Live ball/Dead ball

[Jaysef]

Can any of you wiley veterans clarify for me, or direct me to a good source that spells out on which infractions my wings should be banging there whistles, and which they should flag, and let the play run. We seem to run into a little confusion on these, specifically (B jumping into NZ just prior to snap, B lining up in NZ, A12, or B12 not getting off field prior to snap, A11, or B11 not getting to their side of LOS prior to snap, B with 12 on the field at the snap...if there is a simple, all encompassing listing of live/dead ball situations, I could use it.

Thanks guys,

4th yr ump

[MJT]

Originally Posted by Jaysef

Can any of you wiley veterans clarify for me, or direct me to a good source that spells out on which infractions my wings should be banging there whistles, and which they should flag, and let the play run. We seem to run into a little confusion on these, specifically (B jumping into NZ just prior to snap, B lining up in NZ, A12, or B12 not getting off field prior to snap, A11, or B11 not getting to their side of LOS prior to snap, B with 12 on the field at the snap...if there is a simple, all encompassing listing of live/dead ball situations, I could use it.

Thanks guys,

4th yr ump

NF ball. No real all encompassing list but here is what you asked about.

B jumping into NZ just prior to snap -- blow dead
B lining up in NZ -- blow dead IF center has his hands on the ball
A12, or B12 not getting off field prior to snap -- live ball, flag and keep officiating
A11, or B11 not getting to their side of LOS prior to snap -- live ball, flag and keep officiating
B with 12 on the field at the snap -- live ball, flag and keep officiating, could be IS or IP depending...

Others to look at
false start and in NZ are ones to blow dead
illegal motion/shift/formation are live ball fouls, so flag at snap and keep officiating

[Theisey]

Pick yourself up (I mean purchase) a copy of the Redding Guide to NFHS Football.
Besides being a great resource to assist in learning and relearning the rules, it has an appendix listing about every foul there can be along with what type of foul is is, i.e. live/dead ball or.

It's worth the $'s even though the season is over.

[nvfoa15]

Basic rule of thumb that I use: any illegal act by A before the snap that A can correct but does not becomes a live ball foul at the snap, flag and play on. Example: Two A players are in motion at the same time; if they get themselves set before the snap no problem. If they don't get set, foul at the snap (illegal shift), flag and play on.

Most (dare I say all) dead ball fouls by B are immediate whistle blowers and flag.

[Ed Hickland]

My simple rule for NFHS.

When the foul occurs.

Live ball foul if the offense occurs at the snap.

Dead ball foul if the offense occurs before the snap.

Sounds simple and it really is. If a player commits an act and has no chance to correct it, a dead ball foul occurs. A player in the neutral zone -- cannot just get out of it -- dead ball foul. An interior lineman comes out of three point stance -- cannot undo it -- dead ball foul.

Player goes in motion toward the line of scrimmage -- he can stop and stay set for a second before the snap -- no whistle, if does not correct, would be a live ball foul. An end backs off the line and sets in the backfield leaving six men on the line -- can put a seventh player on the line before the snap -- no whistle as the foul occurs at the snap if the player is not replaced before the snap.

The tricky one is when a back starts a move forward, does the move constitute a false start or was it the beginning of legal motion. If it looks like a false start then dead ball foul, otherwise, it would be legal.

[Jaysef]

Thanks for the feedback...Am I to understand that illegal formation is a live ball flag? (I haven't been in my rule book in a month, so forgive me)

J

[nvfoa15]

Yes, an illegal formation can be corrected before the snap.