Question for stat keepers

[Bluefield researcher 1,195]

How do you keep track and make stats balance when a play occurs with a downfield penalty? As has been noted there were several holding penalties in last night's Graham - Union game. Several of which negated long gains. However after marking off the penalty from the spot there still was a net gain. Let's say the running play goes for 30 yards but there was a downfield hold at the spot of the tackle. So 10 yards are marked off and it is a first down but only 20 yards downfield. Does the ball carrier get credit for 30 yards and then 10 yards added in the penalty column? Does the ball carrier get credit for 20 yards? Let's say the same situation occurs but the gain is 5 yards gained but the penalty moves the ball back and it is first and 15? Let's say the series of downs continues. The offense goes for it on 4th down and fails. Do you have a series of downs with 5 plays? How is this kept track of in stats? I know about baseball and basketball stats keeping but not so much about football. 

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Stats are included with penalty yards unless the penalty is enforced at the LOS or behind.  Three examples:

 

(A) Offensive Player A rushes from the 50-yard-line to the opponent’s 20-yard-line, but Offensive Player B commits a hold at the opponent’s 30-yard-line.  Presuming the defense accepts the penalty, Offensive Player A is credited with a 20-yard gain to the spot of the foul, and the penalty is assessed and added to the overall penalty yardage.

(B) Offensive Player A rushes from his own 20-yard-line and is tackled at his own 25-yard-line, but Offensive Player B commits a hold at the opponent’s 23-yard-line.  Should the defense accept the penalty, Offensive Player A is credited with a 3-yard gain to the spot of the foul, despite the ensuing penalty creating a 1st-and-17.  The penalty assessed is added to the overall penalty yardage.  (And yes, this results in a wonky situation where you might have a 5-play “3-and-out”.)

(C) Offensive Player A throws an incomplete pass on 1st-and-10, but Offensive Player B commits a hold at the LOS.  Should the defense accept the penalty, resulting in a 1st-and-20, there is no pass credited to Offensive Player A.   

At least, this is how I’ve always understood it and do it.