difference in penalties
 

Guys, let me preface this by saying that I'm not a football official, but I've officiated other sports and I'm strongly considering getting some football experience next season, getting my feet wet in some junior leagues or low level middle school games.

Last night I was at a game and something came to my attention: it's always been in the back of my mind when I watch a football game, but I've never really put a lot of thought into it until last night.

Can you guys tell me what is the difference between offsides and encroachment? To me they seem like the same thing, just a 5 yard penalty. But there must be some difference, even a subtle difference. What is it? Thanks in advance.

Encroachment is on the defense. Either lined up off sides or jump off sides. A false start is on the offense when they jump off side. U can have encroachment on the offense if they line up off sides.

Need to state what rule set you're looking for answers from

That's true. I assumed it was nfhs but could be wrong.


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Yes, sorry, NFHS

"Off-Sides" and "Encroachment are essentially the same activity, the difference is in the status of each as established in the governing rules code.

In the NFHS (High School) code "Encroachment" can be committed by either the defense, or offense (lining up in the Neutral Zone) and is a DEAD BALL foul, meaning play immediately stops, and the 5 yard penalty is enforced.

"Off-sides" is the terminology used in other codes (NCAA,NFL) and is a LIVE BALL foul, meaning play continues, the down is completed and the penalty is enforced at the completion of the down, considering what may have happened during the down.

In NFHS there is no foul for offside (note that it is not offsides, sorry a pedantic peeve of mine), the foul is encroachment.

Also, you can have a false start and nobody jump into the neutral zone, which would be encroachment.

In NFHS, on the defense, encroachment can transpire when a defender jumps into the neutral zone or lines up in it incorrectly. On offense, they line up in it incorrectly as a false start would occur before they could jump in.

If the offense lines up incorrectly, as in across the neutral zone, its an encroachment penalty, not a false start. Isn't it?

Yes.

7.1.6 SITUATION A: When A comes to the line of scrimmage, the linemen assume their final positions such that one interior lineman has his head penetrating the neutral zone while the other linemen are all penetrating the vertical plane of the snapper’s waistline.

RULING: It is encroachment for a player to have any part of his body penetrating the plane of the neutral zone after the ready and the snapper has placed his hand(s) on the ball. This is a dead-ball foul and the ball will not be permitted to become live.
(2-8; 2-25-2; 2-32-9; 7-1-5; 7-2-3)

There is no such thing as offside in NFHS rules. Period.

The foul is either encroachment.....on either team......of a false start on the offense. They're all dead ball fouls and they're all 5 yards.

The only major USAn rules set I know in which "offside" & "encroachment" would be announced differentially is the pros, in which "encroachment" would be the call if a player never gets onside from the time the ball's RFP to when it's put in play, or an offside player makes incidental contact w an opponent, while "offside" would apply to all other cases where the player is offside at the time the ball's put in play.

NCAA has both also. Encroachment is a foul on the offense. Offside is a foul on the defense.