RULE 8 SCORING

A touchdown is scored when: a runner legally in possession of the ball breaks the plane of the goal line an eligible receiver catches a legal forward pass in the opponent’s end zone a fumble or backward pass caught or recovered in the opponent’s end zone.

Try—1 or 2 points An opportunity for either team to score 1 or 2 points while the game clock is stopped. The snap is from the 3-yard line and the ball may be placed anywhere between the hash marks. The ball may be relocated after a charged team timeout unless the timeout was preceded by Team A or off-setting fouls.

Fouls during try before change of possession Offsetting fouls—if there are fouls by both team and the Team B foul is before the change of possession, the down is replayed from the previous spot. Team B fouls—on a successful try Team A has the option of declining the score and repeating the try after enforcement or declining the penalty and accepting the score. Be aware that on personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct fouls Team A may accept the points and enforce the penalty on the succeeding kick-off. Team A fouls—after a foul on a try that is good, the ball is next put into play at the spot where the penalty leaves it. On a foul that includes loss of down the try is over, the score is cancelled and there is no yardage enforcement on the kick-off. Dead ball enforcement—for fouls after the ball is ready for play and before the snap the penalty is enforced prior to the next snap.

Fouls during a try after change of team possession Penalties against either team are declined by rule except for flagrant personal fouls, dead-ball fouls, and live-ball fouls treated as dead- ball fouls. In those cases they are enforced on the succeeding kick- off. If there are fouls by both teams and the Team B foul occurred after a change of possession, the fouls offset and the try is over. Fouls that occur after a try are enforced on the succeeding kick-off. If the try is replayed the enforcement will occur before the re-play.

Field goal—3 points A field goal shall be declared good if a drop kick or place kick passes over the crossbar between the uprights of the opposing team’s goal before touching the ground or a member of the kicking team. Be aware of where the ball will next be put into play on an unsuccessful field goal attempt that has crossed the neutral zone and is untouched by Team B after crossing the neutral zone.

Safety—1 or 2 points A safety is awarded when: the ball becomes dead out of bounds behind a goal line (except from an incomplete pass) or becomes dead in the possession of a player on, above or behind his own goal line or becomes dead by rule. An accepted penalty for a foul leaves the ball on or behind the offending team’s goal line. After a safety the ball is put into play at the defending team’s 20 yard line. The ball is put into play by either a free kick, punt or drop kick. 1 point safety—during an extra point try when the defensive team intercepts the ball or recovers a fumble in the field of play, the retreats back into their own end zone and is tackled.

Touchback It is a touchback when: the ball becomes dead out of bounds behind a goal line or becomes dead in player possession on or above his own goal line and the attacking team is responsible for the ball being there. After a touchback the ball belongs to the defending team at its own 20 yard line.

Responsibility and impetus The team responsible for the ball being out of bounds behind a goal line or being dead in the possession of a player on, above or behind a goal line is the team whose player carries the ball or imparts an impetus to it or is responsible for a loose ball being on, above or behind the goal line. The initial impetus is impetus imparted by a player who kicks, snaps, passes or fumbles the ball shall be deemed responsible for the ball’s progress in any direction even though this direction may be changed after striking the ground, an official or player of either team. The initial impetus is considered to have ended and the responsibility for the ball’s progress is charged to a player if he kicks or bats a loose ball after it touches the ground. The original impetus is not changed when a loose ball is kicked or batted in the end zone. Also the initial impetus ends when the ball comes to rest and a player gives it new impetus by any contact with it. (Be aware of the exceptions). Paul Dube 6 October 2014