Rules review video: Pre-snap actions, intentional grounding, and flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct

2025 Media Video #3

National coordinator of football officials Steve Shaw posted his third media video of the season, breaking down rules and interpretations from Week 2 of the college football season.

Prior to going through plays, Shaw mentioned that the adjustment to the rules on injury timeouts (as discussed in last week’s post) seems to be working as planned. In addition, Shaw said that the new point of emphasis about pre-snap actions at the line of scrimmage is also working well, and is discussed more in the first play.

• Pre-snap actions. A defensive lineman is flagged for trying to get the offense to false start. He shifts rapidly in a way that is deemed exaggerated while lined up within 1 yard of the line of scrimmage. This is properly enforced as a defensive delay of game.
• Intentional grounding. The quarterback takes the snap and pitches it backwards to another player, who then scrambles outside the pocket and throws the ball out of bounds. While he was outside the tackle box and got the ball past the line of scrimmage, these rules only apply to the player who receives and controls the snap, so this was intentional grounding as there was no receiver in the area.
• Flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct. After the play was over, a defensive player spit on an offensive player. This qualifies as a flagrant unsportsmanlike act, which carries an automatic ejection. We discuss this play on this week’s 1st and 25 podcast.
• Field goal over the upright. A field goal attempt was kicked almost directly over the left upright. The rule states that if a ball goes over the upright, it must still be between the uprights to be good. If it goes directly over one, it is no good. This was ruled good on the field by the official with the best angle (directly under the upright).
• Fumble. On what looks like a pick 6, the defender actually loses control while celebrating just before the goal line (yes, it happened again, as seen in the image above). Replay confirmed that there was a fumble before breaking the plane and that the ball was not recovered prior to rolling out the side of the end zone. This resulted in a touchback, and a new set of downs for the original offense.
• Illegal kicking. The punter lost control of the ball before he was able to kick it. As it was rolling around on the ground, he kicked the loose ball downfield. This is a penalty for illegal kicking because you cannot kick a loose ball. After the illegal kick, the ball remains live, which is why the defense was able to return it for a touchdown.