Numbering- Elgible or Inelgible

[BoBo]

I have seen some familar names from here on the fed board and there has been some interesting discussion in regards to the following play.

Team A has 4th and 6.

Line up in scrimmage kick formation.

The eight lineman are numbered from left to right in the following order:

88-79-68-51-66-73-89-80

80 shifts two steps backwards and becomes a back.

A fakes the punt and passes to 89 for a 15 yard gain.

Is this a legal catch/play?


The arguement is that the numbering exception is in effect when they initially line up.

Which by rule 7-2-5-b-exception states
At the snap, at least five A players on the line of scrimmage must be numbered 50-79. B players may be anywhere on or behind the line. EXCEPTION: When A sets or shifts into a scrimmage-kick formation any A player numbered 1-49 or 80-99 may take the position of any A player numbered 50-79. A player in the game under this exception must assume an initial position on his line of scrimmage between the ends and he remains an inelgible forward-pass receiver during that down unless the pass is touched by B (7-5-6b)

Another play example is if A lines up for a PAT and the snapper is #82 and is on the end of the line for the fake. Well #84 when is the first player to the left of the center before they shift with the rest of the line lined up to the left of #84. By rule when #84 shifts to a regular PAT formation he is inelgible because of his original position of the scrimmage-kick formation.

This is long and confusing but will get some interesting feed back I am guessing.