Welcome to Ask the Official, a weekly blog series from USA Football. We’ve teamed up with Bill LeMonnier, USA Football rules editor, who’s served as a college football referee and also works with ESPN as a rules analyst. Look for LeMonnier’s blog every week during football season, as we take reader-submitted questions or revisit a controversial play that took place the previous weekend. See below for information on how to submit your questions. Here’s today’s topic:

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Q: On pass interference, when is the penalty at the spot of the foul, as opposed to the line of scrimmage?

A: "Basically, the enforcement for defensive pass interference by NCAA rules is 15 yards from the previous spot and an automatic first down. High school is always previous spot. NFL is always spot of the foul and an automatic first down.

"However, the NCAA rules are a bit more complex, including the following details:

"If the spot of the foul is less than 15 yards from the previous spot, the penalty becomes a spot foul with an automatic first down.

"If the previous spot is at or inside the 17-yard line, the enforcement cannot take the ball inside the 2-yard line.

"If the previous spot was inside the 2-yard line, then you have a new first down, half the distance to the goal.

"If the pass interference occurs on a try (PAT), then you go half the distance from previous spot, which in most cases will be from the 3-yard line.

"Also, a reminder: Per NFHS rules, pass interference is not an automatic first down if the offensive team still needs more than 15 yards to gain for a first down. The only automatic first downs by penalty in high school: Roughing the quarterback and roughing the kicker/holder/snapper."

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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.