The referee has authority to rule promptly, and in the spirit of good sportsmanship, on any situation not specifically covered in the rules. The referee’s decisions are final in all matters pertaining to the game.
Rule 10, Section 5, Article 1
The following fouls have special enforcement provisions and options for the offended team:
a. Free kick out of bounds untouched by R. (6-1-9)
b. Kick-catching interference. (6-5-6)
c. Unfair acts. (9-9)
d. A foul by the opponent of the scoring team on a successful try. (8-3-5)
e. A foul by the opponents of the scoring team on a successful field goal. (8-4-3)
f. Fouls that occur during or after a touchdown scoring play. (8-2-2, 8-2-3, 8-2-4 and 8-2-5)
g. Roughing the passer. (9-4-4)
h. Roughing the kicker or holder. (9-4-5)
i. Roughing the snapper. (9-4-6)
j. Fouls by K during a free or scrimmage kick down prior to the end of the kick. (10-4-2 EXCEPTION)
Rule 4, Section 2, Article 1
A game official shall indicate the ball remains dead by sounding his whistle immediately when a foul occurs before a snap or free kick.
Rule 9, Section 7, Article 2
No player shall bat a loose ball other than a pass or fumble in flight, or a low scrimmage kick in flight which he is attempting to block in or behind the expanded neutral zone.
EXCEPTION: A K player may bat toward his own goal line a grounded scrimmage kick which is beyond the neutral zone and may also bat toward his own goal line a scrimmage kick in flight beyond the neutral zone, if no R player is in position to catch the ball.
Rule 6, Section 2, Article 1
K may punt, drop kick or place kick from in or behind the neutral zone before team possession has changed. It is not necessary to be in a scrimmage kick formation to execute a legal scrimmage kick. K may not punt, drop kick or place kick from beyond the neutral zone. R may not punt, drop kick, or place kick.
Rule 5, Section 5, Article 7
A receiver shall not give an invalid fair-catch signal.
Rule 1, Section 1, Article 3
Each team shall begin the game with 11 players, but if it has no substitutes to replace injured or disqualified players, it may continue with fewer.
Rule 5, Section 1, Article 1
The team which next puts the ball in play by scrimmage following a free kick, touchback or fair catch is awarded a series of four consecutively numbered downs in which to advance the ball to the line to gain.
a. Each awarded first down starts a new series of four consecutively numbered downs.
b. The referee shall correct the number of the next down prior to the ball becoming live after a new series of downs is awarded and prior to the declaration of the end of any period.
Rule 3, Section 3, Article 3
A period shall be extended by an untimed down if one of the following occurred during a down in which time expires:
a. There was a foul by either team and the penalty is accepted, except for those fouls listed in 3-3-4b.
b. There was a double foul.
c. There was an inadvertent whistle.
d. If a touchdown was scored, the try is attempted unless the touchdown is scored during the last down of the fourth period and the point(s) would not affect the outcome of the game or playoff qualifying.
Rule 4, Section 3, Article 7
When a team may designate the spot along the proper yard line from which the ball is to be put in play, it shall have the same privilege if the down is to be replayed or a dead-ball foul occurs.
Rule 10, Section 2, Article 6
The following fouls by A include loss of the right to replay a down:
a. Illegally handing the ball forward.
b. Illegal forward pass.
c. Illegal touching of forward pass by an ineligible.
Rule 2, Section 4, Article 1
A catch is the act of establishing player possession of a live ball which is in flight, and first contacting the ground inbounds while maintaining possession of the ball or having forward progress of the player in possession stopped while the opponent is carrying the player who is in possession and inbounds.
Rule 8, Section 5, Article 1
Responsibility for forcing the ball from the field of play across a goal line is attributed to the player who carries, snaps, passes, fumbles or kicks the ball, unless a new force is applied to a grounded backward pass, kick or fumble.
a. The muffing or batting of a pass, kick or fumble in flight is not considered a new force; and
b. The accidental touching of a loose ball by a player who was blocked into the ball is ignored and does not constitute a new force.
Rule 7, Section 5, Article 1
It is a legal forward pass, if during a scrimmage down and before team possession has changed, a player of A throws the ball with both feet of the passer in or behind the neutral zone when the ball is released. Only one forward pass may be thrown during the down.