Bison-Vikes #1 wrote:1. When is "half the distance to the goal" determined for penalties? Is it different when the offensive team is ready to score and when the offensive team is backed up against the goal? Thought it was used when the penalized distance is greater than the distance to goal. However, have noticed it used when this is not the case. Are there different factors to be taken into account? Do different penalties create different uses of the rule?
Always half the distance. For 15y penalties this happens inside the 30 yard line. For 10y penalties this happens inside the 20 yard line. For 5y penalties this happens inside the 10 yard line.
Unlike NCAA and NFL, there are no special enforcement for fouls against the defense in their own end zone. A foul by the offense in their own end zone is a safety.
Bison-Vikes #1 wrote:2. Has the rule changed this year concerning personal fouls and automatic first downs? If so, could someone explain what the rule use to be and what it currently is.
No, not all personal fouls are or have ever been auto-1st in high school. A subset of personal fouls called roughing fouls are auto-1st (roughing passer, kicker, holder, long snapper).
You may have been confused by this year's change to pass interference. Starting in 2013, DPI is no longer an auto-1st. Likewise, OPI is no longer loss of down.
Bison-Vikes #1 wrote:3. Also, (for any officials out there) are there any other "points of emphasis" this year and/or any other notable rule changes made.
Points of emphasis are contact to and with the head.
Bison-Vikes #1 wrote:1. 2nd down and 10 yards to go, and the offense is at the 29 yard line going in. They throw a pass into the endzone and there is a defensive pass interference in the endzone. Where is the ball spotted?
Half the distance to the 14.5. Yardage is enough for a 1st so 1/10 for team A there.
Bison-Vikes #1 wrote:2. Same thing, but the QB had been sacked on first down. It is now 2nd down and 16 from the 35 with pass interference in the endzone. Where is the ball spotted and what down is it?
15y penalty to the 20. Yardage is NOT enough for a 1st so replay 2nd. 2/1 for team A at the 20.
Bison-Vikes #1 wrote:If a RB was tackled by his face mask or horse collared 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage, even though it's a personal foul, they would lose 5 yards but would get to replay the down?
You are correct. The penalty would be from the end of the run in your example, 20y behind the line, going ahead 15y from there then replaying the down. So yes, the offense would have lost yardage and replayed the down.
An odd part of the rules is that if the RB fumbles the ball behind the line of scrimmage while being face masked, the penalty is from the previous spot. The reason is somewhat technical, but has to do with the distinction between running plays and loose-ball plays (which are passes and fumbles behind line).
Mailman_25 wrote:Team A is punting. Player A enters the endzone while downing ball inside the 1 yard line. Is this a touch back?
Only the ball matters in high school. The moment the ball crosses the goal line it is a touchback. A punt team member may be entirely in the end zone with just his arm sticking out to stop the ball. Also in high school, the punt team may not leap into the end zone and knock an airborne ball back into the field of play since it is already a touchback by that time.