Wisc/Mich 4th and short
 

I saw this play yesterday in the Wisconsin/Michigan game. I apologize if I mis-describe it in any way.

Wisconsin had it 4/1 at about the Michigan 40. They line up for a punt. The punter then moves forward to under center (so far, so good). The punter then yells a signal (hut, go, etc.). When he yells this he does not make a move out from under the center, but he puts emphasis on it (i.e. you can see his upper body and shoulders make a small move forward and back). The bigger issue is that on this signal, the 5 interior lineman move very suddenly from a 2 point stance down to 3/4 point stances. They had not done this throughout the game. Michigan D-linemen then came across and made contact. The ruling was encroachment, 5 yds., and a FD for Wisc.

The announcers (please don't stop reading!) called it good coaching, which I guess is true since A got a FD out of it. My concern is that A's only intent to draw B offsides, and the foul should have been on A.

No rooting interest here. Just curious as to folks' comments on this. Anyone else see it, and, if so, what is your impression of this?

I live in Madison and root for the Badgers. I have no freaking idea how this could be anything but a false start. I've called one for quite a bit less myself. The problem is the player didn't just call a signal, his entire upper body bobbed (I'd say "head bob" but like I said, it was his entire body), as if he was simulating a snap.

I'm guessing it was just missed.

Did not see it but based on what you 2 have said, looks like a clear foul on the offense. I have even seen a quote this morning attributed to the punter where he admits he was head bobbing and learned it from watching Favre.

I guess where I was coming from, yes, it appeared he head bobbed, and I figured it was a FS right there. My question more came from the linemen going down in dramatic fashion at the time of the verbal signal (which in my mind is also worthy of a false start).

Sounds like either one would have been a foul. If the offense moved in a "quick, jerky" motion instead of an "unhurried motion" or a "smooth, rythmical shift" it is a foul.

When I saw it live I thought someone (or many people) for Wisc. flinched. It was only on replay that I saw what they had pulled off.

I was at the game and I saw players move, but I guess it depends on what happened first. The bottom line if you ask me is if the defense never hits the offensive lineman, then you might have a case for a foul on Wisconsin. Then again I was looking from behind the Wisconsin offensive formation; I did not see a replay I was satisfied with.

Peace

All the linemen went into their stance together, completely in sync.

It was the punter/QB that body bobbed. It was blatantly obvious and I can't find it on the web, but if you saw it you'd wonder how that wasn't flagged.