Pass play

[Bob M.]

Originally Posted by DrMooreReferee

A's ball 1st and 10 @ midfield. Prior to the snap, B55 sneaks up as if to blitz. At the snap he is 3 yards off the ball, but he charges in at the snap. A76 makes contact with B55 at the line of scrimmage and then drives him 2 yards off the ball to the B48. A12 throws a forward pass that falls incomplete at B's 40.

Ruling??

Do we have a foul or not? please explain....

REPLY: (Federation) It depends...where was the LB at the snap? If he was within a yard of his LOS at the snap, then he is by definition a defensive lineman. In that case he can legally be blocked and driven up to 2 yards back without the O-lineman being guilty of being illegally downfield. The rule allowing ineligibles into the expanded neutral zone when blocking a defensive player is limited to blocks against defensive linemen.