Tackle Football Case Play of the Week
Tackle Football Casebook Play of the Week
Read each case play below and formulate your ruling. Click “What’s the ruling?” to reveal the official answer.
September 8, 2026
Case 7.5.4A(a) — Simultaneous Catch, Both Land Inbounds
Rule 7: Snapping, Handling and Passing the Ball
Situation: Airborne A1 and B1 simultaneously gain possession of a legal forward pass near the goal line and return to the ground, where they alight in the field of play inbounds.
What’s the ruling?
Ruling: The ball is dead and belongs to A at the yard line through the foremost point of the ball when A1 and B1 contacted the ground inbounds.
Case 7.5.4A(b) — Simultaneous Catch, Both Land in End Zone
Rule 7: Snapping, Handling and Passing the Ball
Situation: Airborne A1 and B1 simultaneously gain possession of a legal forward pass near the goal line and return to the ground, where they alight in the end zone with the ball.
What’s the ruling?
Ruling: It is a touchdown.
Case 7.5.4A(c) — Simultaneous Catch, A1 in End Zone / B1 Inbounds
Rule 7: Snapping, Handling and Passing the Ball
Situation: Airborne A1 and B1 simultaneously gain possession of a legal forward pass near the goal line and return to the ground, where A1 lands in the end zone and B1 lands in the field of play inbounds.
What’s the ruling?
Ruling: The ball becomes dead and the pass is complete at the yard line through the foremost point of the ball when the players contacted the ground inbounds. If the ball has penetrated the plane of the goal line, it is a touchdown.
Case 7.5.4A(d) — Simultaneous Catch, B1 in End Zone / A1 Inbounds
Rule 7: Snapping, Handling and Passing the Ball
Situation: Airborne A1 and B1 simultaneously gain possession of a legal forward pass near the goal line and return to the ground, where B1 comes down in the end zone and A1 lands in the field of play.
What’s the ruling?
Ruling: The ball becomes dead and the pass is complete at the yard line through the foremost point of the ball when the players contacted the ground inbounds. If the ball has penetrated the plane of the goal line, it is a touchdown.
Case 7.5.4A(e) — Simultaneous Catch, A1 in End Zone / B1 Out of Bounds
Rule 7: Snapping, Handling and Passing the Ball
Situation: Airborne A1 and B1 simultaneously gain possession of a legal forward pass near the goal line and return to the ground, where A1 lands in the end zone and B1 lands out of bounds.
What’s the ruling?
Ruling: Incomplete pass.
Comment: In order for there to be a simultaneous catch, opposing players must have simultaneous joint possession, and both must be in contact with the ground inbounds — the contact does not have to be exactly simultaneous. If A1 and B1 jointly possess a forward pass while airborne and both land inbounds, it is a completed pass, dead at that point, and belongs to A. If there is simultaneous recovery of a fumble, the ball becomes dead and belongs to the team that last had possession. If there is simultaneous recovery of a free kick or scrimmage kick, the ball becomes dead and belongs to the receiving team. (Rules 4-2-2c, 8-2-1)
August 31, 2026
Case 9.4.5F(1) — Rush on Punter: Brush
Rule 9: Conduct of Players and Others — Roughing or Not
Situation: As R2 rushes punter K11, he brushes K11, who maintains his balance.
What’s the ruling?
Ruling: No foul. This is a legal play.
Case 9.4.5F(2) — Rush on Punter: Bump
Rule 9: Conduct of Players and Others — Roughing or Not
Situation: As R2 rushes punter K11, he bumps K11, causing him to fall backwards.
What’s the ruling?
Ruling: Foul. This is running into the kicker/holder — 5-yard penalty, replay the down.
Case 9.4.5F(3) — Rush on Punter: Run Over
Rule 9: Conduct of Players and Others — Roughing or Not
Situation: As R2 rushes punter K11, he runs over K11, knocking him to the ground.
What’s the ruling?
Ruling: Foul. This is roughing the kicker/holder — a personal foul, 15-yard penalty, and an automatic first down.
August 24, 2026
Case 9.3.2c(1) — Contact on Pass Receiver: Tackle
Rule 9: Conduct of Players and Others — Blocking
Situation: Quarterback A1 drops back 15 yards and throws a legal forward pass intended for A2, who is 5 yards behind the neutral zone. Before the pass reaches A2, B1 tackles A2.
What’s the ruling?
Ruling: Foul. Tackling A2 is a form of holding — defensive players are prohibited from grasping an opponent other than the runner. This foul occurs during a loose-ball play, and the 10-yard penalty is administered from the previous spot.
Case 9.3.2c(2) — Contact on Pass Receiver: Block
Rule 9: Conduct of Players and Others — Blocking
Situation: Quarterback A1 drops back 15 yards and throws a legal forward pass intended for A2, who is 5 yards behind the neutral zone. Before the pass reaches A2, B1 blocks A2.
What’s the ruling?
Ruling: No foul. The contact by B1 is not pass interference, and if the block itself is legal, there is no infraction (Rule 7-5-10).
Source: NFHS Football Case Book, Rule 9.3.2c. AOS Officials Training.