NCAA Football New Rules
and Points of Emphasis 2015
Modified for MIAA Playing Rules
Illegal Equipment: Overbuilt Facemask (Rule
1-4-7)
•New paragraph l: “l. Nonstandard overbuilt facemask”
•Following suit from the NFL
•Images in Appendix E
Illegal Equipment: Overbuilt Facemask (Rule
1-4-7) – NO!
Illegal Equipment: Overbuilt Facemask (Rule
1-4-7) – NO!
Illegal Equipment: Overbuilt Facemask (Rule
1-4-7) – NO!
Illegal Equipment: Overbuilt Facemask (Rule
1-4-7) – NO!
Illegal Equipment: Overbuilt Facemask (Rule
1-4-7) – NO!
Illegal Equipment: Overbuilt Facemask (Rule
1-4-7) – OK!
Illegal Equipment: Player Must Leave the
Game (Rule 1-4-8)
• “b. If an official discovers illegal equipment, the player must
leave the game for at least one down and is not allowed to
return until the equipment is made legal. The player may be
allowed to return without missing a down if the team takes a
charged team timeout, but in any even he may not play with
illegal equipment.”
• “c. If equipment becomes illegal through play, the player is
not required to leave the game for one down, but he may
not participate until the equipment is made legal.”
Illegal Equipment: Player Must Leave the
Game (Rule 1-4-8)
•Previously: automatic charged timeout for
illegal equipment
•Now: coaches’ choice to take timeout or
make substitution
•Part c. above: Exposed back pad; shoulder
pad popped out of collar – easily remedied
before next down
Unsportsmanlike Conduct for Pushing/Pulling
an Opponent off the Pile (Rule 9-2-1)
• Add new sub-paragraph (k) to Rule 9-2-1-a-1:
• “(k) After the ball is dead, using forcible contact
to push or pull an opponent off the pile.”
• Makes the action an automatic UNS – same
category as taunting, dancing, removing one’s
helmet, and dead-ball contact fouls that are not
part of the game’s action
Game Administration Interference (Rule 9-25)
• New penalty statement:
• “PENALTY – 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 for sideline interference; 15 yards from the succeeding
spot. Automatic first down for fouls by Team B if not in conflict
with other rules.”
Game Administration Interference (Rule 9-25)
• Brings back the sideline warning
• First infraction: [S15] – sideline warning signal
• #2 and 3: [S21] and [S29] – delay of game signal
and sideline interference signal
• #4+: [S27] and [S29] – unsportsmanlike conduct
signal and sideline interference signal
Game Administration Interference (Rule 9-25)
•Note: If a player or coach
physically interferes with an
official, (9-2-5-b) it is still a 15yard penalty. Keep ‘em back!
NCAA Rule Changes Not Applied by MIAA
• Pre-game warmups (3-1-1) – administrative issue, not
applicable
• Play clock reset (3-2-4) and (3-3-9) – MIAA play clock
is always 25 seconds
• Number of officials (11-2-1) – can’t wait to see that 8th
official
• IR: Blocking by Team A during on-side kick (12-3-4) –
there is no instant replay in MIAA games
Change to MIAA Overtime Rules
• Be sure to establish OT procedures prior to game
• “If there is a change of team possession during the last play of an
overtime period (second series), live ball personal fouls or live ball
unsportsmanlike conduct fouls by opponents of the team last gaining
possession, that occur after the change of possession, gives the team
in possession the option of putting the ball in play, where the penalty
leaves the ball, for one down free of penalty or penalize as a dead ball
foul at the succeeding spot in the subsequent overtime period. This
option is exercised only if the team last gaining possession is free of
foul during the down.”
Editorial Changes
•1-3-1-I – Ball Warming Devices Prohibited
•i. The ball may not be altered. This
includes the use of any ball-drying or ballwarming substance. Mechanical balldrying and ball-warming devices are not
permitted near the sidelines or in the
team area
Editorial Changes
•2-3-3 – Chop Block
•It is not a chop block if the
blocker’s opponent initiates
the contact.
Editorial Changes
•2-10-2 – Personal Foul Defined
•ARTICLE 2 - A personal foul is a
foul involving illegal physical
contact that endangers the
safety of another player
Editorial Changes
•5-2-9 Exception – Correcting the Down
•Exception: The number of the down
may be corrected any time within that
series of downs or before the ball is
legally next put in play after that series
Editorial Changes
•6-3-13 and 10-2-4 – Tack-on fouls during
a kick
•Only Team A fouls that occur between
the goal lines are eligible for the tack-on
provision at Team B’s option
Editorial Changes
•8-4-2-b-3 – Added section for Unsuccessful
FG attempt
•3. If the ball crosses the neutral zone, is
untouched by Team B beyond the neutral
zone, and is declared dead behind the
neutral zone, all rules pertaining to
scrimmage kicks apply
Editorial Changes
•9-1-4 – Note 2: Defenseless player
•Added to the kick returner: “A kick returner
attempting to catch or recover a kick, or one
who has completed a catch or recovery and
has not had time to protect himself or has
not clearly become a ball carrier”
Points of Emphasis
•Protection of defenseless players; crown
of helmet action
•Targeting disqualification
•Rule 2-27-14 – Defenseless player
defined
•Don’t forget NFHS Concussion Course
Points of Emphasis
•Helmets
•When a helmet comes off, stop the
clock and remove the player
•Only exception is if the helmet comes
off as the direct result of a foul
Sideline Control
• Do everything possible to keep the field clear of everyone
but 22 players and 5 officials
• Keep the sideline clear for you and your chain crew
• Do what you can with what you have (Millis, N. Attleboro,
etc.)
• Work with the coaches; find a get-back coach; go to the head
coach
• Use the sideline warning – first one’s a freebie, no penalty
• In this, as in everything, follow the assigner’s guidance