[Sturno]

Originally Posted by Reffing Rev.

Alright, I'll offer the dissenting opinion...
What happens at the snap? Two or more players start moving, so you "could" and I do mean could say it simulates action at the snap, and kill it for a false start. Really, though, you can tell the difference between a player or two shifting and false starting.

I always say, when in doubt between shift/motion and false start: kill it as a philosophy.

If I've got a linemen snapping down as the ball is being set, I'm going to call it a false start. (You can say I'm wrong, but I'm okay with that.

I've got two rationale for shutting it down, in addition to it being what we're told at clinics.
1. Player safety. Obviously A is not going to do this intentionally, there is no advantage, we've now got a bunch of A linemen vulnerable in a stance because the center missed the snap count, and if B is watching the ball then there are vulnerable players, I want to protect them.
2. It's accepted and expected. I usually reject this as a rationale, but we expect the snap to be clean and legal and all the action around the snap to be the same. It looks ugly, kill it. It is bad enough when everyone is set and center goes on 1 and everyone else goes on 2, , if i've got a group shifting when this happens, shut it down.

Dissect and crucify please...

I concur.