Rule changes approved for 2017-2018

Your NGFFL city leaders recently voted on new gameplay rules for the 2017-2018 rule book. The new rule book should be available by 8/1/2017. New rules this season are: 1) A bad snap that lands in the end zone or lands out of bounds beyond the goal line comes back to previous spot & the down counts. 2) A forward fumble that lands in the end zone or lands out of bounds beyond the goal line comes back to spot of the fumble & the down counts. 3) Three seconds left in the half will be required to spike the ball if the clock is stopped and will start on referee's signal. (Spiking the ball with 1 or 2 seconds left on clock expires the half.) 4) If the game clock is stopped only to enforce a penalty for a foul by the leading team inside the last two minutes of a half, it will start on the snap, at the option of the offended team. 5) Roughing the passer rule will now read: “Defensive players must make a definite effort to avoid charging into a passer or contacting a passer's arm and/or hand during or after a legal forward pass. No defensive player shall contact the passer who is standing still or fading back as he/she is considered out of the play after the pass. Roughing the passer restrictions do not apply if the forward pass is thrown from beyond A's scrimmage line. It is not a foul for roughing the passer if a team B player/rusher is making an attempt to deflag the passer and the passer's passing motion makes contact with the team B player or if the referee judges that the passer intentionally passes into any team B player." 6) Team B players may now deflag a receiver after the ball is first touched. Once team A player is deflagged in this manner, the ball becomes dead once that player secures possession and completes the catch. 7) Contact will now be required for pass interference (face guarding no longer a foul). 8) When Team B commits a penalty on a play in which Team A used its run, Team A may accept the penalty from the previous spot and retain the run. 9) The penalty for an illegal second run will now be 5 yds + loss of down 10) New mercy rule will be 36 points at any point with 5 minutes (or less) left in the game, and 25 points at any point with 2 minutes (or less) left in the game.