2014 SCFOA exam
19. On kicks going into R’s end zone, force is not a factor since these kicks are ALWAYS a touchback regardless of who supplied the force.
28. The post-scrimmage kick spot is the spot where the kick ends.
38. If any K player touches a free kick before it crosses R’s free-kick line and before it is touched there by any R player, it is referred to as first touching of the kick.
39. One of the penalty options for a free-kick that is kicked out of bounds is for Team R to put the ball in play at the inbounds spot 25 yards behind the previous spot.
40. The touching of a low scrimmage kick by any player is ignored if the touching is in or behind the expanded neutral zone.
41. The penalty for an illegal kick is 5 yards. 42. Blocking after giving a valid or invalid fair catch signal is an illegal block and a 10 yard penalty.
43. For kick-catching interference, R may accept the results of the play, an awarded fair catch after enforcement of a 15-yard penalty from the spot of the foul, or a 15-yard penalty from the previous spot and a replay of the down.
44. The receiver who gives a valid or invalid fair catch signal is afforded protection.
55. If a free kick goes out of bounds between the goal lines after Team R touches it, the ball belongs to Team R at the inbounds spot.
56. The momentum exception applies when a Team B/R player makes a catch inside his 5-yard line and his momentum carries him into the end zone and the ball becomes dead there in his possession.
57. A kickoff must be either a placekick or a drop kick.
58. On the kickoff to start the game when the ready-for-play is whistled, all of Team K players are huddled between their 30 and 35 yard lines. RULING: This is a dead ball foul.
59. On a kickoff, K1 touches the ball at his own 48-yard line. As the play continues, R2 gains possession of the ball at R’s 48 and returns it 5 yards when he is hit and fumbles. K9 recovers the ball and is subsequently tackled. RULING: Team R may take the ball at K’s 48 yard line; the spot of first touching.
60. K1’s untouched free kick is caught by K5 at the 50 yard line. There were no Team R players in the vicinity to make a catch. RULING: K’s ball at the 50 yard line.
61. The kicker or holder may not be blocked before they have advanced 5 yards beyond their freekick line or the kick has touched the ground or touched another player. This is a 15 yard penalty.
65. A scrimmage kick recovered in or behind the neutral zone may be advanced by K or R.
69. Team K’s punt is blocked and the ball never crosses the neutral zone. The kick ends up in K’s end zone where K1 and R2 simultaneously recover the ball. RULING: Safety
76. In overtime, Team A’s field goal attempt from B’s 15 yard line, is unsuccessful and the ball is rolling along the ground beyond the neutral zone. B1 commits a personal foul at B’s 10 yard line. RULING: Post-scrimmage kick rules do not apply. Team A accepts the penalty which is enforced from the previous spot and the down is replayed.
77. Using a player, replaced player or substitute in a substitution or pretended substitution to deceive opponents before the snap or free kick is illegal participation.
85. For free kicks after a fair catch or awarded fair catch, the Umpire and Linesman shall count the
number of Team K players.
90. Any receiver may signal for a fair catch while any legal kick is in flight.
91. K may catch, touch, muff or bat a free kick in flight beyond the neutral zone if no player of R is in position to catch the ball.
96. K11 punts on 4th and 10. R1 catches the kick after giving a valid fair catch signal. Prior to the snap, K2 was illegally in motion. R accepts the penalty for illegal motion. RULING: After enforcement, the clock shall start on the snap.
2013 SCFOA exam
5. K1 punts from his own 20 yard line. R1 signals for a fair catch at R’s 30 but is contacted by K2 before he can make the catch. Kick catching interference is called by the BJ. The Referee offers the following penalty options: Team R may take a 15 yard penalty enforced from the spot of the foul and an awarded fair catch; Team R may ask for a replay of the down following a 15 yard penalty enforced from the previous spot; Team R may take the results of the play. RULING: These are correct options.
31. A kick always ends as soon as any player touches the ball.
32. First touching of a kick by K is always ignored if the penalty is accepted for a foul during the down.
33. A scrimmage kick recovered in or behind the neutral zone may be advanced by K or R.
51. Team K’s punt is beyond the neutral zone and is first touched by K6. R2 picks up
the ball, returns it 10 yards, and fumbles. The ball is then recovered and downed
by K9. R5 clipped during R 2’s return. RULING: Since the ball was first touched
by K6, R may elect to take the ball at that spot and then have the foul for R5’s clip
enforced.
52. Team K’s punt from his own 10 yard line is blocked, never crosses the neutral
zone, and ends up in Team K’s end zone where R2 and K2 simultaneously
recover the ball. RULING: Safety.
53. On a kickoff, K4 touches the ball at his own 48 yard line. As the play continues,
R2 gains possession and returns the ball to R’s 45 yard line where he is hit and
fumbles the ball. K6 recovers the ball and is tackled. RULING: The first touching
by K4 gives Team R the option of taking the ball at K’s 48 yard line.
54. Team K’s kick try is blocked at the line of scrimmage. The ball remains behind the
neutral zone and is recovered by K2 who scoops up the ball and runs it across the
goal line. RULING: Two points are scored for Team K.
55. The touching of a low scrimmage kick by any player is ignored if the touching is in
or behind the expanded neutral zone.
56. Team K is in scrimmage kick formation. R7 charges as K1 is preparing to punt. R7
contacts K1 as he begins his kicking motion, but before his foot touches the ball.
K1 then is able to kick the ball. RULING: Legal, K1 is not a kicker until he actually
kicks the ball.
60. K1 punts from his own 25 yard line and the ball is first touched by K2 at R’s 20 yard line. R1 picks up the ball and gets turned around and runs the ball through his own end zone and over the end line. RULING: A safety is scored. There are no other options on this play.
64. On the first possession of overtime, Team A scores a touchdown. During the successful kick try, B1 is called for running into the holder. RULING: Team A has the option of taking the penalty and going for two points or taking the one point try and having the penalty enforced against Team B on their possession, thus making it first and ten from the 15 yard line.
73. 4th down at K’s 20 yard line and K1 sets up to punt. The punt is blocked and rolls along the ground behind the line of scrimmage. K1 chases the ball and illegally kicks it as it is rolling along the ground. The kicked ball goes downfield to K’s 45 yard line where K4 picks up the ball and runs for an apparent touchdown. RULING: The illegal kick is treated as a fumble. If Team R declines the penalty for the illegal kick, the result is a touchdown for Team K.
83. Wildcat player, R1 signals for and makes a fair catch. The Wildcats’ coach wishes to put the ball in play by a free kick. In the confusion that follows, since this is a rare occurrence, the Wildcats are flagged for a sideline warning before the kick is made. The Wildcats’ now wish to put the ball in play by snapping the ball instead of a free kick. RULING: Legal
84. Team K may catch, touch, muff or bat a scrimmage or free kick in flight beyond the neutral zone if no player of Team R is in position to catch the ball.
85. If a free kick goes out of bounds between the goal lines touched inbounds by R, the ball is put in play by R at the inbounds spot.
90. An illegal fair catch signal can only be given by a runner.98. Team K snaps the ball from the 50 yard line and K1 punts the ball downfield. R2 catches the kick at R’s 14 yard line and returns it to his own 35 yard line. While the kick is in flight beyond the expanded neutral zone, R6 clips K5 at R’s 20. RULING: If the penalty is accepted it will be enforced from R’s 14 yard line, half the distance to R’s goal line. Resulting in 1st and 10 for Team R from R’s 7 yard line.9.
2012 SCFOA exam
9. A valid fair catch signal is the extending and lateral waving of one or both arms, at full arm’s length above the head, by any R player.
10. After a fumble, kick or backward pass has been grounded, a new force may result from a bat, an illegal kick or a muff.
28. To start each half and to resume play after a field goal, try or a safety, the ball shall be put in play by a kickoff.
29. A snap or a free kick shall be made anywhere on the field between the sidelines.
30. When the kickers catch or recover any free kick, the ball becomes dead.
31. The right of Team R to take the ball at the spot of first touching by K is cancelled if R touches a kick and thereafter during the down commits a foul or if the penalty is accepted for any foul committed during the down.
32. For a normal kickoff from K’s 40, Team K kicks the ball to R, however the ball goes out of bounds at R’s 10 yard line untouched by R. The officials put the ball in play 25 yards behind the previous spot, giving the ball to Team R at K’s 15 yard line. RULING: Correct procedure has been followed as this is one of the options afforded Team R.
33. Team K may punt, drop kick or place kick from in or behind the neutral zone before team possession has changed for a scrimmage kick.
34. It is not necessary for a team to be in scrimmage kick formation to execute a legal scrimmage kick.
35. No receiver may advance a legally kicked ball after a valid or invalid fair-catch signal has been given by any R player.
36. K may catch, touch, muff or bat a scrimmage or free kick in flight beyond the neutral zone if no player of R is in position to catch the ball.
39. During a try by place-kick, the kick by K1 is blocked by R1 and recovered by K2, who advances across R’s goal line. RULING: The try is successful and Team A scores 2 points.
60. From R’s 20 yard line K lines up to try a field goal on 4th and 2. The kick goes just about straight up and a strong wind blows the ball back behind the neutral zone. K1 catches the ball at R’s 25 yard line and runs into three R players and fumbles. The scramble for the ball results in several muffs of the loose ball until a big pile of players finally causes the ball to become dead at R’s 16 yard line with K2 in possession. Ruling: It is Team K/A's ball first and 10 after reaching the line to gain. The clock is stopped for the first down and will start on the ready for play.
82. On scrimmage kick plays, the Linesman should hold his position after the snap and know if the ball crosses the neutral zone, then move slowly downfield.
85. Team K’s punt crosses the expanded neutral zone and is bouncing when R3 attempts to pick up the ball, but muffs it. 10 yards downfield from the previous spot, R4 holds K3 during the kick. K8 recovers the loose ball 30 yards from the previous spot. RULING: Enforce the PSK foul from the end of the kick (the spot where K8 recovered the ball).
86. R1 catches a punt at his 9 yard line and circles back into the end zone, where he is tackled. During R1’s run K6 commits a personal foul in the field of play at R’s 10. RULING: If R declines the penalty the result of the play is a safety. If R accepts the penalty, it will be enforced from the spot of K6’s foul.
87. Team K punts from K’s 40. The punt hits the ground at R’s 15 and is rolling toward the goal when K5 touches the kick at R’s 15. R4 picks up the ball at the 10 and begins to advance. R4 advances to the 50 where he is hit and fumbles the ball and K2 recovers at K’s 45. During R4’s run, an assistant coach of Team K made unintentional contact with the LJ in the restricted area. RULING: Team R may take the ball at the spot of first touching by K5. In order to do this Team R must decline the foul on Team K’s coach. If Team R accepts the penalty, the enforcement spot is the previous spot and K will re-kick after the enforcement.
93. A kick always ends as soon as any player touches the ball.
94. Any legal kick which is not a scoring attempt does not become dead until the ball touches the ground or a player in R’s end zone.
95. A scrimmage kick recovered behind the neutral zone may only be advanced by R.