USA Football Rules Editor Bill LeMonnier is a former college referee who currently serves as an ESPN NCAA rules analyst. Click here to ask Bill a question. Make sure to put “Ask the Official” in the subject line.

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Why wasn’t holder of fake field goal by Notre Dame against Virginia ruled down since he threw pass while knee was down?

By high school and youth rules, the holder must rise in order to pass, but by NCAA rules the holder can pass the ball from his knee as long as the kicker is in the area.  

That is a legal play for Notre Dame.

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Can a defensive player ever be ineligible to be the first person to touch a pass because he stepped out of bounds? I thought that was an offensive rule only.

There are no restrictions on the defense going out of bounds and then coming back in to touch or catch a pass.  

Going out of bounds on your own is a restriction only on the offense.

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During a play, the ball-carrier gains 15 yards and makes a first down, but there is a targeting penalty on the offense.

The official walked the 15 yards from the end of the play and set the marker at first down, which basically gave the offense a do-over. Is this where the yardage should be enforced?

If the foul occurred by the offense during a live ball play resulting in a new first down, the foul is from the end of the run or the spot of the foul, whichever hurt the offense more. The down is replayed.  

If the foul occurs after the ball is dead, the yardage is from the end of the run, and since it resulted in a new first down, it would be first and 10 after the enforcement.