fan in the stands will probably refer to "plays" as the action that happens once the ball is snapped. If you asked that same fellow what a "down" was, he might respond that the offense has four "downs" to get a first down. That's a decent definition for the folks in the stands, but it doesn't cut the mustard if you're in stripes on the field. The fundamental statements that support the concept of a "down" are essential in game administration. Let's take a look at them.
Fundamental II, Downs, contains five (5) statements that read:
- A down begins when the ball becomes live and ends when it becomes dead.
- Whether the next down will be first is determined at the time the ball becomes dead and after considering any act, except a nonplayer or unsportsmanlike foul, which occurred during the down.
Continued...
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