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Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch
So if ineligibility is determined by the original position,
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But as someone pointed out here not long ago, that's only if the initial formation would have, had the ball been snapped, taken advantage of the numbering exception. Had there been 5 or more numbered 50 thru 79 on the line, that entire consideration would be irrelevant.
What's also interesting is that, as in other place kicking situations, if the ball is held by a player with one or more knees down, you have the unusual situation of having to simultaneously watch
another player to determine if the ball is or becomes dead. Do you allow any "hysteresis" there if the situation starts with an ostensible kicker? That is, do you look for the
instant that he moves into a position from which you judge it's no longer an ostensible kick, or do you allow a little extra time for the holder to rise off his knee(s)?
In rec.sport.football.officiating a few years ago, the question also came up as to what the defense could do to make the ball dead while a placing of the ball for a kick was still active. It seems some form of holding the runner so his progress is stopped, or getting him into some "down" position other than kneeling, would be required.
Robert