Officially Speaking: Is there a catch?
Editor's Note: Officially Speaking with Steve Hall is a feature that allows readers to ask questions about high school football rules and will run weekly throughout the season. Hall has been a New Hampshire high school official since 1989 and has officiated more than 200 regular-season varsity games in all five divisions. He has also officiated 10 championship games and more than 25 playoff games. Hall, who is a member of the New Hampshire Football Officials' Association Board of Directors, has been the NHFOA rules interpreter for the last seven years. Questions for Steve can be sent to rbrown@nhfootballreport.com. Questions may be edited for clarity.
Question: What is the penalty if a tight end who is covered on the line of scrimmage catches a pass downfield? Is the penalty any different if an ineligible receiver makes no attempt at a catch, but the ball hits him in the back?
T.J., Nashua
Answer: Eligible pass receivers include backs and linemen on the end of their line (ends) numbered 1 through 49 or 80 through 99. A tight end is "covered" if there is a teammate on the line of scrimmage outside of the tight end. In this situation, the tight end is not an eligible receiver, regardless of his number. If he goes downfield (generally more than 2 yards beyond the line of scrimmage) before the pass is thrown and the pass crosses the line of scrimmage untouched by the defense, he has committed a foul for ineligible downfield. If he then catches a pass or touches the pass in an attempt to catch it, he has committed illegal touching. If he makes no attempt to catch the ball, but the ball strikes him, he has not committed illegal touching, but he is still ineligible downfield. The penalty for ineligible downfield is 5 yards from where the ball was last snapped (the previous spot), and the down is replayed. The penalty for illegal touching of a pass beyond the line of scrimmage is 5 yards from the previous spot, plus a loss of down.
Question: Are high school kickers required to wear shoes?
A.B., Plymouth
Answer: Yes. Shoes are required equipment for all players, including kickers.
Question: This play occurred in a Maine all-star game several years ago. The quarterback threw the ball forward and completed a middle screen to his fullback who caught the ball behind the line of scrimmage. The fullback then turned and completed a pass along the right sideline for a long gain. The coaches for the defensive team were going crazy, but the officials reacted like this was a play they saw every day. I was told that the play was legal at the time, but the rule has since been changed. Was the fullback allowed to throw a second forward pass?
J.T., Kittery, Maine
Answer: If this play occurred in 2005 or earlier, then it was a legal play. In 2006, the rule was changed to prohibit a second forward pass during a down. If the play happened today, the second forward pass would be an illegal forward pass, and the penalty is 5 yards from the spot of the pass plus a loss of down.
Question: Team A kicks off following a touchdown. The ball hits a player on Team B and bounces into the end zone. Is this a live ball that can be recovered for a touchdown, or is it a touchback?
R.D., Portsmouth
Answer: It's a touchback. Any legal kick entering the receiving team's end zone is a touchback. A kick does not end until it is possessed by a player. In the play described above, it remained a kick even though the receiving team touched the ball because touching a ball does not constitute possession.
Question: If a team attempts a long field goal (let's say at least 60 yards) and the kick is short, but reaches the end zone, where is the ball placed for the following play?
S.M., Stratham
Answer: The ball is placed on the 20-yard line because the result of the play is a touchback. Any legal kick entering the receiving team's end zone is a touchback. Under National Federation rules, a field goal attempt is a scrimmage kick (just like a punt), so the same rules that apply to punts also apply to field goals, with the exception that a field goal can score three points if the ball passes through the uprights. Because they are treated like punts, field goal attempts can be returned by the receiving team if they are caught or recovered in the field of play. Additionally, if the kick is declared dead in the field of play (e.g., if the kicking team "downs" the ball at the receiving team's 5-yard line), the receiving team is awarded the ball at the spot where it was declared dead, as would be the case with a punt.
Question: If a team lines up to attempt a field goal on third down and the holder bobbles the snap, is he allowed to spike the football? Also, what is the rule regarding intentional grounding? Is it OK as long as there's an eligible receiver in the area, or is this more of a judgement call by the official?
R.M., Exeter
Answer: No, the ball can't be legally spiked if the holder bobbles the snap on a field goal attempt. The foul would be an illegal forward pass (intentional grounding) and the penalty would be 5 yards from the spot of the pass plus a loss of down. A ball can only be legally spiked to conserve time, and only by throwing the ball to the ground immediately after receiving a direct hand-to-hand snap. Intentional grounding is a pass thrown into an area that isn't occupied by an eligible offensive receiver, or a pass intentionally thrown incomplete to save loss of yardage. Intentional grounding is a call made only by the referee (the official in the white hat positioned in the offensive backfield). Judgement is required to determine whether the pass was intentionally grounded. One of the things a referee looks for in making this judgement is the proximity of eligible receivers. Generally, the passer is given the benefit of the doubt if there is an eligible receiver in the area to which the pass was thrown. However, intentional grounding can be called even if there is an eligible receiver in the area, because the presence of eligible receivers is not the only criterion used. Other criteria include the ability and skill of the passer, the amount of defensive pressure being applied, and whether the referee judges that the pass was "dumped" to avoid a loss of yardage.
