THE
CANADIAN RULE
BOOK
FOR
AMATEUR
TACKLE
FOOTBALL
RULE 4-
SCRIMMAGE
The line of scrimmage is an imaginary
line, extending from sideline to sideline, parallel to the goal line and passing
through the point of the ball farthest from team As goal line.
The neutral zone is the area from the
line of scrimmage to 1yard in advance of the line of scrimmage, extending from
sideline to sideline.
The close line play area is an area
extending laterally from offensive tackle to tackle, from 2 yards behind the
line of scrimmage to 1 yard ahead of the neutral zone (Total 4 yards).
Line players of Team A are those players
who are within 1 yard and on their own side of the line of scrimmage, formed in
a single line when the ball is snapped.
A player of Team A is considered to be
in his backfield if he is clearly back of the line when the ball is snapped.
This will include the player occupying the position of quarterback.
No player of Team A shall be in a
position that will create doubt as to whether he is on the line or in the
backfield when the ball is snapped.
Penalty:
1.2D L5 DR, 3D DG L5 DR, 3D DNG LB PBD
NOTE: A player in a doubtful position may be penalized under this rule or as an
ineligible pass receiver as applicable.
Where
a violation under Rule 4 occurs prior to the snap of the ball, the officials are
empowered to stop the play
immediately. The penalty distance
may be declined, but the down will be repeated, without option, at the
appropriate point, after the acceptance or declination of the penalty distance. (Exception:
Rule 8 ,Section
3,
Article 4(a))
On
a scrimmage play, the centre of Team A shall take up his position facing the
opponents goal line with the
ball on the ground in front of him. He
shall put the ball in play by snapping it between his legs in one continuous
motion in the direction from toe to heel. The
ball must leave the centers hand or hands and he shall
not again handle it until it has been in the possession of another player. Any
player who takes position over
the ball, with one or both hands on the ball, shall snap the ball, and be
considered as the centre
(Subject
to Rule 4 ,Section 3, Article 3 Exceptions).
Rotating
or placing the hand beneath the ball is allowed, but the centre shall not
intentionally move the ball as
if to snap it, so as to draw opponents offside.
Penalty:
1.2D L5 DR, 3D DG - L5 DR, 3D DNG LB PBD
No
player of either team shall make a motion obviously designed to draw an opponent
offside. No player of
either team shall voice a signal which, in the opinion of the official, draws an
opponent offside. No Team
B player shall voice a signal that might mislead team A into putting the ball in
play.
Should
a player of either team move in such a way as to draw an opponent offside, the
opponent shall not be
penalized.
The
actions of the Team A quarterback may be penalized under this rule.
Team
A shall be penalized for having drawn an opponent offside if the quarterback:
(a)
Makes a quick movement towards the centre, without the ball being
immediately snapped, or
(b) Assumes his stance with his hands under the centre, and makes such motion
as bobbing his head, moving his
shoulders, or flexing his knees in a jerky
motion without the ball being snapped, or
(c) Assumes his stance with his hands under the centre, and moves away from
the centre without the ball being
snapped.
If the quarterback assumes such a stance, and then withdraws his hands to
call time out, the Referee
shall blow his whistle quickly to prevent the play
from starting and no penalty shall be assessed.
Penalty:Team A 1.2D L5 DR, 3D DG L5 DR, 3D DNG LB PBD
Team B L5.
No player of either team shall encroach
on the neutral zone until the ball is snapped except that the head, arms and
hands of the centre may be in advance of the line of scrimmage.
A player, who is offside and contacts an
opponent, even though he recovers his onside position prior to the snap, shall
be penalized for being offside.
If a Team B player goes offside, and
breaks the plane of the line of scrimmage, before the ball is snapped, the
officials shall stop the play immediately, and award the penalty, subject to the
right of Team A to decline the penalty and have the same down repeated as though
a foul had not occurred.
A team may put the ball in play without
waiting for the opponents to get onside, but a penalty shall be assessed against
such offside players only if they interfere with the play.
The Team B player giving defensive
signals shall remain on his own side of the neutral zone for this purpose.
Penalty: Team A
1.2D L5DR, 3D DG L5 DR, 3D DNG LB PBD
Team
B L5.
The Referee shall allow 20 seconds for
the ball to be put into play. He
shall be the sole judge as to when the time count shall start and end, allowing
the team reasonable time to line up after each play before starting the count.
Penalty: Prior to the 3-minute
warning signal: 1.2.3D L5 DR
After the 3 minute warning
signal in any half: 1.2D LD, 3D L10 DR
On convert: L5, convert
attempt repeated - no option to
apply the penalty on the kick off.
Note: If, in the opinion of the Referee, Team A is taking a deliberate time
count penalty, the Referee may order Team A to
put the ball in play legally
within 20 seconds or forfeit possession to Team B.
Article
1 - Legal Numbering
Legal numbers are from 1 to 99
inclusive. All Team A players shall
be identified by the following approved numbering system:
Eligible Pass Receivers 1 to 39, 70 to 99
Ineligible Pass Receivers 40 to 69
On
any given play from scrimmage,
any number of positions may be occupied by inappropriately numbered
players who have reported
to the Referee as eligible or ineligible receivers.
(a) At the instant the ball is put into play, at least seven Team A players
must be within 1 yard and on their side of
the line of scrimmage, not including
the player in the position usually occupied by the quarterback
(b) The player who, at the snap of the ball is occupying a position
at either end of the line of scrimmage may be in
motion while within 1 yard of
the line of scrimmage but must not be moving towards his opponents goal line
when the ball is put into play.
If
Team A is playing with less than 12 players on the field, it may reduce the
equivalent number of players on
the line without penalty.
If
Team A has less than 7 players on the line due to an A offside, the penalty
shall be for offside only.
On
all plays from scrimmage (running, passing, and kicking plays), Team A shall
have at least 5 interior line
players identified as ineligible pass receivers, who must be positioned in a
continuous unbroken line.
In
addition, one player at each end of the line shall be identified as an eligible
receiver.
A
line player of Team A, except the centre, after assuming a 3 - or 4 -point
stance, may not legally move his head,
body, arms, hands, or feet until the ball is snapped.
The
centre is allowed to make the motion which is necessary to snap the ball, but
may not break his 3 or 4 point
stance on the ball, to allow another player to become the centre.
A
line player of Team A, may not legally be moving in any direction, or change
position by moving in any
direction, immediately prior to the ball being snapped. Exception
4.3.2.(b)
A
line player of Team A must come to an obvious stop and remain in a stationary
position for 1 full second just
prior to the ball being snapped. Exception 4.3.2.(b)
Penalty:
1.2D L5 DR, 3D DG L5 DR. 3D DNG LB PBD
When
the ball is placed in play by the Referee after a scoring play, after the ball
has been declared dead in the
end zone, or following the application of a penalty for a foul in the end zone
or a foul on a convert, or the
ball strikes the goal post assembly in flight, Team
A may elect to put the ball into play, in the appropriate way, as required by
the rules, at any point between
the hash marks. If a rule specifies
that the next point of scrimmage is the PLS, the ball will be placed
at that specific spot.
If
the ball becomes dead within 24 yards of the sideline, or goes out of bonds, it
shall next be scrimmaged 24
yards in from that sideline at the yardage point where it became dead.
If
team A has possession of a ball within 1 yard of either goal line, it shall be
scrimmaged on the 1 yard line.
On
3rd down on or within its own 15 yard line, Team A may position the
ball away from the goal posts at the
closest hash mark, or closest suitable spot to that point in case of wet ground.
On
any down on or within its own 5-yard line, Team A may position the ball away
from the goal posts at the
closest hash mark, or closest suitable spot to that point in case of wet ground.
(a)
Interference is a general term, applicable to both teams.
It is committed when a player obstructs, blocks or
charges against an opponent, even without direct contact. Thereby preventing his
approach to the ball carrier, potential ball carrier, or to the ball.
Screening is interference without direct contact.
(b)
Blocking is a term applicable to the movement of a player against an
opponent to obstruct or move him in any way, and normally applies to Team A.
(c) Blocking below the waist is making the initial contact below the waist
against an opponent, other than the
ball carrier, with any part of the blockers
body.
(d) A delayed knee block is an illegal delayed block by a player at the knee
or below against an opponent who is
in
contact with a
teammate of the blocker.
(e) The use of hands and arms in blocking is legal, provided that:
1.
The hands may be slightly behind the elbows, even with the elbows, or in
advance of the elbows.
2.
The contact may be made against the opponent on the front or side of the
body, at or below the shoulders.
3.
The arms may be fully extended.
4.
The hands shall be open, with the palms facing the opponent, or cupped or
closed with the palms not facing
the opponent.
5.
The hands and arms are not used in a striking or punching manner, or to
grasp, pull, encircle, lift, hook, lock,
or clamp an opponent.
6. The hands are not clasped or locked.
On a rolling or cross body block, the
hands may be also legally extended from the body.
(a)
On any play from scrimmage, except when the ball is kicked across the
line of scrimmage, all Team A players may interfere with opponents from dead
line to dead line.
(b) On a kick play, Team A players may interfere with the opponents in and
behind the neutral zone, until the ball is kicked, and then as covered in Rule
5.
(c) Interference on a forward pass play Rule 6,
Section 4, Article 9.
(a)
On any play from scrimmage, B players may use their hands and arms to
reach the ball carrier, but shall not hold or encircle any A player other than
the ball carrier.
(b)
Interference on a forward pass play Rule 6,
Section 4, Article 9.
(c)
Interference on a kicking play Rule
5.
Article 4
Change of Possession
After a change of possession, such as
the recovery of an opponents fumble, intercepted pass, receiving of a kick
etc., blocking below the waist by either Team A or Team B is illegal.
Penalty: L10, PBH
Article 1
Required Distance
After the ball has become dead after a
kick off, the team in possession shall have 3 attempts (downs) to gain the required distance of 10 yards.
It may be advanced by carrying it, kicking it or throwing it. In specific cases, a 1st
down may be awarded even though Team A has not gained the required distance.
If, in the series of downs, Team A has
not gained the required 10 yards, the ball shall be awarded to the opponents as
1st down at the point where the ball becomes dead.
If the required distance is gained, downs begin again.
Exceptions:
Team A Foul before loss of possession
on:
(a)
3rd Down Kick - Team B have the option to:
(1)
Require Team A to repeat the 3rd down after the penalty
application from PLS, or
(2)
Scrimmage the ball as 1st down at the point where it became
dead in their possession after the
kick.
(b) 3rd Down
Running or Forward Pass Play Distance gained,
Team A shall repeat the 3rd down after the penalty application from
PLS.
(c) 3rd Down
Running or Forward Pass Play Distance not gained.
Loss of Ball at - PBD running or completed forward pass
PLS Incomplete forward pass.
Note:
Unnecessary Roughness and Rough play penalties are applied in addition to
other penalties, or to distance gained (Rule
8, Section 1, Article 4).
In
measuring for 1st down, the forward point of the ball, not its centre,
shall be the determining point, and before
measuring, the ball shall be rotated so that its long axis is parallel to the
sidelines.
A
touchdown cannot be awarded as a result of this rotation.
When
Team A has failed to gain the required distance, and the ball is awarded to B,
the Referee shall reverse
the ball, so that the forward point is facing in the opposite direction.
Article 3
Tandem Buck
A
player of Team A shall not help the ball carrier by grasping or pushing him or
charging into him, to assist his
forward progress.
Penalty:
Team A - 1.2D L10 DR, 3D DG L10 DR, 3D DNG LB PBD.
Team B - L10 PLS or PBH.
Article
4 -- Holding Hands, Locking Arms
Team A players
may not hold hands or lock arms in making a block.
Team B players
may not hold hands or lock arms in an effort to break up interference protecting
the ball carrier.
Penalty:
Team A - 1.2D L10 DR, 3D DG L10 DR, 3D DNG LB PBD.
Team B - L10 PLS or PBH.
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