Illegal Formation = False Start

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Originally Posted by BoomerSooner

During my son's 6th grade football game tonight I learned that an illegal formation and a false start are both dead ball fouls because they have the same signal.

The sequence of events surrounding this actually reminded me of the "we need a new signal for illegal formation" thread a recall from few months ago. While the opposing team had the ball, I see the linesman on the far side throw/drop a flag at the snap. From my viewpoint I didn't see anybody in motion so I ruled out an illegal shift/motion and thus assumed it had to be an illegal formation. Following the play, the referee gives the illegal formation signal and I think to myself "nailed it", but inexplicably my son's coach isn't given an option to decline the penalty despite a short loss on the play that would have brought up 4th and long. It turned out it was a false start and the linesman forgot to blow it dead. Nobody really complained that much and I only whispered to my wife that it should have been a dead ball (to which she replied, "yes, I know" in that way that lets me know I've explained it to her one or maybe fifty times too many).

The other team converts the 3rd down, and two plays later, the linesman throws a flag and blows the play dead. I immediately thought, "you have to appreciate a guy that learns from his mistakes." Unfortunately I was premature in this thought as I hear him yell "5 in the backfield" to the referee. My son's coach yells that illegal formation is a live-ball foul and it is at this point that I hear the linesman say, "C'mon coach, you know they have the same signal and they're both 5 yarders. They're basically the same thing".

I got a little bit of a chuckle out of the situation and thought I'd share this as support for the new signal for illegal formation movement. My wife also took the opportunity to remind me that I made an occasional mistake before I was perfect. All that said, the crew did a good job tonight.

Sounds to me like there is a training need, not a mechanics change need...

[BoomerSooner]

I agree...I was being facetious.

It did look like the referee was going over this with the linesman as they walked off the field at half. I saw him give the illegal formation/false start signal and there was a lot of nodding and so forth. They could have been discussing dance moves, but I'm going to give the referee the benefit of the doubt and conclude he was doing some teaching.

[Canned Heat]

This is where your white hat would usually provide the clarity.

False Start: Signal 7 - hand/fist in the air "dead ball...false start...offense"

Illegal Formation: Signal 19, "illegal formation....offense"