Basic Rules
This is to help explain the very basic rules of the sport to those who are new to football. A loss of yards is moving back X yards towards your own endzone.
Do not grab onto anyone, except the ball carrier, this is called holding and results in a loss of ten yards.
Do not hit anyone in the facemask with an open hand or grab the facemask, this is called facecaging and results in a loss of fifteen yards if an offensive player commits the foul and also an automatic first down is a defensive player commits the foul.
Do not hit anyone with the top of the helmet this is called spearing and results in the loss of fifteen yards, and also an automatic first down if the foul was commited by a defensive player.
Do not hit anyone in the back apart from the ball carrier, this is called clipping and results in the same penalties as spearing.
Do not touch a Reciever or Defensive player who is in a position to catch the ball after it is thrown, this is pass interference and incurs the same penalties as spearing and clipping.
Offensive inelegible recievers must not move forward on a passing play as it incurs a loss of five yards.
Defensive players must not cross the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped, this is called encroachment and incurs a loss of five yards.
Offensive players must not move in the second before the ball is snapped, this is called a false start if the movement is forwards and illegal motion if the movement is sideways, these both incur a loss of five yards.
Do not hit the kicker or passer after they "give up" possession of the ball if you can help it as this is called roughing the passer/kicker and incurs a loss of five yards.
DO NOT touch an official in any manner as this incurs the penalties of a loss of fifteen yards and the player which touched the official being sent off(ejected).
Those are the basic rules of college football, the majority of players can get away with just these rules, but if you want to know more go to www.bafra.org.
Differences
Here are some of the differences between our rules and the American rules, which may not be understood by people born outwith the US.
According to BAFRA "There is no five yard blocking zone against eligible receivers. Until a pass is thrown, an eligible receiver may be blocked anywhere beyond the neutral zone as long as the receiver has not reached the same yard line as the blocker. As soon as this situation is reached, the receiver may not be blocked by that player." In other word you can beat the crap out of Wide Recievers until the ball is thrown, as long as he/she is closer to the line of scrimmage than you.
Also "There is no two step rule for Roughing the Passer. If in the opinion of the official, the defensive player could avoid contact once the pass is thrown and does not do so, it is a penalty." If you hit the QB after he throws the ball and the Referee thinks you could have avoided it, it is a penalty.
Last of all "Players numbered 50 through 79 are ineligible receivers." If you are numbered 50-79 you cannot run with or catch the ball unless you declare yourself elegible.
