UT Flag Football
Officials Training
Penalty Enforcement
The 4 Ws of Penalty Enforcement
WHO
WHAT
WHEN
WHERE
fouled
was the foul
was the foul
was the foul
Types of Fouls
DEAD BALL
o
occur during a dead ball either between
downs or before the snap
LIVE BALL
o
Occurs during a live ball simultaneous with
the snap and before the ball becomes dead
by rule
Types of Plays
LOOSE BALL
Action during a punt
o Action during a legal forward pass
o Action during the run or runs that precedes
such legal pass or kick
o
RUNNING
o
Any action that is not a loose ball
Penalty Enforcement Terms
PREVIOUS SPOT
where the ball was last snapped
END OF THE RUN
where the player loses possession of the ball
or the ball becomes dead in player possession
SUCCEEDING SPOT
where the ball would next be snapped if a foul
had not occurred
SPOT OF THE FOUL
where the foul occurred
Penalty Enforcement Terms
DOUBLE FOUL
when both teams commit live ball fouls
MULTIPLE FOULS
when two or more live ball fouls are committed
by the same team
CLEAN HANDS
if each team fouls during a down in which
there is a change of possession, the team last
in possession may keep the ball, provided that
their foul is not prior to the final change of
possession, and they decline all live ball fouls
Multiple Fouls
MULTIPLE DEAD BALL FOULS
are administered separately and in order of their
occurrence
o A dead ball foul is not coupled with a live ball foul or
another dead ball foul to create a double or multiple
foul
o
MULTIPLE LIVE BALL FOULS
When multiple LIVE BALL fouls are committed by the
same team, only one penalty may be chosen except for
a foul for unsportsmanlike conduct occurs.
o In this case, the unsportsmanlike conduct foul is
administered as a dead ball foul.
o
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
What occurs on every play?
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
The SNAP - start of the play
AND
Snap
End
the END of the play
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
Penalties that occur during the time period from the
END of a play to the SNAP of the next play are
enforced as DEAD BALL penalties.
DEAD BALL Penalties - Whistle and Flag
DEAD BALL Penalties - Prior to the Snap
Snap
F - False Start
I - Illegal Snap
E - Encroachment
L - Leaving Field wrong side
D - Delay of Game
S - Unsportsmanlike Conduct
End
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
DEAD BALL Penalties are always enforced from the
SUCCEEDING spot - the next place the ball will be
snapped.
Snap
DEAD BALL Penalties after the play
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT
End
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
Penalties that occur simultaneous with the snap are
enforced as LIVE BALL penalties.
LIVE BALL Penalties - Flag ONLY, NO Whistle
X
Simultaneous with Snap Penalties
Snap
End
M - Illegal Motion
I - Illegal Substitution
S - Illegal Shift
H - Have min. # of players on line
A - A player must be w/in 15yds of ball b/t whistle and snap
P - Illegal Participation
S - Illegal Snap - player must be 2yds back to receive snap
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
What type of play ALWAYS occurs after the snap?
Snap
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
A RUNNING play.
RUN
Snap
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
What 2 things could occur after a RUNNING play?
RUN
Snap
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
1. Flags are pulled - END of Play
RUN
Snap
End
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
Penalties that occur during a RUNNING play are
enforced from the END of the run if on the DEFENSE
OR
X
RUN
Snap
End
the SPOT of the FOUL if on the OFFENSE and
the penalty is behind the END of the run.
AKA “Screw the offense.”
If not, enforce from END of the run.
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
2. A Forward Pass
Forward Pass
RUN
LOOSE
Snap
As soon as the forward pass is released, there is a
LOOSE ball play.
AND
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
The RUNNING play prior to the Forward Pass now
turns into a LOOSE BALL play
Forward Pass
LOOSE
Snap
LOOSE
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
Therefore, any penalties that occur BEFORE the pass
Forward Pass
X
RUN
Snap
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
or AFTER the pass are enforced as
LOOSE Ball Penalties.
From the PREVIOUS SPOT if on the DEFENSE
Forward Pass
X
X
LOOSE
LOOSE
Snap
or OFFENSE, unless the OFFENSE foul is behind the
PREVIOUS SPOT, enforce from the SPOT of the FOUL
AKA “Screw the offense.”
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
*** EXCEPTION ***
Roughing the Passer
Foul occurs during the RUNNING play before or
during a forward pass,
Forward Pass
X
LOOSE
LOOSE
Snap
however, it is ALWAYS enforced from the END of the
RUN if there is a catch. If not, it is enforced like all
LOOSE ball plays - from the PREVIOUS spot
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
What 2 things could occur after a Forward Pass?
Forward Pass
LOOSE
Snap
LOOSE
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
1. An INCOMPLETE Pass - END of play
Forward Pass
LOOSE
Incomplete
LOOSE
Snap
End
OR
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
2. A Catch
Forward Pass
LOOSE
Snap
LOOSE
Catch
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
What type of play ALWAYS occurs after a catch?
Forward Pass
LOOSE
Snap
LOOSE
Catch
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
A RUNNING play.
Forward Pass
LOOSE
Snap
LOOSE
Catch
RUN
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
What ALWAYS occurs after this RUNNING play?
Forward Pass
LOOSE
Snap
LOOSE
Catch
RUN
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
Flags are pulled - END of Play
Forward Pass
LOOSE
Snap
LOOSE
Catch
RUN
End
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
Penalties that occur during a RUNNING play are
enforced from the END of the run if on the DEFENSE
OR
Forward Pass
Catch
X
LOOSE
LOOSE
RUN
End
Snap
the SPOT of the FOUL if on the OFFENSE and
the penalty is behind the END of the run.
AKA “Screw the offense.”
If not, enforce from END of the run.
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
In conclusion, there can only be 2 types of
enforcements on a play and they both could happen
on the same play if there are multiple fouls.
Forward Pass
Catch
X
X
X
LOOSE
LOOSE
RUN
End
Snap
LOOSE ball enforcement ONLY if there is a
legal forward pass
AND
RUNNING play enforcement only IF there
was a catch OR there was no pass.
Penalty Enforcement Timeline
RUN
Snap
End
Incomplete
Snap
LOOSE
LOOSE
Forward Pass
End
End
Snap
LOOSE
LOOSE
Forward Pass
RUN
Catch
Special Enforcements
HALF THE DISTANCE
A measurement may not be taken more than half the
distance from the enforcement spot to the offending
team’s goal line.
All 10-yard penalties inside the 20-yard line and
all 5-yard penalties inside the 10-yard line
LOSS OF DOWN
Fouls committed by the offense that result in the team’s
failure to repeat the down.
Illegal Forward Pass, Pass Interference, Tied Flags
AUTOMATIC FIRST DOWN
Fouls committed by the defense that give the offense an
automatic first down
Pass Interference, Roughing the Passer, Tied Flags
UT Intramural
Flag Football
Officials Training
Penalty Enforcement
QUESTIONS?