Chucking: Warding off an opponent who is in
front of a defender by contacting him with a quick extension of arm
or arms, followed by the return of arm(s) to a flexed
position, thereby breaking the original contact.
Clipping: Throwing the body across the back of
an opponent's leg or hitting him from the back below the waist while
moving up from behind unless the opponent is a runner or the action
is in close line play. Penalty:15 Yards
Close Line Play: The area between the positions
normally occupied by the offensive tackles, extending three yards on
each side of the line of scrimmage.
Crackback: Eligible receivers who take or move
to a position more than two yards outside the tackle may not block an
opponent below the waist if they then move back inside to block.
Dead Ball: Ball not in play.
Double Foul: A foul by each team during the
same down.
Down: The period of action that starts when the
ball is put in play and ends when it is dead.
Encroachment: When a player enters the neutral
zone and makes contact with an opponent before the ball is snapped.
Fair Catch: An unhindered catch of a kick by a
member of the receiving team who must raise one arm a full length
above his head while the kick is in flight.
Free Kick: A kickoff or safety kick. It may be
a placekick, dropkick, or punt, except a punt may not be used on a
kickoff following a touchdown, successful field goal, or to begin
each half or overtime period. A tee cannot be used on a fair-catch or
safety kick.
Fumble: The loss of possession of the ball.
Game Clock: Scoreboard game clock.
Impetus: The action of a player that gives
momentum to the ball.
Live Ball: A ball legally free kicked or
snapped. It continues in play until the down ends.
Loose Ball: A live ball not in possession of
any player.
Muff: The touching of a loose ball by a player
in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain possession.
Neutral Zone: The space the length of a ball
between the two scrimmage lines. The offensive team and defensive
team must remain behind their end of the ball.
Exception: The offensive player who snaps
the ball.
Offside: A player is offside when any part of
his body is beyond his scrimmage or free kick line when the ball is snapped.
Each team must be lined up on their line of scrimmage
and can not be lined up in the neutral zone when the ball is snapped.
The neutral zone is the area between the front and back of the ball.
Pocket Area: Applies from a point two yards
outside of either offensive tackle and includes the tight end if he
drops off the line of scrimmage to pass protect. Pocket extends
longitudinally behind the line back to offensive team's own end line.
Possession: When a player controls the ball
throughout the act of clearly touching both feet, or any other part
of his body other than his hand(s), to the ground inbounds.
Post-Possession Foul: A foul by the receiving
team that occurs after a ball is legally kicked from scrimmage prior
to possession changing. The ball must cross the line of scrimmage and
the receiving team must retain possession of the kicked ball.
Punt: A kick made when a player drops the ball
and kicks it while it is in flight.
Safety: The situation in which the ball is dead
on or behind a team's own goal if the impetus
comes from a player on that team. Two points are scored for the
opposing team.
Shift: The movement of two or more offensive
players at the same time before the snap.
Striking: The act of swinging, clubbing, or
propelling the arm or forearm in contacting an opponent.
Sudden Death: The continuation of a tied game
into sudden death overtime in which the team scoring first (by
safety, field goal, or touchdown) wins.
Touchback: When a ball is dead on or behind a
team's own goal line, provided the impetus
came from an opponent and provided it is not a touchdown or a missed
field goal.
Touchdown: When any part of the ball, legally
in possession of a player inbounds, breaks the plane of the
opponent's goal line, provided it is not a touchback.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Any act contrary to
the generally understood principles of sportsmanship.
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