language is in red.

KNEE PADS
Rule 1-4-4-d (FR-21) Knee Pads. Knee pads must be covered by pants.
TO TAKE EFFECT IN 2018: Furthermore, the pants and knee pads must cover the knees.

LEAPING AND HURDLING
Rule 9-1-11-b (FR-91) No defensive player who runs forward from beyond the neutral zone may leap or hurdle in an obvious attempt to block a field goal or try. It is not a foul if the player was aligned in a stationary position within one yard of the line of scrimmage when the ball was snapped.

HORSE COLLAR TACKLE
Rule 9-1-15 (FR-92) All players are prohibited from grabbing the inside back collar of the shoulder pads or jersey, the nameplate area, or the inside collar of the side of the shoulder pads or jersey, and immediately pulling the ball carrier down.

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2017 NEW APPROVED RULINGS

Rule 2-27-12
I. A player is disqualified for a targeting foul in the second half.
RULING: The player is not allowed to play in the first half of his team’s next game. However, he is allowed to participate in pregame warmups with his team. Before the opening kickoff, he must be out of view of the field of play and must remain there under team supervision for the first half. (Rules 9-1-3 and -4)

II. A player is disqualified for a targeting foul in the second half of his team’s last game of the regular football season.
RULING: He is not allowed to play in the first half of his team’s next game---whenever that is. If the game is the final one of the regular season, he must not play the first half of any postseason game. If his team does not play a postseason game, he may not play in the first half of the first game of the following season (assuming he has eligibility remaining). (Rules 9-1-3 and -4)

Rule 3-3-2 VIII. Third and five at the B-15 late in the fourth quarter, with Team A trailing 10-7. Quarterback A11 rolls out and is at the B-12 when he throws a forward pass that is incomplete. When the ball is dead the game clock shows 0:13. Team B accepts the penalty for the illegal forward pass.
RULING: Fourth and seven at the B-17. Team B has the option for a 10-second runoff. Assuming that Team B accepts the runoff, the game clock is set at 0:03 and starts on the referee’s signal.

IX. Second and seven at the A-5 late in the second quarter. Quarterback A11 drops back to pass and is scrambling in his end zone as he tries to find an open receiver. About to be tackled in the end zone, A11 throws the ball forward to the ground in an area where there are no eligible receivers. The referee throws a flag for intentional grounding. When the ball is dead the game clock shows 0:18. Team B accepts the penalty. 2
RULING: The penalty results in a safety, and Team A will free kick at the A-20. Team B has the option for a 10-second runoff. If Team B accepts the runoff, the game clock is set at 0:08 and starts on the referee’s signal. If Team B declines the runoff, the game clock remains at 0:18 and starts when the kicked ball is legally touched in the field of play.

Rule 3-4-4
VII. Third and five at the B-15 late in the fourth quarter, with Team A trailing 10-7. Quarterback A11 rolls out and is at the B-12 when he throws a forward pass that is incomplete. When the ball is dead the game clock shows 0:13. Team B accepts the penalty for the illegal forward pass.
RULING: Fourth and seven at the B-17. Team B has the option for a 10-second runoff. Assuming that Team B accepts the runoff, the game clock is set at 0:03 and starts on the referee’s signal.

VIII. Second and seven at the A-5 late in the second quarter. Quarterback A11 drops back to pass and is scrambling in his end zone as he tries to find an open receiver. About to be tackled in the end zone, A11 throws the ball forward to the ground in an area where there are no eligible receivers. The referee throws a flag for intentional grounding. When the ball is dead the game clock shows 0:18. Team B accepts the penalty.
RULING: The penalty results in a safety, and Team A will free kick at the A-20. Team B has the option for a 10-second runoff. If Team B accepts the runoff, the game clock is set at 0:08 and starts on the referee’s signal. If Team B declines the runoff, the game clock remains at 0:18 and starts when the kicked ball is legally touched in the field of play.

Rule 4-1-2
I. Team A punts on fourth and 15 at the A-30. B44 is in position to receive the kick. In attempting to catch the ball, B44 muffs it at the B-35. The back judge blows his whistle when it appears that B44 is catching the ball, but it rolls along the ground after B44 muffs it. A88 chases the ball, and in the immediate continuing football action he recovers it while grounded at the B-30. B22 is flagged for holding during the kick.
RULING: For games without Instant Replay: Inadvertent whistle. Rule 4-1-2-b-3 applies. The ball is returned to the previous spot and the 10-yard holding penalty is enforced. Team A retains possession and will have fourth and 5 at the A-40. For games with Instant Replay. Inadvertent whistle.Rule 12-3-3-l applies. Team A declines the penalty and will have the ball at the B-30, first and 10.

II. Team A punts on fourth and 15 at the A-30. B44 is in position to receive the kick. In attempting to catch the ball, B44 muffs it at the B-35. The back judge blows his whistle when it appears that B44 is catching the ball, but it rolls along the ground after B44 muffs it. The ball disappears into a pile of players. B22 is flagged for holding during the kick. 3
RULING: For games without Instant Replay: Inadvertent whistle. Rule 4-1-2-b-3 applies. The ball is returned to the previous spot and the 10-yard holding penalty is enforced. Team A retains possession and will have fourth and 5 at the A-40. For games with Instant Replay. Inadvertent whistle. Rule 12-3-3-l applies. Since the Instant Replay official does not have indisputable video evidence as to which team recovers, the ruling of the dead ball stands. The holding penalty is enforced at the B-35, under postscrimmage kick rules. Team B’s ball, first and 10 at the B-25.

III. First and 10 at the B-45. Ball carrier A22 is tackled and is going to the ground, when he fumbles. An official sounds his whistle inadvertently. Players on both teams go after the ball, and B66 clearly recovers it while grounded.
RULING: For games without Instant Replay: Inadvertent whistle. Rule 4-1-2-b-2 applies. Team A will choose to repeat the down at the previous spot. For games with Instant Replay. Inadvertent whistle. Rule 12-3-3-d applies. If the replay official determines that A22 lost control of the ball before he was down, then the ball belongs to Team B at the spot of the recovery by B66. In the event that the replay official is not able to determine which team recovers the ball, the ruling that the ball carrier was down before losing control of the ball stands, and Team A retains possession at the dead-ball spot.

IV. Team A punts on fourth and 15 at the A-30. B44 is in position to receive the kick. In attempting to catch the ball, B44 muffs it at the B-35. The back judge blows his whistle when it appears that B44 is catching the ball, but it rolls along the ground after B44 muffs it. A88 chases the ball, and in the immediate continuing football action he recovers it while grounded at the B-30.
RULING: For games without Instant Replay: Inadvertent whistle. Rule 4-1-2-b-3 applies. The ball is returned to the previous spot and the down repeated. Team A, fourth and 15 at the A-30. For games with Instant Replay. Inadvertent whistle. Rule 12-3-3-l applies. Team A will have the ball at the B-30, first and 10.

V. Team A punts on fourth and 15 at the A-30. B44 is in position to receive the kick. In attempting to catch the ball, B44 muffs it at the B-35. The back judge blows his whistle when it appears that B44 is catching the ball, but it rolls along the ground after B44 muffs it. The ball disappears into a pile of players.
RULING: For games without Instant Replay: Inadvertent whistle. Rule 4-1-2-b-3 applies. The ball is returned to the previous spot and the down repeated. Team A, fourth and 15 at the A-30. For games with Instant Replay. Inadvertent whistle. Rule 12-3-3-l applies. Since the Instant Replay official does not have indisputable video evidence as to which team recovers, the ruling of the dead ball stands. Team B’s ball, first and 10 at the B-35.

Rule 4-1-3
III. Third and 10 at the A-35. Quarterback A11 sweeps to his right and goes into a feet-first slide to give himself up. When he starts his slide, the forward-most point of the ball is at the A-44, and when he comes to a stop the forward-most point of the ball is at the A-46.
RULING: Fourth and one at the A-44. The ball is dead at its forward-most point when he starts his slide. 5-2-7

VI. Ball carrier A22 is tackled hard by B44 at the B-5, resulting in first and goal. After the ball is dead, A22 gets up and slugs B44.
RULING: 15-yard penalty against Team A; A22 is disqualified. After enforcement of the penalty, Team A will have first and 10 at the B-20. 6-3-13

IV. Fourth and 15 at the A-5. Punter A88 is in his end zone when kicks the ball. Tackle A77 is flagged for holding in the end zone. Team B returns the ball to the B-45.
RULING: Team B has the option of having possession after the penalty is enforced at the B-45 or accepting the penalty for a safety. (Rule 10-2-4)

Rule 7-1-4
VIII. Team A lines up with A11 ten yards directly behind the snapper. The other three backs are split wide, all outside the tackle box. Only four Team A linemen have uniform numbers between 50 and 79. A11 receives the backward pass from the snapper with Team A in this formation.
RULING: Live-ball foul. Illegal formation, not enough players numbered 50-79 on the line of scrimmage. Team A is not is a scrimmage kick formation, because in this alignment it is not obvious that a kick will be attempted. (Rule 2-16-10)

IX. Team A lines up with six players on the line of scrimmage, five of whom are numbered in the range 50-79. A seventh player, A88, is in the normal location of an end, but he is positioned so that his feet and shoulders are clearly at a 45-degree angle with the line of scrimmage. The other four players are clearly in the backfield. The ball is snapped with Team A in this alignment.
RULING: Live-ball foul, illegal formation. Every Team A player must be either a lineman or a back; A88 is neither. 7-3-2

XIII. Quarterback A11 drops back to pass and scrambles outside the tackle box. He fumbles the ball, which bounces back up into his hands. He then passes the ball forward, and it lands beyond the neutral zone in an open area where there are no eligible receivers with an opportunity to make a catch.
RULING: Legal play, since A11 did not relinquish possession to another player. 5 7-3-10

III. First and 10 at the A-37. Ineligible lineman A70 releases at the snap and starts downfield. When the passer releases the ball, the top of A70’s helmet is penetrating the plane of the A-40. The pass crosses the neutral zone and falls incomplete at the A-39.
RULING: Foul, ineligible receiver downfield. Some part of A70’s body was more than three yards beyond the neutral zone when the pass was released. 8-4-2

VIII. Fourth and goal at the B-10. The field goal attempt is blocked and hits the ground at the B-7. It then rebounds to the B-13 where B44 muffs it. A44 recovers at the B-11.
RULING: First and 10 for Team A at the B-11. Team B has touched a scrimmage kick that has crossed the neutral zone. (Rule 6-3-3) 9-1-6

XI. First and 10 at the A-45. Guard A66 is next to the snapper. Immediately after the snap, A66 blocks (a) nose guard B55 at the A-46, or (b) linebacker B33 at the A-47. In either case the block is below the waist at the side of the opponent.
RULING: (a) Legal block. Technically A66 has left the tackle box, which does not go beyond the neutral zone, to make this side block; however, the spirit and intent of the rule is to allow this block. (b) Foul, illegal block below the waist. In this case A66 has left the tackle box and has gone to the second level to make this side block. To be legal this block must be from the front in the “10-2” region.

Rule 9-2-5
II. During a long kickoff return, the Side Judge has to stop and run around the head coach who is out of the coaching box in the restricted area or on the field of play near the sideline.
RULING: Team foul for unsportsmanlike conduct. Administer as a dead-ball foul. Penalize 15 yards at the succeeding spot. This is a team foul, and is not charged as an unsportsmanlike conduct foul against the head coach.

III. During a long kickoff return, the head coach and/or other coaches are outside the coaching box and are in the restricted area or on the field of play near the sideline. No physical interference is made with an official during the play.
RULING: Administer as a dead-ball foul. First infraction: Warning for sideline interference. No yardage penalty. Second and third infractions: Delay of game for sideline interference, five yards from the succeeding spot. Fourth and subsequent infractions: Team unsportsmanlike conduct foul for sideline interference. Penalize 15 yards at the succeeding spot. This is a team foul, and is not charged as an unsportsmanlike conduct foul against any coach.


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Rule 9-2-6
I. During a long kickoff return, the head coach of the kicking team comes onto the field of play, vigorously and angrily protesting that there should have been a flag for holding by the receiving team during the return.
RULING: Unsportsmanlike conduct foul against the head coach. Administer as a deadball foul. Penalize 15 yards at the succeeding spot. This counts as one of the unsportsmanlike conduct fouls against the head coach. If this were his second foul for unsportsmanlike conduct, the head coach would be disqualified from the game.
 
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