Amazing...
I had the very same thing this weekend involving a receiver in the slot on the far side of me. We worked a Varsity game Friday night, then three games from JV down on Saturday. I'm Linesman.
9th Grade Coach on my side had been working me on some calls which were marginal in the LJ's area, but LJ had officiated for many years and had a ton of experience. A tight game was developing and of course they were rivals!
A comes to the line and all are set with no one in motion. B is salivating to come off the ball and punish any A player. QB is shouting signals and on a hard count when slot man takes one quick step forward with his front foot. No one else is moving, and he quickly 'hangs his head' then steps back quickly into original stance.
B coach is hollering at me simultaneously as I look across at LJ who is doing nothing. I toss a flag and head to the middle to consult where I'm told by the LJ it was a 'shift' and not a False Start.
A shift is actually shifting to a new position, intentionally, right? It was painfully obvious this A player forgot the count and jumped.
Judging by the thread there is a lot of discrepancy and interpretation of this movement. I believe it to be a FS. Yes he quickly shifted forward and back, but is this the true intent of the rule? A 'Shift' shouldn't be construed as 'shifting' in one position should it? Shouldn't it be a shift to a NEW position? How many times could A supposedly shift in one spot repeatedly even though he was still for a full second?
This newbie believes it to be a False Start and the Shift is being too broadly interpreted in favor of A. But did give way to the more experienced officials in the ruling.
By the way, B coach wasn't impresseed with my flag being waved off and the ruling of 'Shifting'.
[Edited by WyMike on Oct 5th, 2004 at 09:27 AM]