The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-09-07
Variation in Interpretation Of
Rules Book by Coaches and
Players in Different Sec
tions of Country and State
Always Brings Arguments

Because football players and
coaches in different sections Of the
country or individual states invari-
ably interpret various football rules
in different ways, giving rise to dis
putes, the American intercollegiate
football rules committee has recently
released a printed Interpretation Of
Is rules which might be interpreted
in more than one way.
Members of the committee follow:
w. w. Roper, middle Atlantic states;
H. J. Stegemen, southeastern; A. A.
Stage, middle western; D. x. Bible,
southwestern; H. w. Hughes, noun
tain; G. M. Varnell, Pacific coast;
W. S. Il gford, member-at-large,
secretary; and E. K. Hall, member
at-large, chairman.
Here are some of their interpre-
tations Of 1928 rules:
The restraining line for the side
which kicks off is the 400-yard line,
unless there has been a penalty, as
this is the most forward point from
which the ball is kicked. On q free
kick after fair catch the restrain
ing line for the kicking side is line
through the point Of the catch. These
two are often confused.
An end who moves q step or two
out on the line Of scrimmage must
not be stationary for complete Sec
ond before the ball is snapped, but
he must be stationary when the ball
is snapped. In case Of doubt about
his motion at the time the ball is
put in play his team must be penal
lied. -.
Stop After Shift
A team has shifted and has come
to q stop for one. second and an end
changes his position on the line and
stops for less than = second before
q wing-back .pivots and comes in TO
tackle. This play is legal, provided
the end has stopped before the wing
back pivuts, and provided the wing
back is moving either directly or
clearly in an oblique direction toward
his own end line at the moment the
ball is put in play. If the end and
back are in motion simultaneously
and the ball is put in play before
both have come to an absolute stop
for q period Of approximately one
second, the 15-yard penalty must be
inflicted, for the two men in motion
simultaneously constitute shift. II
| the end was stationary when the
wing back started in motion, and
then the wing-back is in motion tor.
ward at the moment when the ball
is put in play, the 5-yard penalty
must be inflicted.
After team shifts or huddles, al
(eleven) players Of the side in pos
session Of the bah must come to an
absolute stop and remain stationary
] in their positions without movement
Of the feet or swaying Of the body
for q period Of one second before TIN
ball Is put in play. This interpreta'
ton makes it . violation for mem
Der Of the team who did not TAXI
part in the shift or huddle to start il
motion backward.
Following huddle the line Of for
wards takes Z position parallel t,
and back Of the line Of scrimmage
from which position they advances
or drop to their charging positions
This constitutes q shift, and the!
must remain stationary q, second. il
case Of doubt penalty must be in
flicted.
Penalty r. Larger
After shift . team takes it, po
sition on the line Of scrimnaage anl
I tackle charges forward before th'
ball is put in play and before ON
second elapses. His team il no
d penalized for offsids, 5 yards, bu
! rather Is yards, Tor the season thu
al players on the team did not re
main stationary Tor . second.
| A second huddle may b called d
change signals OF for any othar pm
po4e, provided the huddlss togethe
J do not take more than rs seconds
j A team puts the bali n play, a
its opponents cne-yard line. The III
II snapped back 70 Z hack, who 4
his tnrn passes II backward 70 "a
other back, who fails 70 catch
| after touching Il. Il the opponsu
catches thu bali in the end zone h 4
| q t0uchbaek. e the offensive tel
lrecoyers The ball il the end sone
Il . touchdown,
On ~ own, five-yard Linz : tles
makes = protected baclVard pool