QUIZ ANSWERS: 2016 WEEK #4


1. RULING: A 4th/9 B29. A16 lost player possession when he fumbled the ball. Rule 7-3-2-h-Exception states, "... This applies to the player who controls the snap or the resulting backward pass and retains possession before throwing the forward pass". A16 did not retain possession as he lost possession with the fumble. But, "Whoa Nellie". 2016 NCAA Bulletin #1, Play #3 states, "Legal play, since A16 did not relinquish possession to another player. This is the spirit and intent of the rule change". The bulletin trumps the rule.


2. RULING: B 1/10 B36. Tack-on enforcement does not apply on field goal attempts (10-2-4). If B44 was downed on B's 5, Team B would accept the penalty which would be enforced from the previous spot. It would be A 4/24 B44. If this was a punt, the penalty would be enforced from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B, B's 36. It would be B 1/10 A49. If A79's foul occurred after B44 secured possession, the penalty would be enforced from the end of B44's run, B's 40. It would be B 1/10 A45.


3. RULING: A 1/10 B33; Ready. The ball remained a dead ball when A56 snapped the ball (3-4-2-b-6) . The signal is S21, delay of game. The penalty for any dead ball foul incurred after a series ends and before the next ready for play signal shall be enforced before the line to gain is established. Thus, the stakes are reset after the 5-yard penalty is enforced. There is no ZAP 10 option since the clock was stopped when the foul occurred. (Reference: 2012 NCAA Football Bulletin #1 dated July 25, 2012; Play #1)


4. RULING: A 2/3 B33. A55, A66 and A77 are all considered threatened offensive linemen since A55 and A77 are adjacent to A66 (A.R. 7-1-3-V Note). A55 is considered to have started the snap in reaction to B97 entering the neutral zone. If B97 did not enter the neutral zone, A55 would be flagged for an illegal snap, a dead ball foul.


5. RULING: A 1/10 B17; Ready. For penalty enforcement purposes, the running plays in order are (a) the snap until player possession is gained; (b) the run by A16; (c) the run by A86; and (d) the run by A84. The crew ruled that the foul occurred during the last running play. The 15-yard penalty is enforced from the end of A84's run, B's 32. NOTE: The enforcement spot is the previous spot if the play was ruled correctly. The basic spot is the previous spot if the snap is muffed by the QB and subsequently muffed until the ball is finally recovered by A82 on, for example, B's 47. When calling a foul, an official looks to see the status of the ball. NOTE: The play is not reviewable.


6. RULING: A 3/5 B25; Snap. The Team B foul occurred at the snap and is similar to an offside foul by the defense. The foul did not cause the clock to stop. It is the foul and not the flag that controls ZAP 10. The fact that the flag was thrown after the ball was dead and the clock running does not enable ZAP 10. Team A will accept the 5-yard penalty and repeat the down. And, there is no provision to add time back on the clock. Timing errors on the game clock may be corrected but this is not a timing error. Team A will exercise the 2016 3-4-3 option to have the clock started on the snap.


7. RULING: A 4/19 B29; Snap; No ZAP 10. The five yard penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul, B's 24 and carries a loss of down. Team B may, but will not elect the ZAP 10 to give them more time in case Team A is successful on a 46-yard field goal attempt. If Team A is unsuccessful on their field goal attempt, Team B should be able to run out the clock even if Team A has all of their timeouts remaining. Team B does run the risk when they do not elect the ZAP 10 that Team A might make a first down on their fourth down play.


Rom Gilbert / pigskin@romgilbert.us / September 21, 2016 / (q-1604a)