1. CAOA Neutral Zone
July 19, 2017

2. Neutral Zone
Rule 2-18
Art 1 - The neutral zone is the space between the two free-kick lines during a free-kick down and between the two scrimmage lines during a scrimmage down. For a free-kick down, the neutral zone is 10 yards wide and for a scrimmage down it is as wide as the length of the football. It is established when the ball is marked ready for play.

3. Neutral Zone
Rule 2-18
Art 2 - The neutral zone may be expanded following the snap up to a maximum of 2 yards behind the defensive line of scrimmage, in the field of play, during any scrimmage down.

5. Scrimmage Plays Presnap:
Rule Encroachment occurs when a player is illegally in the neutral zone during the time interval starting when the ball is marked ready for play and until the ball is snapped or free kicked as in a or 6-1-3b. For the purposes of enforcing encroachment restrictions, an entering substitute is not considered to be a player until he is on his team’s side of the neutral zone. Encroachment also occurs when a player violates the free kick restrictions as in

6. Scrimmage Plays Presnap:
Rule The snapper may be over the ball but his feet must be behind the neutral zone and no part of his person, other than a hand(s) on the ball, may be beyond the foremost point of the ball.

7. Scrimmage Plays Presnap:
Rule The snapper may lift the ball for lateral rotation but may not rotate end-for-end or change the location or fail to keep the long axis of the ball at right angles to the line of scrimmage.

8. Scrimmage Plays Presnap:
Rule Following the ready-for- play and after touching the ball, the snapper shall not:
a. Remove both hands from the ball.
b. Make any movement that simulates a snap.
c. Fail to clearly pause before the snap.
d. Following adjustment, lift or move the ball other than in a legal snap.

9. Scrimmage Plays Presnap:
Rule An illegal snap or other snap infraction causes the ball to remain dead.

10. Scrimmage Plays Presnap:
Rule No player, other than the snapper, shall encroach on the neutral zone after the ball is marked ready for play by touching the ball or an opponent or by being in the neutral zone to give defensive signals.

11. Scrimmage Plays Presnap:
Rule Following the ready-for- play and after the snapper has placed his hand(s) on the ball, encroachment occurs if:
a. Any other player breaks the plane of the neutral zone;
b. A defensive player makes contact with the ball prior to the end of the snap; or
c. A defensive player makes contact with the hand(s) or arm(s) of the snapper prior to the snapper releasing the ball.

12. Scrimmage Plays Presnap:
Rule After the ball is marked ready for play and before the snap begins, no false start shall be made by any A player. It is a false start if:
a. A shift or feigned charge simulates action at the snap.
b. Any act is clearly intended to cause B to encroach.
c. Any A player on his line between the snapper and the player on the end of his line, after having placed a hand(s) on or near the ground, moves his hand(s) or makes any quick movement.

13. Scrimmage Plays Presnap:
Rule If a false start causes B to encroach, only the false start is penalized.

14. What can team A do in or behind the NZ that they can’t do beyond it?
Scrimmage Plays
What can team A do in or behind the NZ that they can’t do beyond it?

15. Scrimmage Plays In or behind NZ: Hand the ball forward Forward Pass
Scrimmage Kick
Place Kick
Punt
Drop Kick

16. Scrimmage Plays
Rule Ineligible A players may not advance beyond the expanded neutral zone on a legal forward pass play before a legal forward pass that crosses the neutral zone is in flight. If B touches the pass in or behind the neutral zone, this restriction is terminated. An ineligible is not illegally downfield if, at the snap, he immediately contacts a B lineman and the contact does not continue beyond the expanded neutral zone.

17. Scrimmage Plays Scrimmage Kicks
Rule K may punt, drop kick or place kick from in or behind the neutral zone before team possession has changed. It is not necessary to be in a scrimmage kick formation to execute a legal scrimmage kick. K may not punt, drop kick or place kick from beyond the neutral zone. R may not punt, drop kick or place kick.

18. Scrimmage Plays Scrimmage Kicks
Rule K may punt, drop kick or place kick from in or behind the neutral zone before team possession has changed. It is not necessary to be in a scrimmage kick formation to execute a legal scrimmage kick. K may not punt, drop kick or place kick from beyond the neutral zone. R may not punt, drop kick or place kick.

19. Scrimmage Plays Scrimmage Kicks
Rule Any K player may catch or recover a scrimmage kick while it is in or behind the neutral zone and advance, unless it is during a try.

20. Scrimmage Plays Scrimmage Kicks
Rule Any K player may catch or recover a scrimmage kick while it is beyond the neutral zone or the expanded neutral zone, provided such kick has been touched by a receiver who was clearly beyond the neutral zone at the time of touching. Such touching is ignored if it is caused by K pushing or blocking R into contact with the ball or it is caused by K legally batting or muffing the ball into R. Such catch or recovery by K beyond the neutral zone causes the ball to become dead.

21. Scrimmage Plays Scrimmage Kicks
Rule The touching of a low scrimmage kick by any player is ignored if the touching is in or behind the expanded neutral zone. The neutral zone shall not be expanded into the end zone.

22. Scrimmage Plays Scrimmage Kicks
From the case book (6-2- 6) – What is the reason for having an expanded neutral zone during scrimmage kicks and how does it affect the touching of a low kick in that area? (cont..)

23. Scrimmage Plays Scrimmage Kicks
From the case book (6-2-6) – The purpose of expanding the neutral zone during a scrimmage kick is to permit normal line play. The neutral zone is expanded up to a maximum of 2 yards behind the defensive line of scrimmage (beyond the neutral zone) to allow ­offensive linemen to block and drive defensive linemen off the line of scrimmage. Low scrimmage kicks may touch or be touched by players of K or R, and such touching is ignored if the kick has not been beyond the expanded neutral zone.

24. Legal or Illegal?
1st and 10 at B40 – QB A2 takes the snap and drops back to pass. He passes from the B45, but lineman B90 bats the pass behind the NZ right back to the QB. A2, still behind the NZ, passes to A80 who catches it and is immediately tacked at the B20.

25. Legal or Illegal?
ILLEGAL!! Rule 7-5-1: It is a legal forward pass, if during a scrimmage down and before team possession has changed, a player of A throws the ball with both feet of the passer in or behind the neutral zone when the ball is released. Only one forward pass may be thrown during the down.

26. Legal or Illegal?
4th and 10 at K40 – Team K is in scrimmage kick formation. K10 receives the snap and punts the ball, however it is blocked by R50 immediately after the kick and rolls to the K30. K10 picks up the ball on the run, then punts the ball to the R35 where it is recovered by team K.

27. Legal or Illegal?
LEGAL!! There is nothing in the rules preventing team K from punting the ball if they recovered the ball behind the NZ! However, it will be 1st and 10 for Team R at the spot of first touching since no R player touched it beyond the NZ.

28. Legal or Illegal?
4th and 10 at A40 – Team A is in scrimmage kick formation. A10 receives the snap and punts the ball, however it is blocked by B50 and rolls to the A30. A10 picks up the ball on the run then throws a forward pass to A88 who catches it and runs into the EZ.

29. Legal or Illegal?
LEGAL!! There is nothing in the rules preventing team K from passing the ball if they recovered the ball behind the NZ! In this play, K will be awarded a TD. (But I hope your crew was alert for linemen downfield!!)

30. Legal or Illegal?
4th and 10 at K40 – Team K is in scrimmage kick formation. K10 receives the snap and punts the ball and it’s a terrible kick.. Lands at the K45 and takes a bounce back to the K35. K10 picks up the ball on the run then throws a forward pass to K88 who catches it and runs into the EZ.

31. Legal or Illegal?
LEGAL!! There is nothing in the rules preventing team K from passing the ball if they recovered the ball behind the NZ! It doesn’t matter that the ball went beyond the NZ, it only matters that they recovered it behind!

32. Free Kicks
Rule If any K player recovers or catches a free kick, the ball becomes dead. It belongs to him unless it is kick-catching interference and R chooses an awarded fair catch or unless it is first touching. Any K player may recover the ball before it goes beyond R's free-kick line if it is touched first by any receiver. (..cont)

33. Free Kicks
Rule Such touching in the neutral zone by R is ignored if it is caused by K pushing or blocking R into contact with the ball or if K muffs the ball into contact with R. Any K player may recover a free kick if it has both touched the ground and goes beyond the plane of R's free-kick line. The two requirements may occur in any order. If a free kick becomes dead inbounds between the goal lines while no player is in possession, or inbounds anywhere while opponents are in joint possession, the ball is awarded to R.

34. Free Kicks
Rule If any K player touches a free kick before it crosses R's free-kick line and before it is touched there by any R player, it is referred to as "first touching of the kick." R may take the ball at the spot of first touching, or any spot if there is more than one spot of first touching, or they may choose to have the ball put in play as determined by the action which follows first touching. (..cont)

35. Free Kicks
Rule Such touching is ignored if it is caused by R pushing or blocking K into contact with the ball. The right of R to take the ball at the spot of first touching by K is canceled if R touches the kick and thereafter during the down commits a foul or if the penalty is accepted for any foul committed during the down.