A-11 Offense in Illinois

[Theisey]

The NF rule does not say anything like that. By your state office posting those words the way did, they just took away a snap to an up-back as now the formation is probably illegal.

The fake kick play has been around a lot longer than A11 offense.

Your office needed to say one of two things, either the formation is legal as per NFHS current rules or to say "we" have deemed the formation to in violation of something and therefore illegal. Period!

[ajmc]

I believe, TXMike, you are assessing the dilemma correctly. The verbiage used by the State Association does add an extra requirement, by the language they used.

The NFHS rule simply states a scrimmage kick formation requires "At least one player 7 yards or more behind the neutral zone and in position to receive the long snap." It does not require that the ball be snapped to that player.

The language attributed to the IHSA is, ""The receiver of the snap is at least 7 yards off the line of scrimmage", which represents a completely different requirement, in that a deep (7 yards back) player must actually receive the snap.

The $64,000 question, which golfdesigner indicated he will ask, is whether the IHSA release actually says what they meant it to say, and do they realize they are differentiating from, and expanding, the NF rule. I hope they provide a timely answer.

[OverAndBack]

Originally Posted by ajmc

The NFHS rule simply states a scrimmage kick formation requires "At least one player 7 yards or more behind the neutral zone and in position to receive the long snap." It does not require that the ball be snapped to that player.

The language attributed to the IHSA is, ""The receiver of the snap is at least 7 yards off the line of scrimmage", which represents a completely different requirement, in that a deep (7 yards back) player must actually receive the snap.

If the IHSA language added the word "potential" as in "The potential receiver of the snap is at least 7 yards off the line of scrimmage," that would bring both statements into alignment, wouldn't it?

I would parse that as "If you have a guy at least 7 yards back and he's in position to receive that snap, whether or not he actually receives it, it's a scrimmage kick formation, so on you get."

But we have the state's rules interpreter at our local meeting tonight, so I'll ask him.