This is the first Art of Officiating Ready for Play article in 2025! Since most are beginning to dig into the rules book and take state-mandated tests, I figured I’d start the new season by sharing a valuable document George Demetriou, the author of the Redding Study guide, authored following a rules interpreter conference:
Forward Fumble
The ball is returned to the spot of the fumble when it goes out of bounds in the field of play in advance of the spot of the fumble. It does not matter what happens to the ball while it is loose; it’s a simple comparison of the spot of the fumble to the out-of-bounds spot. All other rules affecting fumbles are not impacted. There is no fourth-down fumble rule.
Play 1: Fourth and five at team B’s 22-yard line. A1 sweeps to his left, gains three yards to the 19-yard line, and fumbles. The ball rolls out of bounds at the 16-yardline. Ruling 1: Because the ball was fumbled forward and out of bounds it is returned to the spot of the fumble and belongs to team A at that spot, which is the 19-yard line. That is short of the line-to-gain (the 17- yard line), so team B takes over on downs, first and 10 at the 19-yard line. The clock starts on the snap.
Play 2: Third and five at team B’s 22-yard line. A1 sweeps to his left, gains three yards to the 19-yard line, and fumbles. The ball rolls out of bounds at the 16-yard line. Ruling 2: Because the ball was fumbled forward and out of bounds it is returned to the spot of the fumble and belongs to team A at that spot, which is the 19-yard line. It will be fourth and two at the 19-yard line. The clock starts on the Referee’s signal.
Play 3: Third and four at team A’s 22-yard line. A1 is hit at team A’s 21-yard line and fumbles. The ball rolls out of bounds at the 20-yard line. Ruling 3: Because the ball went out of bounds behind the spot of the fumble, it belongs to team A at the out-of-bounds spot, which is the 20-yard line. It is team A’s ball, fourth and six at the 20-yard line. The clock starts on the snap.
Play 4: Second and 10 at team B’s 12-yard line. A1 runs up the middle and fumbles. The ball rolls into team B’s end zone where (a) A2 recovers, (b) B3 recovers, or (c) the ball rolls over the end line. Ruling 4: In (a), it is a touchdown. The ball did not go out of bounds. In (b) and (c), because the ball went into team B’s end zone and was declared dead there not in Team A’s possession, it is a touchback. Team B’s ball, first and 10 at their 20-yard line. The clock starts on the snap.
Play 5: First and 10 at team A’s two-yard line. A1 is hit in the end zone and fumbles. The ball rolls out of bounds at team A’s one-yard line. Ruling 5: Because the ball was fumbled forward and out of bounds it belongs to team A at the spot of the fumble, which is in their end zone. That results in a safety. Team A will free kick from their 20-yard line. The clock starts per free kick rules.
Play 6: B6 intercepts the ball in his end zone, is hit fumbles the ball where it goes out of bounds at the two-yard line. Ruling 6: Because the ball was fumbled forward and out of bounds it belongs to team B at the spot of the fumble, which is in their end zone. That results in a touchback. Team B will have a first down at their 20-yard line. The clock starts on the snap.
Play 7: B7 intercepts the ball at his three-yard line and his momentum carries him into his end zone. He is hit there and fumbles the ball where it goes out of bounds at the two-yard line. Ruling 7: Because the ball was fumbled forward and out of bounds it belongs to team B at the spot of the fumble, which is in their end zone. The momentum exception applies. Team B will have a first down at their three-yard line. The clock starts on the snap.
Illegal Kicking and Illegal Batting
Fouls for illegal kicking and illegal batting are enforced the same as the standard rules for other fouls except for fouls by Team A behind the neutral zone and prior to a change of team possession which are enforced from the spot of the foul. Another way of saying this is to have 10-4-4a say: “Team A fouls for illegal kicking or batting behind the neutral zone.”
Play 8: From a snap at team B’s 36-yard line, A2 loses yardage and fumbles at team B’s 45-yard line. To prevent B9 from recovering the ball, A2 bats the ball at team B’s 45-yard line which is recovered by A3 at team B’s 39-yard line. Ruling 8: A fumble behind the line is a loose-ball play (2-33-1c). If the penalty is accepted, the penalty for illegal batting is enforced 10-yards from the spot of the foul (team B’s 45-yard line) to team A’s 45-yard line with the down repeated.
Play 9: From a snap at team B’s 36-yard line, A2 gains yardage and fumbles at team B’s 34-yard line. To prevent B9 from recovering the ball, A2 bats the ball at team B’s 34-yard line which is recovered by A3 at team B’s 31-yard line. Ruling 9: A fumble beyond the line is a running play (2-33-2). If the penalty is accepted, the penalty for illegal batting is enforced 10-yards from the end of the run (also the spot of the foul) to team B’s 44-yard line with the down repeated.
Play 10: From a snap at team B’s 36-yard line, A2 loses yardage and fumbles at team B’s 45-yard line. To prevent A2 from recovering the ball, B9 bats the ball at team B’s 45-yard line which is recovered by B3 at team B’s 39-yard line. Ruling 10: A fumble behind the line is a loose-ball play (2-33-1c). If the penalty is accepted, the penalty for illegal batting is enforced 10-yards from the previous spot to team B’s 26-yard line.
Play 11: From a snap at team B’s 36-yard line, A2 gains yardage and fumbles at team B’s 34-yard line. To prevent A9 from recovering the ball, B2 bats the ball which is recovered by A3 at team B’s 31-yard line. Ruling 11: A fumble beyond the line is a running play (2-33-2). If the penalty is accepted, the penalty for illegal batting is enforced 10-yards from the end of the run to team B’s 24-yard line with the down repeated. Team A will likely be awarded a new series.
Play 12: K2 kicks off and as the ball is rolling at team R’s 30-yard line, R8 kicks the ball so it goes out of bounds at team R’s 15-yard line. Ruling 12: The foul occurred during a loose-ball play (2-33-1c). If the penalty is accepted, the penalty for illegal kicking is enforced 10-yards from the previous spot and team K will re-kick from the 50-yard line.
Play 13: K1’s short punt lands at team R’s 25-yard line and to prevent team K from recovering the ball, R3 kicks the loose ball there and it goes out of bounds over the end line. Ruling 13: The result of the play is a touchback. The penalty for the illegal kick is enforced using post-scrimmage kick rules from team R’s 20-yard line.
Illegal Kicking Resulting in a Forward Fumble
Play 14: On fourth down, punter K7 runs one yard beyond the neutral zone and kicks the ball using a normal punting motion. The ball rolls out of bounds well downfield. Ruling 14: This is a running play and the illegal kick is treated as a fumble. Because it went out of bounds in advance of the spot of the fumble, it is returned to the spot of the fumble where it is team B’s ball on downs. If the penalty were to be accepted, it would be enforced from the spot of the foul (end of the run) and fourth down repeated.
Quiz
Read the quiz stem and then choose the best answer.
2/10 from the A-20. A33 catches a pass at the A-30, is hit, and fumbles the ball forward and out of bounds at the A-35. B17 is flagged for roughing the passer.
- The penalty enforcement spot is the A-30
- The penalty enforcement spot is the A-35
- The game clock will start on the snap
- The game clock will start on the referee’s ready for play
- 25-second play clock
- 40-second play clock
Review Rules 3-4-3a, 3-6-1a(1)e EXCEPTION, 4-3-1 EXCEPTION, 9-4-4 PENALTY, 10-5g