Summary of Penalties / NCAA
Overview
The document provides a detailed breakdown of various penalties under the NCAA football rules. Each penalty is categorized by the severity of the yardage loss or other enforcement actions.
Categories of Penalties
Loss of a Down
- Illegal scrimmage kick: Also results in a 5-yard penalty.
- Illegally handing ball forward: Also results in a 5-yard penalty.
- Planned loose ball play: Also results in a 5-yard penalty.
- Intentionally throwing backward pass out of bounds: Also results in a 5-yard penalty.
- Illegal forward pass by Team A: Also results in a 5-yard penalty.
- Intentionally grounding forward pass: Penalty enforced at the spot of foul.
- Forward pass illegally touched by player out of bounds
- Illegally batting ball: Also results in a 10-yard penalty (exceptions may apply).
- Illegally kicking ball: Also results in a 10-yard penalty (exceptions may apply).
Loss of Five Yards
- Alteration of playing surface for an advantage
- Improper numbering
- Coin-toss infractions
- Delay after three timeouts expended
- Illegal delay of the game
- Advancing a dead ball
- Disconcerting offensive signals
- Substitution rules infractions
- More Than Eleven Players in the formation or during the play
- Various infractions related to pre-play positioning and motion, including false starts, encroachment, illegal formations, and others.
Loss of Ten Yards
- Home team delay
- Illegal use of hands or arms (offense)
- Holding or obstruction (offense)
- Illegal block in the back (offense)
- Locked hands
- Illegal use of hands (defense): Results in first down.
- Holding or obstruction (defense): Results in first down.
Loss of Fifteen Yards
- Marking ball
- Numbers changed to deceive the opponent
- Home Jersey Worn Without Permission
- Illegal signal devices: Also results in ejection.
- Team not ready to play at start of either half
- Rapid substitutions to opponents disadvantage
- Illegal Wedge Formation
- Interference with opportunity to catch a kick
- Targeting/Initiating Contact with Crown of Helmet: Results in disqualification.
- Targeting/Initiating Contact to head/neck of a defenseless player: Results in disqualification.
- Roughing the passer: Results in first down.
- Horse Collar Tackle: Results in first down.
- Fighting: Also results in ejection.
Other Penalties and Violations
Loss of Half Distance to Goal Line
- Applies when the distance penalty exceeds half the distance to the goal line, except for defensive pass interference.
Offended Team’s Ball at Spot of Foul
- Enforced for defensive pass interference when a penalty is less than 15 yards.
Charged Timeout for a Violation
- Penalties include not wearing mandatory equipment, wearing illegal equipment, head coach’s conference, illegal cleats, and others.
Violations
- Illegal touching of free kick by kicking team
- Illegal touching of scrimmage kick
Warning
- Game Administration Interference, first infraction
Ejection
- Prohibited signal devices, flagrant fouls, two unsportsmanlike fouls, and more.
Disqualification
- Includes specific targeting initiatives that involve contacting opponents in a dangerous manner.
Automatic First Downs (Defensive Fouls)
- Includes various defensive actions like pass interference, targeting, roughing penalties, and unsportsmanlike conduct.
Referee’s Discretion
- Penalty for unfair acts as determined by referee discretion.
When-In-Question Rules
- Applies to scenarios where the outcome of a play may be ambiguous, such as catch or recovery not completed, block in the back, forward pass rather than backward pass, etc.
Note: Detailed signals and rules are linked to specific rule references for comprehensive understanding.