Section 2 Coaches Point of Emphasis (2025)

• Consistency
• Tuck in Shirts
• Hair covering flags should be tucked into back of shirt
• Check flags each play on all players
• 2 Minute Warning Review
• Turnovers Extra Points – Not allowed to be advanced.
• Positioning on Snaps with Center and where can leg be positioned – Will have clarification at next meeting. State interpreters meeting.
• Moving Screens
• Punt Review

Game and Player Equipment
• A player wearing illegal equipment shall not be permitted to play.
• This applies to any equipment, which, in the opinion of the Referee, is dangerous or confusing. Types of equipment or substances which shall always be declared illegal include:
• Headgear containing any hard, unyielding, or stiff material, including billed hats.
• Jewelry -2- NYSACFO 3-18-24
• Pads or braces worn above the waist.
• Shoes with metal, ceramic, screw-in, or detachable cleats. Any team found wearing illegal equipment will be penalized 10 yards, and the second warning results in a forfeit.
• Shirts or jerseys, which do not remain, tucked in. Any hood on a coat, sweatshirt, or shirt, which does not remain tucked in.
• Pants or shorts with any belt(s), belt loop(s), pocket(s) or exposed drawstring(s).
• Leg and knee braces made of hard, unyielding material, unless covered on both sides and all edges overlapped, and any other hard substance is covered with at least 1/2 inch of closed cell slow recovery rubber or other material of similar thickness and physical properties.
• Towels attached at the player′s waist (flag only).
• Players will be sent off the field during the next dead ball to permit prompt repair of equipment, which becomes illegal or defective through use (except for illegal shoes).

ming
• Two (2) – 25 Minute Halves. The clock will run for the first 23 minutes of each half.
• The clock will be stopped for the following scenarios.
• A score – Touchdown, or Safety (Clock will start on the next snap following a safety)
• Extra Point (untimed down)(Clock will start on the next snap following a PAT)
• Change of Possession (Clock will start on the next snap following a COP)
• Penalty Administration (Clock will start on RFP or next snap depending on previous play)
• Team Time-Out (Clock will start on next snap following a Team TO)
• Referees Time-Out (Clock will start at Referees Discretion)
• Last two (2) minutes of each half is normal football time
• Clock will also stop temporarily for 1st downs during final two minutes of each half
• Play clock for each play is 25 seconds from the time the ball is spotted
• Teams receive two (2) timeouts per half (they do not carry over)
  

Extended Periods

• A half may be extended by an untimed down when, during the last timed down, one of the following occurred
• If there was a foul by either team and the penalty is accepted.
• If there was a double foul.
• If there was an inadvertent whistle and the down is to be replayed.
• If a touchdown was scored, the try is attempted unless the touchdown is scored during the last down of the second half and the point(s) would not affect the outcome of the game or playoff qualifying.

Timing Errors

• The Referee shall have the authority to correct obvious timing errors if discovery is prior to the second live ball following the error unless the period had officially ended.

Two (2) Minute Warning

• Referee will stop the clock with Two (2) minutes left in each half to give a Two (2) -minute warning
• Inform both head coaches that there are Two (2) minutes left and # of timeouts remaining
• Start clock on RFP or Snap based off result of last live play prior to Two (2) minute warning
• BJ once we hit Two (2) minute warning should announce time left after each play
• Halftime is no more then Five (5) minutes in length
• Shortened Periods - Before the start of the game, playing time may be shortened by mutual agreement of each head coach and the Referee. Anytime during the game, the playing time of any remaining period(s) may be shortened by mutual agreement between each team's head coach and the Referee.

Coin toss & Putting the Ball in Play

• 5 Minutes prior to start of game have both teams locate to their respective sidelines. HL and BJ will bring Captains to middle of the field for coin toss
• Away team has choice of heads or tails. Winner of coin flip has the following options
• Offense
• Defense
• Defer
• 2nd half must change direction for offenses. There is no option at start of 2nd half.
• Possession will start on the 14-yard line (NEW THIS YEAR) for Start of Game, Start of 2nd Half, after PATS and Touchbacks
• Ball is put in play in the middle of the field for ALL PLAYS
• Possession will start on the 20-yard line after a safety

Scoring

• Touchdown (Worth 6 Points)
• PAT (Worth 1, 2 or 3 Points)
• 1 point from the 3-yard line
• 2 points from the 10-yard line
• 3 points from the 20-yard line
• While time is out there shall be one scrimmage play, unless changed by penalty. The try ends when the defense secures possession, the try is successful, or the ball becomes dead for any other reason
• Safety (Worth 2 Points)

Overtime

• Three (3) minute intermission between end of regulation and start of overtime
• Bring Coaches and Captains to Midfield for cointoss
• Winner of coin toss can select the following
• Offense, Defense, Direction
• Direction selected during coin toss determines all subsequent OT possessions. Direction DOES NOT CHANGE.
• Each team gets 1 timeout per overtime
• Unless moved by penalty, each team will start 1st and goal from the 20-yard line. The object will be to score a touchdown. An overtime period consists of one possession by each team. If the score is still tied after one period, they go to a second period or as many as needed to determine a winner. If the first team which is awarded the ball scores, the opponent still has a chance to win the game.
• If the defense intercepts the pass or fumble and returns it for a touchdown, they win the game. If they do not return the interception for a touchdown, the ball will belong to the defense (at the overtime 20-yard line), as the offense did not convert their chance. They must convert to win, or another period starts.
• Penalties - The offense should be awarded a new series of 4 downs when the penalty for defensive pass interference or roughing the passer is accepted. Dead ball fouls following a successful try will be penalized from the succeeding spot.

Punting

• Prior to making the ball ready for play on fourth down, the Referee must ask the offense if he/she wants a protected kick(punt). The Referee must communicate this decision to the defensive captain and the other officials.
• The offensive team must declare their intentions on 4th down – punting or "going for it". (Quickkicks are illegal.)
• The offense must have all field players (typically 6) except the punter on the line of scrimmage. The defense must have at least 5 players within 1 yard of their scrimmage line. All players on the line of scrimmages must remain motionless until the kick is made. A line player may not raise his/her arms to distract the kicker or block the kick. Penalty: Illegal Procedure, 5 yards from the previous spot.
• The kicker must be at least 5 yards behind the scrimmage line when receiving the snap. After receiving the snap, the kicker must kick the ball immediately and in a continuous motion.
• Any kick caught by the kicking team behind the line of scrimmage cannot be advanced. Any kick caught by the kicking team in or beyond the line of scrimmage cannot be advanced.
• If the ball touches the ground following a protected scrimmage kick (punt) the play is dead where the ball initially landed or crossed out of bounds. The receiving team may advance the ball if caught by the receiving team. A scrimmage kick that is muffed by the receiving team remains live until it touches the ground.

Fair Catch

• Any receiver may signal for a fair catch while any kick is in flight and is beyond the kicker's free kick line.
• If any receiver gives a valid signal for a fair catch and catches the kick beyond the kicker's line and between the goal lines, it is a fair catch, and the ball becomes dead.
• After a valid fair catch signal by any member of the receiving team, no receiver may advance the ball. When receiving a protected kick, the receiver may call for a fair catch. The player must signal intention by extending one arm above his/her head and waving laterally from side to side more than once.
• An invalid fair catch signal is any signal by a receiver before the kick is caught or recovered that does not meet the requirements of a valid signal or after the kick has touched a receiver or the ground.

Prior to Snap

• Following the ready for play and until the snap, no player on defense may encroach, touch the ball, nor may any player contact opponents or in any other way interfere with them. This includes standing in the neutral zone to give defensive signals or shifting through the zone. After the snapper has placed his/her hands on the ball, it is encroachment for any player to break the scrimmage line plane, except for the snapper's right to be over the ball. A player initially lined up within 1 yard of the line of scrimmage, can shift to a position clearly more than 1 yard behind the line of scrimmage and then go in motion. Penalty: Dead Ball Foul, Encroachment, 5 yards from the previous spot.
• The snapper, after assuming position for the snap and adjusting the ball, may neither move nor change the position of the ball in a manner simulating the beginning of a play until it is snapped. An infraction of this provision may be penalized, whether or not the ball is snapped, and the penalty for any resultant encroachment or contact foul by an opponent shall be canceled.

Positioning and Action During a Snap

• The offensive team must have at least 4 players within 1 yard of the scrimmage line at the snap. Penalty: Illegal Formation, 5 yards from previous spot
• All offensive players must be within 15 yards of the ball. Penalty: Illegal Formation, 5 yards from previous spot
• One offensive player may be in motion, but not in motion toward the opponent's goal line. Penalty: Illegal Motion, 5 yards from previous spot
• The player who receives the snap must be at least two yards behind the offensive scrimmage. Penalty: Illegal Formation, 5 yards from previous spot
• In a snap preceded by a huddle or shift, all offensive players must come to a complete stop and remain stationary in legal position without movement of feet, body, head, arms for at least one full second before the snap. Penalty – Illegal Shift, 5 yards from previous spot.

Passing and Receiving

• All players are eligible to catch a pass.
• There is no diving while running with the ball. A receiver may dive to catch a ball. A defensive player may dive for to try to remove a flag.
• A runner may pass the ball backward or lose player possession by a fumble at any time except if intentionally thrown out-of-bounds to conserve time or to avoid being deflagged/tagged.
• A backward pass or fumble which touches the ground between the goal lines is dead at the spot where it touches the ground and belongs to the last team in possession unless lost on downs.
• A backward pass or fumble that goes out-of-bounds between the goal lines belongs to the team last in possession at the out-of-bounds spot. If out-of-bounds behind a goal line, it is a touchback or safety.
• If an offensive player fumbles the ball prior to reaching the end zone and the ball lands in the end zone, the offensive team shall retain possession at the spot of the fumble.
• A forward fumble out-of-bounds between the goal lines comes back to the spot where the last team in possession lost the ball.

Pass Interference

• Pass Interference - Contact that interferes with an eligible receiver who is beyond the line of scrimmage is pass interference unless it occurs when 2 or more eligible receivers make a simultaneous and bona fide attempt to reach, catch, or bat a pass.
• Offensive Pass Interference - after the ball is snapped, and until a receiver has touched it, there shall be no offensive pass interference beyond the line of scrimmage. Penalty: Offensive Pass Interference, 10 yards from previous spot, loss of down
• Defensive Pass Interference - after the pass is thrown, and until it is touched, there shall beno defensive pass interference beyond the line of scrimmage while the ball is in flight. Penalty: Defensive Pass Interference, 10 yards from previous spot, automatic first down
• Roughing the passer – Defensive players must make a definite effort to avoid charging into the passer after itis clear the ball has been thrown, also there should be no attempts to hit the player's arm during a throwing motion. Penalty: Roughing the Passer, 10 yards, automatic first down.