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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What’s the rule on the play where the Seattle Seahawks defensive player seemed to bat the ball intentionally out of the back of the end zone?

No flag was thrown, so a ball fumbled from the field of play out of the end zone goes to the defense on a touchback.

Batting the ball in any direction in the end zone is a foul at the NFL, NCAA and high school levels. If a flag had been thrown for batting, it is a loose ball foul administered from the end of the related run – probably the 2-yard line.

With half the distance from the spot, the Lions would have gotten the ball at the Seahawks’ 1 and repeat the down unless the spot is enough for a new first down.

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Is there a foul on a high school coach who does not have his team ready to start the quarter?

The referee can issue a delay of game penalty for a team not being ready to start a quarter. Per the National Federation of State High School Associations rule book, if two minutes pass after being directed to play at any time, the referee has the authority to declare a forfeit

In the NCAA, if a team had a delay beyond the normal delay of game, we typically issued a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. At the college level, we would suspend a game but not forfeit it. That power typically rests with the conference commissioner.

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The following all occurs on the same play:

Team A is on offense and during a pass play is flagged for an illegal player downfield.

Team B commits a horsecollar tackle at the end of the play.

How are these penalties enforced, or do they offset?

Offsetting fouls. Replay the down.