Penalty Enforcement (20-Yard Line and Goal Line)

The Rule 10-4-7 (20-yard line penalty enforcement) and 10-4-8 (goal line penalty enforcement) articles contain multiple components and the corresponding plays rarely occur on the field. As such, we may be tempted to skim those articles and move on to something more familiar. But let’s dig in and dissect these…

Rule 10-4-7 components:

  1. Following a change of possession
  2. Either team commits the foul
  3. The opponent of the team in possession at the time of the foul is responsible for forcing the ball across the goal line of the team in possession
  4. The related run ends in the end zone
  5. There is a loose ball that can become dead anywhere (including in the field of play)

Play: 2/G from the B-9. B13 intercepts A12’s pass in the end zone. A30 grasps and twists B13’s facemask causing B13 to fumble the ball. A39 recovers the fumble at the B-3 and walks into the end zone. Ruling: A30’s 15-yard penalty will be enforced from the B-20. The related run (the spot of the fumble) was in the end zone.

Rule 10-4-8 components:

  1. Following a change of possession
  2. The foul is committed during a running play
  3. The foul is committed by the opponent of the team in possession at the time of the foul
  4. The team in possession at the time of the foul is responsible for forcing the ball across its own goal line
  5. The related run ends in the end zone

Play: 2/10 from the B-30. B13 intercepts A12’s pass at the B-6 and retreats into his end zone. A88 tackles B13 by the facemask. Ruling: A88’s facemask foul will be enforced from the goal line. Team B will next snap the ball on the B-15. The loose ball play ended and a running play began when B13 intercepted the pass. B13 was responsible for forcing the ball across his own goal line, so the result of the play cannot be a touchback. If A88 had tackled B13 without fouling, the result of the play would have been a safety.


Quiz

Read the quiz stem and then choose the best answer.

2/7 from the A-9. A12 is hit and fumbles at the A-5. B88 recovers the fumble at the A-7, is hit, and fumbles at the A-5. The ball rolls into the end zone where A12 regains possession. B77 is then flagged for an illegal blindside block at the B-2. A12 muffs the ball across the end line.

  1. The result of the play is a safety. Team A will kick from the 35-yard line
  2. Enforce the foul from the goal line. Team B’s ball, 1/10 from the B-15
  3. Enforce the foul from the B-2. Team B’s ball, 1/10 from the B-17
  4. Enforce the foul from the B-20. Team B’s ball, 1/10 from the B-35

Review Rules 2-13-1, 2-13-2, and 10-4-7

Click below to reveal the Quiz answer and accompanying explanations.