Expert: Vic Winnek - 12/18/2011

Question
in a college game defense was called for "stigging" and I haven't ever heard of that penalty before. Can you explain it to me?
thanks.

Answer
Greg thanks for the question.  First there is No such foul as "Stimming".  That is a made up term for the description of the foul. Stimming has been used in coaching circles to indicate a defensive shift.  The play you ask about was inthe Bowl Game in New Orleans.  The foul should have been announced for an "Abrupt defensive actions" causing a reaction by the offense or defensive delay of game; Rule 7 1 5.  I have been kicking this question and the Referee's announcement around all day in Officiating circles  and we were all take back a little by the announcement.  Please know the foul should have been for an Abrupt defensive action causing the offensive team to react which is a defensive foul penalized 5 yards from the previous spot.

Below is a list of all fouls the penalty and Rule citation, you will note Stimming is not one of them.

Summary of NCAA Penalties

LOSS OF A DOWN
Illegal scrimmage kick [also loss of five yards]6 3 10
Illegally handing ball forward [also loss of five yards]7 1 6
Planned loose ball play [also loss of five yards] 7 1 7
Intentionally throwing backward pass out of bounds[also loss of five yards] 7 2 1
Illegal forward pass by Team A [also loss of five yards] 7 3 2
Intentionally grounding forward pass 7 3 2
Forward pass illegally touched by player out of bounds 7 3 4
Illegally batting ball [also loss of 10 yards] 9 4 1
Illegally kicking ball [also loss of 10 yards] 9 4 4

LOSS OF FIVE YARDS
Alteration of playing surface for an advantage 1 2 9
Improper 1 4 2
Coin-toss infractions 3 1 1
Delay after three timeouts expended 3 4 2
Illegal delay of the game 3 4 2
Advancing a dead ball 3 4 2
Disconcerting offensive signals 3 4 2
Substitution rules infractions 3 5 2
More Than Eleven Players in the formation or during the play 3 5 3
Putting ball in play before it is ready 4 1 4
Exceeding 40/25-second count 4 1 5
Infraction of free kick formation 6 1 2
Team A blocking during a free kick 6 1 2
Player out of bounds when ball free-kicked 6 1 2
Team A player illegally goes out of bounds (free kick)6 1 2
Free kick out of bounds 6 2 1
Illegal kick [also loss of down if by Team A] 6 3 10
Team A player illegally goes out of bounds (scrimmage kick) 6 3 12
Defensive Linemen—3-on-1 on field goal formation 6 3 14
Taking more than two steps after fair catch 6 5 2
Illegal snap 7 1 1
Snapper’s position and ball adjustment 7 1 3
Team A not within nine-yard marks after ready 7 1 3
False start or simulating start of a play 7 1 3
Encroachment (offense) at snap 7 1 3
Player out of bounds when ball is snapped 7 1 4
Offensive player illegally in motion at the snap 7 1 4
Illegal Formation 7 1 4
Illegal formation due to numbering exception 7 1 4
Illegal shift 7 1 4
Offside (defense) 7 1 5
Abrupt defensive actions 7 1 5
Interference with opponent or ball 7 1 5
Defensive player charging unabated toward a back 7 1 5
Defensive player out of bounds at the snap 7 1 5
Illegally handing ball forward [also loss of down if by Team A] 7 1 6
Planned loose ball play [also loss of down] 7 1 7
Intentionally throwing backward pass out of bounds[also loss of down if by Team A] 7 2 1
Player on scrimmage line receiving snap 7 2 3
Illegal forward pass [also loss of down if by Team A] 7 3 2
Ineligible receiver downfield 7 3 10
Forward pass illegally touched 7 3 11
Running into kicker or holder 9 1 16
Game Administration Interference [also 15 yards] 9 2 5
Interlocked interference or helping ball carrier 9 3 2

LOSS OF 10 YARDS
Home team delay 3 4 1
Illegal use of hands or arms (offense) 9 3 3
Holding or obstruction (offense) 9 3 3
Illegal block in the back (offense) 9 3 3
Locked hands 9 3 3
Illegal use of hands (defense) 9 3 4
Holding or obstruction (defense) 9 3 4
Illegal block in the back (defense) 9 3 4
Holding or obstruction (loose ball) 9 3 6
Illegally batting loose ball [also loss of down]9 4 10
Illegally batting a backward pass 9 4 1&2
Batting ball in possession by player in possession 9 4 3
Illegally kicking ball [also loss of down]9 4 4

LOSS OF 15 YARDS
Marking ball 1 3 3
Numbers changed to deceive the opponent 1 4 2
Home Jersey Worn Without Permission 1 4 5
Illegal signal devices [also disqualification] 1 4 10
Team not ready to play at start of either half 3 4 1
Rapid substitutions to opponents’ disadvantage 3 5 2
Illegal Wedge Formation 6 1 10
Interference with opportunity to catch a kick 6 4 1
Illegal block by fair-catch signaller 6 5 4
Tackling or blocking fair-catcher 6 5 5
Offensive pass interference 7 3 8
Defensive pass interference [first down] 7 3 8
Striking; tripping [first down] 9 1 2
Targeting/Initiating Contact w/Crown of Helmet [first down]9 1 3
Contact to head/neck area of a defenseless player [first down]9 1 4
Clipping [first down]9 1 5
Blocking below the waist [first down] 9 1 6
Late Hit/action out of bounds [first down] 9 1 7
Helmet / Face Mask Fouls [first down] 9 1 8
Roughing the passer [first down] 9 1 9
Chop Blocking [first down]9 1 10
Leverage/Leaping [first down] 9 1 11
Fouling an opponent obviously out of the play [first down] 9 1 12
Hurdling [first down] 38 9 1 13
Illegal contact against the snapper [first down] 9 1 14
Horse Collar Tackle [first down]9 1 15
Roughing the kicker [first down] 9 1 16
Kicker simulating being roughed 9 1 16
Obscene or vulgar language 9 2 1
Persons illegally on the field 9 2 1
Player not returning ball to official 9 2 1
Engendering ill will 9 2 1
Unsportsmanlike conduct 9 2 1
Persons leaving team area 9 2 1
Illegal return of disqualified player 9 2 1
Noise by persons subject to rules 9 2 1
Concealing the ball 9 2 2
Simulated replacements or substitutions 9 2 2
Equipment to confuse opponents 9 2 2
Intentionally contacting an official [also disqualification] 9 2 4
Continuous contact to the helmet [first down] 9 3 4

Defensive restrictions 9 3 5
Fighting [also disqualification]38, 47 9 5 1

LOSS OF HALF DISTANCE TO GOAL LINE
If distance penalty exceeds half the distance(except on defensive pass interference) 10 2 3

OFFENDED TEAM’S BALL AT SPOT OF FOUL
Defensive pass interference(if less than a 15-yard penalty) [first down] 7 3 8

CHARGED TIMEOUT FOR A VIOLATION
Not wearing mandatory equipment 1 4 8; 1 4 8
Wearing illegal equipment 1 4 8
Head coach’s conference 3 3 4
Head coach’s challenge 12 5 1
Illegal cleats [Also disqualification] 9 2 2

VIOLATION
Illegal touching of free kick by kicking team 6 1 3
Illegal touching of scrimmage kick 16 6 3 2
Scrimmage-kick-batting exception 6 3 11

DISQUALIFICATION
Prohibited signal devices 1 4 8
Use of tobacco 1 4 11
Flagrant fouls 9 1 1
Two unsportsmanlike fouls 9 2 1
Illegal cleats 9 2 2
Contacting an official 9 2 4
Fighting 9 5 1