Illegal Formation or Illegal participation?

[wgw]

Rule 7-2-1 After ball marked ready for play, each player of A ...must have been, momentarily, between the 9-yard marks, before the snap. Penalty is Illegal formation.

Play: Team a calls time out and all players go to sideline. After timeout 10 players return to the huddle. Wide out A1 is outside the 9-yard mark when ready for play given. After all team A players are set, A1 goes in motion accross the field. A1 proceeds downfield and catchers a pass thrown by A2.

Is this Illegal Formation 5yd penalty or Illegal Participation 15yd penalty?

[AndrewMcCarthy]

No.

I don't see a rule this violates.

[jack015]

At the end of 7-2 in Bold Type, it states: PENALTY: Illegal formation (Arts. 1, 2, 3) . . . . -5 yards

[wgw]

You replied NO and that you don't see rule being violated. Is it your opinion that this is a legal play?

In the assoication meeting that I attended, this question was asked and the response was that "even though the player went in motion and was within 15yd at ready for play, the player would still be considered in Illegal formation because he was not inside 9-yd mark at ready for play.

It was my feeling that since it was going to be a 5yd penalty for Illegal formation anyway that it ought to be a 15yd for patricipation if the player participates in the play.

[AndrewMcCarthy]

The players don't have to be within the marks at the RFP- they have to be within them at some time between the RFP and the snap.

When your player went in motion across the field, he satisfied this requirement- no foul.

The only way I see this violating 7-2-1 is if his motion still didn't bring him inside the marks. I assumed when you said "across the field" you meant he did.

I totally disagree with your association's take. Think of how many times you'd have a foul if all A players had to be inside the marks at the RFP.

[waltjp]

Have to agree with Andrew here, I don't see a foul on this play. If all A players were required to be between the 9-yard marks at the ready for play it would make any offensive substition near impossible.

[Texoma_LJ]

7-2-1 clearly states "AFTER the ready for play...."

It does not say "AT the reaady for play..."

there is your difference.

No foul provided A1 did indeed go in motion interior of the 9 yard mark on his side of the field prior to the ball being snapped.

[mmaguth]

I agree, If the player enters the 9 yard marks with his motion you have no foul, since he entered prior to the snap. However, if he fails too enter them with the motion you have illegal formation.

[keystoneref]

This isn't a foul, he fulfilled the requirements of being within 9 yds of the ball after the ready for play and before the snap. 7-2-1 "AFTER the ball is ready for play, each player of A who participated in the previous down and each substitute for A must have been, momentarily between the 9-yard marks, before the snap." If all A players had to be within 9 yards of the ball, either before or at the time of the ready for play signal, how would you ever make a legal substitution after the ready for play?

[Bob Lyle]

If this is supposed to be a penalty, my crew is missing a whole lot of penalties. In any high school football that I've done, this is legal. Unless you're officating FED games that are a whole lot different from the ones I do, there are at least 10 plays a game where a player runs onto the field in confusion after everyone else is in the huddle and the ready for play has been given. It's even worse in JV and freshman football where they are still learning the game.