I am overthinking this- motion NFHS

[cougar729]

Team A with 8 men on the LOS. TE which is covered up on the line, takes one step backwards, does NOT pause and then goes in motion parallel with LOS behind the QB. Is there Illegal Motion here?

As I understand the rule, to go in motion from a position which the player started on the line, he must have established himself as a back... by stopping for 1 full second, then go in motion, and be 5 yards behind his LOS at the snap... Am I confused on something here?

[OverAndBack]

That sounds correct to me, the way you have explained it.

[FootballRef05]

You are correct, it's a foul.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: Note that if the "TE which is covered up on the line" (he's really not an end in such a case) is in a stance with his hand(s) on or near the ground, then his movement is a false start and will never get to the point of being illegal motion.

[whitehat52]

Cougar 729 Wrote:


As I understand the rule, to go in motion from a position which the player started on the line, he must have established himself as a back... by stopping for 1 full second, then go in motion, and be 5 yards behind his LOS at the snap... Am I confused on something here?


You are confused a little. If an end goes in motion from the line of scrimmage without stopping and re setting in the back field, then he must be at least 5 yards off the line of scrimmage at the snap. A must still have 7 men on the los.

If the A player steps off the line and re sets in the backfield for at least 1 second, then he may go in motion parallel with the los and does not need to be at least 5 yards behind the los. Again make sure that A still has 7 on the los.

The act of resetting in the backfield, makes this player a back and not an end, taking away the necessity to be at least 5 yards behind the los at the snap.