2023 TCAOA Week 6 Football Quiz

Second and 10 from the team A 30.  A10 takes the snap and is rolling right looking to pass.  Seeing nobody open he keeps the ball and when he gets to his front foot touching the 31 yard line and his back foot on the 30, he throws the ball out of bounds near to eligible receiver A87 at the 40.

• No foul on the play

• Intentional grounding on A10, as even though A87 was in the area, the ball was still thrown out of bounds

• Foul for illegal forward pass on A10

Answer explanation

per 7.5.1 in order for it to be a legal forward pass, the passer must have both feet in, or behind, the NZ when the ball is released.

Down 5 points with the clock running, Team A has first and goal at the 3 yard line.  With 8 seconds left in the game, all players get set and A10 takes a direct snap.  In his hurry to take the snap, A10 fumbles the snap but picks it right up from the ground and then spikes it.

• No foul on the play as the spike was still immediate

• No foul on this play if A10 was under center when he took the snap. If he was in shotgun, then this is a penalty for intentional grounding

• Foul for intentional grounding on A10. With the mandatory 10 second runoff, the game will be over.

• Foul for intentional grounding on A10. The clock stops for the incomplete pass. After the enforcement, the referee shall determine if the clock should be started on the ready or on the snap.

Answer explanation

7.5.2 exception does allow the QB to spike the ball immediately to the ground to conserve time, but to do so it must be immediate and the snap must not be muffed nor touch the ground.

Rule 3.4.6 says that when a team attempts to conserve or consume time illegally, the R shall order the play clock started or stopped.

Second and 15 from Team A’s own 5 yard line.  A10 takes the snap and drops back deep into the end zone to pass.  Under a heavy rush, A10 tries to complete a screen pass to A33, but B52 partially deflects the forward pass as it is released.  The deflected ball is caught by Left Guard A67 one yard deep in the end zone and he runs out to the 6 yard line where is tackled

• No penalty. 3rd and 14 from the 6.

• No penalty. But incomplete pass since A67 is not an eligible receiver by number. 3rd and 15 from the 5.

• Pass for illegal touching on A67. Penalty is from the spot of the touching, resulting in a safety.

• Pass for illegal touching on A67. Touching happens before the end of the pass, so this is loose-ball play. Penalty is enforced from the previous spot.

Answer explanation

7.5.6 says all A players become eligible once B touches a legal forward pass. No penalty on this play.

On third and 10 from midfield, A10 scrambles and crosses over the line of scrimmage to the 48 yard line when he throws a forward pass that is completed to A87 at the 30 yard line.  A87 is tackled there.  Before he caught the ball, A87 forcibly pushed off B23 in order to get separation and make the reception

• Two fouls on the play. Offensive Pass Interference on A87 and illegal forward pass on A10

• One foul on the play. Illegal forward pass on A10. 5 yards from the spot of the foul and loss of down.

• One foul on the play. Offensive Pass Interference on A87. 15 yards from the previous spot and loss of down.

• One foul on the play. Illegal forward pass on A10. 5 yards from the Previous spot and loss of down.

Answer explanation

Per 7.5.7, pass interference only applies on legal forward passes that crosses the NZ. This is not a legal forward pass as the passer was beyond the NZ with his feet at the time he released the ball. The only penalty is for an illegal forward pass. 10.4.4 says we enforce this from the spot of the foul.

Fourth and goal on the 4 yard line.  With one second remaining in the second quarter, A10 takes the snap and rolls right and then fires the ball into the end zone toward A87.  While the ball is in the air, B21 grabs the back of A87 jersey and slows him down.  The pass falls incomplete.

• Foul for defensive holding. Enforce half the distance to the goal line to make it fourth down from the 2, but the quarter will be over

• Foul for defensive pass interference. Enforce the half the distance to the goal line to make it first and goal from the 2, but the quarter will be over.

• Foul for defensive interference. Enforce the half the distance to the goal line to make it fourth and goal from the 2. There will be one untimed down.

• No foul on the play.

Answer explanation

7.5.10 makes this pass interference as the defender interfered with the receivers ability to move toward the ball. There is NOT an automatic first down with interference, so the down will still be fourth down. 3.3.3 tells us we need to have one untimed down.

Third and goal from the 9.  A72 comes into the game and tells the Referee, but not the Umpire, he is an eligible receiver for this play.  A72 lines up on the end of the offensive line.  At the snap, A72 runs into the end zone and catches a pass from A10

• Legal play as A72 correctly reported as eligible to the Referee.

• Illegal play. In order to be eligible, A72 must report in to both the Referee and the Umpire.

• Illegal play. The best option for Team B is to accept the 5 yard penalty from the previous spot and replay the down

• Illegal play. The best option for Team B is to accept the 5 yard penalty from the previous with a loss of down on the play.

Answer explanation

In federation rules, there is not a way for ineligible numbers to report as eligible. The number process is certainly different at the JV level. In this play though, we have ineligible receiver downfield (7.5.12) and Illegal touching (7.5.13). Illegal touching comes with a loss of down, which is the best option for team B to accept