Inadvertent Whistle

Inadvertent WhistleInadvertent Whistle

Revised 14 June 2008Revised 14 June 2008

M. PasenelliM. Pasenelli

CACPFO Rules InterpreterCACPFO Rules Interpreter

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Our MissionOur Mission

• Review the rules for dealing with inadvertent whistles

• Demonstrate our knowledge of the rules by answering the situations correctly

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IntroductionIntroduction

• Most of the time, the official’s whistle does not kill the play—the play kills itself.

• The exception is the inadvertent whistle. It is every official’s worst nightmare.

• Per 4-2-2j, when an official sounds his official inadvertently, the ball is dead and the down is ended. So, what do you do?

• 4-2-3 has been rewritten in its entirety for 2008.

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Best Discussion on This TopicBest Discussion on This Topic

• George Demetriou’s version of the Redding Study Guide to NFHS Football Rules, on pages 175-177.

• He divides the IW rule into 3 categories:– Ball in player possession;– Ball loose following a fumble, backward pass, or

illegal forward pass or illegal kick;– During a legal forward pass or a legal kick

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IW Sounds While: The Ball Is In Player IW Sounds While: The Ball Is In Player Possession (4-2-3c)Possession (4-2-3c)

• The ball is dead.

• The team in possession has 2 choices:– Take the ball where it was blown dead (there

should be a bean bag), with the down counting; or

– Replay the down at the previous spot

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Situation # 1 (SG 12.1)Situation # 1 (SG 12.1)

• 2nd and 8 from A’s 25. Runner A1 gains 5 yards to A’s 30 and is still running when the whistle blows.

• Ruling: A may put the ball in play, 3rd and 3 from the 30, or replay the down, 2nd and eight from the 25 yard line.

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• K1’s punt is caught by R2, who runs several yards before an official mistakenly blows his whistle.

• Ruling: Team R has the option of taking the ball where it was blow dead or having the down replayed from the previous spot, with Team K in possession.

• Note the whistle was blown while in player possession, not during the kick.

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• Receiver R1 recovers a kickoff and advances the ball. As he crosses his own 15 yard line, the whistle blows.

• Ruling: Team R may take the blow where it was blown dead or have Team K repeat the free kick.

• Note: K retains their option to place the ball wherever they want on the free kick line.

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IW Sounds While: The Ball Is Loose Following IW Sounds While: The Ball Is Loose Following a Backward Pass, Fumble, Illegal Forward a Backward Pass, Fumble, Illegal Forward

Pass or Illegal Kick (4-2-3b)Pass or Illegal Kick (4-2-3b)

• The ball is dead• The fumbling, passing or kicking team has

the option of– Taking the ball where the player lost possession

or– Replaying the down at the previous spot

• Note: we will discuss penalty considerations later

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Spot Where Player Lost PossessionSpot Where Player Lost Possession

• The spot of the fumble, backward pass, or illegal forward pass.

• The down will count at that spot.

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Situation # 4 (SG 12.4):Situation # 4 (SG 12.4):

• 2nd and 7 for Team A. Runner A1 carries the ball for a 4 yard gain and fumbles. The loose ball rolls forward another 9 yards when it is blown dead by an official.

• Ruling: Team A has the option of taking the ball where it was fumbled (4 yards beyond the neutral zone) for 3rd down and 3 or replaying the down 2nd and 7 at the previous spot.

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Situation #5 (SG 12.5):Situation #5 (SG 12.5):

• 3rd and 7. Quarterback A1 rolls out and is 2 yards behind the neutral zone when he throws a backward pass to A2 who muffs the ball. While it is in the air an official sounds his whistle.

• Ruling: Team A has the option of replaying the down at the previous spot (3rd and 7) or keeping the ball where A1 passed it, making it 4th and 9.

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IW Sounds During: A Legal Forward Pass, A IW Sounds During: A Legal Forward Pass, A Snap in Flight, or Legal Kick (4-2-3a)Snap in Flight, or Legal Kick (4-2-3a)

• The ball is dead.

• There is no option: the ball is returned to the previous spot and the down is replayed.

• A pass ends when the ball is caught, intercepted, or incomplete.

• A kick ends when it is possessed or is dead by rule.

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Situation # 6 (SG 12.6):Situation # 6 (SG 12.6):

• Team A’s punt is in flight or rolling along the ground when an official inadvertently sounds his whistle.

• Ruling: The ball is dead immediately and returned to the previous spot. Replay the down.

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• Quarterback A1 throws a legal forward pass that is tipped by B2 and it goes high into the air. As the ball is coming down but still airborne, an official inadvertently sounds his whistle.

• Ruling: The whistle was blown during the pass, so the ball is returned to the previous spot and the down is replayed.

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Situation #8 (SG 12.8) Situation #8 (SG 12.8)

• Team K’s kickoff is muffed by R1. The ball is rolling toward the goal line when an official blows it dead.

• Ruling: Inadvertent whistle during a kick. Replay the down.

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On a Try:On a Try:

• No different than any of the situations described above.

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Fouls and Inadvertent WhistlesFouls and Inadvertent Whistles

• The easiest way to remember: a foul trumps an inadvertent whistle. So, if there is a live-ball foul and the penalty is accepted, the penalty is administered and the IW is ignored. 4-2-3d

• Another way to think: the best thing that can happen to an official who blows an IW is to have a foul during the down and the penalty is accepted. In that case, the whistle is ignored.

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New For 2008: IW’s and PSK: 4.2.3ENew For 2008: IW’s and PSK: 4.2.3E

• A complete change from last year.

• The Study Guide was written prior to the Case Book, so everything in the Study Guide about PSK and IW is incorrect.

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• 2nd and 10 on A’s 30. During A1’s run, A2 clips at A’s 35. When A1 has gained 8 yards, an official inadvertently sounds his whistle.

• Ruling: The penalty is obviously accepted and A is penalized from the spot of the clip. It will be 2nd and 20 at A’s 20.

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Situation #10 (4.2.3E)Situation #10 (4.2.3E)

• K 4/12 @ R-45. K1’s punt is rolling @ R-16 when an inadvertent whistle sounds. R2 blocks K3 in the back @ R-22 during the down prior to the whistle.

• Ruling: If the penalty is accepted, the foul takes precedence over the inadvertent whistle and results in post-scrimmage kick enforcement. If the penalty is declined, the IW during a loose ball dictates a reply of the down.

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Situation #11 (SG 12.11) Situation #11 (SG 12.11)

• 2nd and one at A’s 35. As A1 drops back to pass, end A2 blocks linebacker B3 5 yards beyond the neutral zone and then runs a pass pattern. A1’s pass is intended for A2, but he muffs it. Before the ball hits the ground an official sounds his whistle.

• Ruling: Offensive pass interference on A2. The penalty is enforced as usual: 15 yards from the previous spot and loss of down. 3rd and 16 from the 20. Refusing the penalty would result in replaying 2nd and 1 from the 35 yard line, so there is no advantage to Team B to decline the penalty.

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Extending a periodExtending a period

• If an inadvertent whistle occurs during the last timed down of a period, it is extended for an untimed down.

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IW’s and the clockIW’s and the clock

• After a down in which an IW is blown, we start the clock on the ready, no exceptions

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Unusual circumstancesUnusual circumstances

• Apply the rule in such unusual cases as a ball hitting a dog or a spectator inbounds (4.1.5)

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Situation #12 (SG 12.III.5) Situation #12 (SG 12.III.5)

• R1 is waiting for a punt at his own 20 yard line. As he is about to catch the ball, the sprinkler system comes on. R1 is distracted by the water spraying on him and muffs the ball.

• Ruling: The down is replayed as if an inadvertent whistle has occurred.

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Our MissionOur Mission

• Review the rules for dealing with inadvertent whistles

• Demonstrate our knowledge of the rules by answering the situations correctly

Inadvertent Whistle

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