Clarification on Center in Shotgun
 

Simple question, but I can't remember the answer and can't find my rule book: Can a D lineman be over the center when the QB is in the shotgun? I know they cannot on a kicking play, not sure about a non-kicking play.

Thanks

NFHS? No rule ever against lining up over the center. That's an NFL rule.

Unless you're an NFL official, they can be over the center ("snapper") on every play.

The only rule about the defense or receiving team that applies to the snapper is that you cannot hit them if you are in a scrimmage kick formation immediately. They can be hit if they are given an opportunity to recover from a snap (only in a SK formation BTW). But no such rule otherwise.

Peace

In my AAYFL youth days, they discussed making it illegal to line up over the center for added protection, for whatever reason, right after NFHS revised and added roughing the snapper. It was never added and yet to this day, I'll still hear coaches and players around here saying, "hey ref, he lined up right over our center!" or "hey, he ran into our center (snapper)!"

Good stuff.

Or when in SK formation, the center who keeps his head down after the snap, then the coach and/or player whines about being contacted. This is frequent out here.

I left exactly that description out...and wish I hadn't. That's also very prevalent here, mostly at lower levels.

Actually had a kicker do one of the most insane dive acts last night after a successful PAT kick. Defender came at him hard then laid up in plenty of time and he put his hands on K's waist to keep him upright as kicker bobbed and hopped on plant leg. Literally 2 seconds later, kicker falls back arms flailing with the most hilarious dive I've ever seen in 20+ years. HC actually inquired about why no flag and said he's just trying to keep anyone from getting hurt with 2 other assistant coaches almost laughing, mind you. Told him the only player in question getting hurt is his kicker injuring himself doing the ridiculous dive routine. It was very Gramatica-esque.

The restrictions adopted by Fed & NCAA regarding play from "scrimmage kick formation" (regardless of whether it turns out to be a kicking play) have nothing to do with where players of team B line up (unless you get into pyramiding), but only with their action once play begins. The canard has gotten around widely that players of B are forbidden to line up in the vicinity of the snapper, when it's not about that at all, but only whether they charge directly into the snapper.

There are many youth football circuits in which lining up within a certain distance of the snapper is forbidden to the defense.