View Single Post
  #6 (permalink)  
Old Mon Sep 19, 2005, 10:38pm
l3will l3will is offline
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: minnesota
Posts: 154
Let's be careful, going early by a back is not necessarily a false start, or even illegal motion. There are some teams who
have the back take a step forward as part of legally going into motion, the back is going back when the ball is snapped.

The back legally establishes himself in the back field by setting with the rest of the team. Takes a step forward, then parallels the line of scrimmage or goes back away from the line of scrimmage.

The state association even emphasized that too many officials were calling false starts on backs. They emphasized that if a back or end was going forward at the snap that it should be called as illegal motion, unless it was obvious that
it simulated action at the snap or intended to draw a reaction by B and A did not violate the neutral zone.

It's a fine line, I know, but if there is no reaction, I think you have to either call illegal motion if the back is going forward at the snap or if at the snap he is going parallel or back then the motion would be legal.
Reply With Quote