Have you guys ever heard of this play? We were playing a backyard style game today, but we were playing by NFL rules and the first touchdown the other team scored on was a "center sneak." It was 4th and Goal on the 1 yard line, the center hiked the ball, and ran into the endzone. He said as long as he hiked the ball and it toughed the QB's hands it was a legal play. Anyone know if that is a legal play?

Absolutely not legal. The ball must actually leave the snappers hands during his snapping motion for the snap to be legal.

Same for NCAA, and I think for NFHS as well.

Thank about it for a second. If this was legal you would see this all the time in football. You do not see this because it is not at all legal. The only sneak you will see is from the QB.

Peace

for the center to be able to run the ball, you would need all of the conditions of the fumbleruskie (sp?) to happen.

A lineman must both face his own endzone and be 2 yards behind the snap (NF).

Thats what I thought. Thanks for the responses. I can't wait to go shove it in their faces! We argued all day!

NFHS
 

1 yard, not 2. (7-3-2)

Not true. That's a different situation. A fumblerooshi is not a handoff, so the requirement to turn and face one's end zone and be 1 yard behind the line does not exist. Team A must notify the referee and the snap must leave the snapper's hands and touch the ground or the QB before the lineman can pick it up.

"fumblerooski" is aplanned loose ball play and they are illegal under NCAA rules so forget about advising the R. Still illegal.

And hey, KCFan21, if you really want to impress him, tell him it's in NFL Rule 7, Section 3, Article 3 (b).

Edit: Spelling...

i would hate to play touch football with you. hahahaha

I completely disagree with all the responses above.

It was specifically stated that they were "playing a backyard style game today, but we were playing by NFL rules." It mentioned the center 'quoted' this apparent rule convincingly enough that KCFan21 either was slow or unforceful with his response of "Bullsh*#."

In the time honored rules of backyard ball, this obviously makes it a legal play, superceding the NFL published rules. This is especially so if either that team was losing badly or they brought the beer.

Hmm... You might be right. I guess I've looked in the wrong rulebook!

isn't that rule 1. or the golden rule or something.

Same in three down football, eh?

Rule 4, Section 2, Article 1: "....the ball must leave the centre's hand or hands and he shall not again handle it until it has been in posession of another player. Any player who takes a position over the ball, with one or both hands on the ball, shall snap the ball, and be considered as the centre...." (that is the correct spelling of the word "centre" btw boys....up here anyway).

so would it be legal to give a handoff to a pulling guard?