Back me up here guys

[Ed Hickland]

Originally Posted by Jim D

This is a tough call because it falls in those areas that the rules makers probably weren't really considering when they wrote the rules. Since the motion man at the snap isn't a back anymore by rule and he isn't a lineman, it should be an illegal formation but not illegal motion. The eligibility issue is not as clear so I'd just flag the illegal formation and leave it at that. This will be a tough call to sell.

Illegal motion. Since the player was a lineman at the time he went in motion his staus does not change unless he becomes set in the backfield. By rule as a lineman he must be five yards behind the line at the snap [This is an artifact of the days when a player could enter the free blocking zone and block below the waist.]

NFHS rules prohibit a player form being in motion on the LOS.

If the lineman had stepped off the line and became set for one second his status chages and his flexibility for being in motion increases.