1. Region One Football Officials Association
Rule Topics:
Illegal Substitution
Illegal Participation
We Are All Here to Learn

2. PLAYER DESIGNATIONS
A player is one of the 22 team members designated to start either half or who subsequently replaces another player (2-32-1)
A player continues to be a player until a substitute enters the field & indicates to the player that he is replaced or when the substitute otherwise becomes a player (2-32-1)
A substitute is a team member who replaces a player already in the game or fills a player vacancy ( )
A substitute becomes a player when he enters the field and communicates with a teammate or official, enters the huddle, is positioned in a formation or participates in a play ( )
A replaced player is one that has been notified by a substitute that he is to leave the field or a player is also replaced when the entering substitute becomes a player ( )

3. SUBSTITUTION & PARTICIPATION
Illegal Substitution (rule 3) & Illegal Participation (rule 9) are closely related
The distinction between substitution & participation is important - major penalty (15 yds) vs minor penalty (5 yds)
By rule a replaced player must begin to leave the field immediately (up to 3-seconds after the substitute becomes a player)
Having 12 players in the huddle or breaking the huddle with 12 players is not necessarily a penalty.
Either team must be given the opportunity to make a late substitution legally
Your primary focus is how long it takes for the replaced player to begin to depart or if you determine the substitution is an attempt to deceive their opponents

4. SUBSTITUTION OR PARTICIPATION
Any number of players may be replaced any time the ball is dead
There are no restrictions on the number of substitutes that may enter while the ball is dead
There are no restrictions regarding when a substitute may enter while the ball is dead
All Team A players must be momentarily within nine-yard marks after ready for play & before the snap (25 sec play clock)
This requirement will prohibit the hide-out or sleeper play
If an official determines the substitution is an attempt to deceive their opponents, it is an illegal participation foul (9-6-4a,b,d)

5. ILLEGAL SUBSTITUTION & ENFORCEMENT
Dead ball fouls from the succeeding spot:
Replaced player does not leave the field immediately (3-7-1)
Replaced player or substitute leaves the field before the snap other than on his team’s sideline (3-7-2)
Substitute becomes a player & withdraws or a replaced player withdraws & re-enters during the same dead-ball interval, unless a penalty is accepted, a dead-ball foul occurs, there is a charged timeout, or period ends (3-7-3)
Live ball fouls from the previous spot:
Replaced player or substitute unsuccessfully attempts to withdraw (3-7-4)
Substitute enters before snap, is not on his team’s side of the neutral zone at the snap & does not participate (3-7-5)
Live Ball Foul from the succeeding spot:
Substitute enters during the down but does not participate (Non player foul) (3-7-6)

6. ILLEGAL SUBSTITUTION
Illegal substitution may be penalized as either a live ball or a dead ball penalty
The most frequent infractions are:
When a replaced player does not begin to depart immediately (up to 3-seconds after notification that he has been replaced)
When a replaced player fails to leave the field before the snap

7. ILLEGAL PARTICIPATION & ENFORCEMENT
PREVIOUS SPOT FOULS:
12 players in formation at the snap (9-6-4c)
Injured player not replaced for 1 down (9-6-4b)
Simulating replacements to deceive (9-6-4d)
Player lies on the ground to deceive (9-6-4e)
Disqualified player participates (9-6-4f)
ALL BUT ONE FOULS:
Entering substitute is not on his team’s side of the neutral zone at the snap & participates (9-6-3)
Team A or Team K player inadvertently goes out of bounds & returns (before a change of possession) (9-6-1)
ANY player INTENTIONALLY goes out of bounds & returns (9-6-2)
Substitute enters during the down & participates (9-6-4)
Non player hinders an opponent outside the field of play (9-6-3)
SUCCEEDING SPOT FOULS:
Disqualified player re-enters & is discovered before the snap (9-6-4f)

8. Substitution or Participation Foul
A player who returns to his team box without being replaced, then realizes he was supposed to stay in the game & returns to the field does not commit a foul
He does not lose his status as a player when he enters the team area when the ball is dead
He is not a replaced player because he was not notified by a substitute that he was to leave the field ( )
He is not a substitute because there was not a player vacancy for him to fill ( )
If this is done intentionally to gain an advantage it is illegal participation foul (9-6-4d)

9. Review 11 possible illegal participation fouls
6 possible illegal substitution fouls
Major (15 yds) vs minor (5 yds) infraction: Must get it correct!!
Difference is usually an officials recognition prior to the snap - If each official commits to their responsibilities before each snap, most illegal participation fouls can be avoided
Rule 2, Rule 2, Rule 2, Player Designations: Know the difference between: Player, Replaced Player, & Substitute and how they affect your decision
Illegal substitution may be either a live ball or dead ball foul, it can only be enforced from either the previous spot or the succeeding spot
Previous spot, all-but-one, & succeeding spot are all possible enforcement spots for illegal participation
Illegal Participation: Usually a live ball foul

10. THANK YOU