False Start or Illegal Motion

Mountainman · #1 (**permalink**) Tue Nov 02, 2004, 12:23am

I have been told that there are a million opinions amongst officials in gray areas pertaining to 'false start' or 'illegal motion'. Let's see if that is true. I had a slot back leave about 1/10th of a second before the snap in my judgement. Now that 1/10th of a second is pretty quick; I through a flag for 'illegal motion' and told the referee 'the slot left early'. The referee said; "you should have had a dead ball foul". Now herein lies the problem. I have seen this foul called as 'motion' 75% of the time and after doing some further study after the fact, I still am seeing some gray areas. The slot did not jump, wiggle or make any other pronounced movement to feign the start of a play; he simply left 1/10th of a second early in my judgement. What's your call?

Patton · #2 (**permalink**) Tue Nov 02, 2004, 01:00am

One thing to remember is when we have a live ball foul there is an opportunity for the offense to correct the problem before the ball becomes live. The action you are describing could not be corrected prior to the snap. I would always call this a dead ball false start. That's my opinion anyway.

cowbyfan1 · #3 (**permalink**) Tue Nov 02, 2004, 01:57am

unless he drew the defense or he gets into the neutral zone then motion. It would be the same if he was in motion and turns up field too soon really. If he was off the line so he is allowed to move, just not forward at the snap.

kdf5 · #4 (**permalink**) Tue Nov 02, 2004, 07:44am

Motion penalties are called against players who are already in motion at the time of the snap. What you describe sounds like a false start. Had the slot been in motion, clearly identified as a back, and turned upfield early then you have a motion penalty which is a foul at the snap and the play is allowed to continue because, like Patton said, A has a chance to correct the foul before it happens and you don't know when it's going to happen since you don't know when the snap will happen. A false start is something that simulates action at the snap. Moving a split second early is a false start.

Bob M. · #5 (**permalink**) Tue Nov 02, 2004, 09:40am

REPLY: I'm with those who would call this a false start. Answer this basic question and you can figure out what you should call: Was the slot moving because he was supposed to be in motion at the snap, or did he 'miss' the snap count and go early?

Forksref · #6 (**permalink**) Tue Nov 02, 2004, 11:19am

If it's 1/10th of a second, I call it a false start. I reserve motion fouls for those already in motion toward the LOS at the snap.

MJT · #7 (**permalink**) Tue Nov 02, 2004, 02:09pm

Just was observed by the head of officials for the GPAC (NAIA) last night. Same thing happened in the 1st half. My wing let it go "live" and told me Ill motion. I thought he should have killed it, and at half time, the head man said "kill it!"

KWH · #8 (**permalink**) Wed Nov 03, 2004, 10:59am

False Start!!! Shut it down!!!
Nothing good can ever happen by allowing this play to continue!!!

Simbio · #9 (**permalink**) Wed Nov 03, 2004, 11:13am

Quote:

Originally posted by KWH
False Start!!! Shut it down!!!
Nothing good can ever happen by allowing this play to continue!!!

I'm with KWH on this...Call it a false start, if you call back a touchdown, or worse (a player gets injured because the play continued,) you're opening a can of worms...

Bob M. · #10 (**permalink**) Wed Nov 03, 2004, 12:26pm

Quote:

Originally posted by KWH
False Start!!! Shut it down!!!
Nothing good can ever happen by allowing this play to continue!!!

REPLY: And think about this...what do you do if after you let the play go, the defense fouls? Now, you're facing a double foul situation.

Remember, there's not a question of whether there's a foul or not. That's accepted. What's at issue is whether to make it a dead ball FS or a live ball IM. So no coach is going to be chirping about it.

KWH said it as simply as can be said: "Nothing good can ever happen by allowing this play to continue!!!"

Ed Hickland · #11 (**permalink**) Wed Nov 03, 2004, 08:08pm

Player went on two when he was suppose to go on three. False start.

It would be a hard sell for me to think a player went in motion 1/10th of a second before the snap. And if that first step is forward.

Blow it dead.

Rich · #12 (**permalink**) Wed Nov 03, 2004, 09:02pm

Quote:

Originally posted by KWH
False Start!!! Shut it down!!!
Nothing good can ever happen by allowing this play to continue!!!

I'm feeling deja vu all over again.

See_Leather · #13 (**permalink**) Tue Nov 09, 2004, 04:43pm

I blieve it would depend on one of two things:
1) If he breaks the NZ or draws the D into NZ = Fasle Start
2) If he is moving forward before snap and not breaking the NZ = Illegal Motion
Don't you think??

I do offer these mechanical reminders:
False Start; Do not let the play get started!!
Illegal Motion; Foul at the snap, flag it after the the snap.

Ed Hickland · #14 (**permalink**) Tue Nov 09, 2004, 06:56pm

Quote:

Originally posted by See_Leather
I blieve it would depend on one of two things:
1) If he breaks the NZ or draws the D into NZ = Fasle Start
2) If he is moving forward before snap and not breaking the NZ = Illegal Motion
Don't you think??

I do offer these mechanical reminders:
False Start; Do not let the play get started!!
Illegal Motion; Foul at the snap, flag it after the the snap.

(1) Is easy...false start. (2) If he starts one second before and that start is forward, that is a false start. If he starts in motion and that motion has moved forward and he has not reset, illegal motion.

Remember this, if a play goes for a touchdown and you call it back be it a false start or illegal motion, they will nto like it. If you think it is a false start, blow it dead right away and there is no controversy.

I tell my linemen if a false start happens and the snap goes give it a big toot and stop the play. As a white hat nothing is harder to explain than a touchdown run that was called back because of a dead ball foul. In other words, it never happened.

MJT · #15 (**permalink**) Tue Nov 09, 2004, 07:10pm

Quote:

Originally posted by See_Leather
I blieve it would depend on one of two things:
1) If he breaks the NZ or draws the D into NZ = Fasle Start
2) If he is moving forward before snap and not breaking the NZ = Illegal Motion
Don't you think??

I do offer these mechanical reminders:
False Start; Do not let the play get started!!
Illegal Motion; Foul at the snap, flag it after the the snap.

Actually the NZ has nothing to do with it. ANY sudden movement or any other movement which "simulates" a snap is a false start and you must "kill it." All false starts must be KILLED. Email me at [email protected] if you would be interested in a word document I have which tells the differences between the two.