Is this legal?

BoBo · #1 (**permalink**) Thu Dec 04, 2003, 11:18pm

Watching a replay of state finals here in Iowa and noticed this in one of the games.

Team goes into punt formation.
Punter is 12 yards deep. Personal protector is about five. One up back behind a guard.

Now the questionable part. The other up back is behind the center with his hands under the center for a direct snap. Instead of snapping to the Upback/QB he snaps the ball between the legs of the QB back to the punter. I am assuming they must run a fake off this as well.

Is the player under the center lined up legally or must his hands be away from the center.

Hope this makes sense one of those hard plays to explain almost need to see.

Thanks

Snake~eyes · #2 (**permalink**) Thu Dec 04, 2003, 11:47pm

NFHS,
Rule 7-2-3
Of the players of A who are not on their line at the snap only one may penetrate the vertical plane through the waistline of his nearest teammate who is on the line. He must have his hands in position to receive the ball if it s snapped between the snapper's legs but he is not required to recieve the snap. Any other player(s) must be in legal position as a back.

According to your description this is legal.

PiggSkin · #3 (**permalink**) Fri Dec 05, 2003, 01:36am

But the center loses his roughing-the-snapper protection...

KDJBBBJ7 · #4 (**permalink**) Fri Dec 05, 2003, 05:54pm

Also you have to have five players numbered 50 -79 on the line of scrimmage as this is NOT a scrimmage kick formation.

hab_in_exile · #5 (**permalink**) Mon Dec 08, 2003, 10:26pm

What does that formation (losing scrimmage kick status) do as far as roughing/running into the kicker is concerned. Is this now essentially a quick kick?

cmathews · #6 (**permalink**) Tue Dec 09, 2003, 02:10am

as far as roughing the kicker goes, formation is not a concern....when you kick, you are protected, there is however a little leeway given if the kicker appears to be a runner for a while then kicks....

Bob M. · #7 (**permalink**) Tue Dec 09, 2003, 11:39am

Quote:

Originally posted by hab_in_exile
What does that formation (losing scrimmage kick status) do as far as roughing/running into the kicker is concerned. Is this now essentially a quick kick?

REPLY: The issue on roughing is not for roughing the kicker. He stills retains his right to 'special' protection once he puts his foot to the ball. But the formation definitely affects whether or not protection is afforded the snapper. When the up back lines up with his hands under the snapper, it is not a scrimmage kick formation (see NF 2-14-2). So the snapper is fair game. He's not afforded the special protection outlined in NF 9-4-5