[JasonTX]

Originally Posted by ChickenOfNC

So when let's say a fullback misses the snap count and practically falls on his face trying to catch himself, then the snap occurs, we let that go because he really put himself at a disadvantage?

Or we have a wideout who's clearly lined up off the line, when he's supposed to be on, and we have only six on the LOS, but the offense runs a sweep to the opposite side, we don't flag for illegal formation?

I just think that's a slippery slope when we're talking about letting formation/motion/shift fouls go.

Obviously, I agree that there are other fouls that require great judgment on our part, i.e. holds away from the play, etc. But I don't think judment should come into play on pre-snap and at-the-snap type fouls.

When you have illegal formations or illegal shifts then those must be called because those are a disadvantage to the defense. The defense is reading the formation to determine who they need to cover. The motion call was not a quick jump or an obvious head start. The defense wasn't at a real disadvantage because they read the play and covered him as they were supposed to. If the pass would have came that direction then I'd throw my flag for his "slight" head start. If I recall correctly he was going almost diagonally.