1. Plays of The Week October 3, 2016 POTW – Plays Of The Weekby
Don Sabo
Rules Interpreter
Youngstown District Football Officials Association

2. 2016 The Year of MIBT
POTW Play 1

3. 2016 The Year of MIBT
POTW Play 1
HT had 4th down and 5 from B’s 38 yard line and running back A32 ran the ball and got tackled at B’s 33 ½ yard line. The HT HC requests a measurement and the ball is 3 inches short of the front stick. How does this crew spot the ball and the chains?

4. They rotate the ball end to end and then set the chains.
2016 The Year of MIBT
POTW Play 1
HT had 4th down and 5 from B’s 38 yard line and running back A32 ran the ball and got tackled at B’s 33 ½ yard line. The HT HC requests a measurement and the ball is 3 inches short of the front stick. How does this crew spot the ball for the VT?
They rotate the ball end to end and then set the chains.
They bring the chains back to the sideline and the HL then moves the back stake 11 ½ inches forward.

5. 2016 The Year of MIBT
POTW Play 1
Rule Book 5 – 3 ART To start a new series of downs, the inside edge of the rod nearest the goal of the team which is to snap the ball is set on the yard line through the ball's foremost point. To start a new series of downs after:
a. A change of team possession, which does not involve a fourth-down incomplete forward pass, a safety or touchback, the foremost point of the ball at the time it became dead becomes the rear point when the direction of the offense is changed.

6. POTW Play 1 Rule Book 5 – 3 ART. 3 . . .
2016 The Year of MIBT
POTW Play 1
Rule Book 5 – 3 ART
b. A fourth-down incomplete forward pass, the ball is placed at the previous spot so the rear point becomes the foremost point.
c. A safety or touchback, the foremost point of the ball is placed on the 20-yard line.

7. Case Book 5 – 3 - 3 SITUATION:
2016 The Year of MIBT
POTW Play 1
Case Book 5 – SITUATION:
On fourth and goal from the 5-yard line, the ball is marked ready for play with the nose of the ball just touching the 5-yard line. Following A1's incomplete pass, B takes over and the referee places the ball in line with the down box as it was prior to A1's fourth-down incomplete forward pass, i.e., with the foremost point (nose) of the ball just touching the 5-yard line.
RULING: This is incorrect. The ball shall be spotted in the same position it was at the start of the down. When a team fails to reach its line to

8. Case Book 5 – 3 - 3 SITUATION:
2016 The Year of MIBT
POTW Play 1
Case Book 5 – SITUATION:
gain on a fourth-down run, the ­foremost point of the ball at the time it became dead would become the rear point when direction of the offense is changed. After a fourth-down incomplete pass, the ball is placed "as it was at the start of the down" (or previous fourth-down play). Unless the fourth-down play resulted in a touchback or safety, or A reached its line to gain, B will gain approximately 11½ inches (the length of the ­football) in field position, and the down box will have to be moved. Following a touchback or

9. Case Book 5 – 3 - 3 SITUATION:
2016 The Year of MIBT
POTW Play 1
Case Book 5 – SITUATION:
safety, the ball is placed with its foremost point touching the 20-yard line. Many game officials seem to find it convenient to merely reset the line-to-gain chains following an incomplete fourth-down pass by using the previous line of scrimmage (down marker) as the position for the rear rod when the direction is changed. This procedure is not correct.

10. 2016 The Year of MIBT
M = Make
I = It
B = Be
T = There