snapper protection
 

is the snapper only protected in kick formation, when the kicker is more than 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage? what if the quarterback is 7 yards or more behind the line on first down, is the snapper protected there also?

If the QB is 7 or more yards back and no one is in position to take a direct hand to hand snap, then they are in a scrimmage kick formation and the snapper is protected.

I got into a debate on another forum about this. I'm not going to have time to judge if the QB is 7 yards or 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage to determine if the snapper has protection. The intent of this rule is to protect the long snapper on a scrimmage kick (thus the term scrimmage kick formation). Anything else he's on his own. I'm sure others will disagree and that's fine. This is just one where I go with the spirit of the rule rather than the letter of the rule.

If coaches would just teach the proper technique for a long snap, i.e. head up, then there would never have been the need to have this rule in the first place.

There's ALWAYS a need for rules that protect players. By your premise, there would be no need to protect the passer if offensive linemen could always provide adequate pass blocking. Or tacklers always pulled up before hitting out-of-bounds. Ad nauseum.

Bob

let's not make ridiculous comparisons. Protecting the snapper is a rule that was created because of poor technique. the rule distinctly allows time for the snapper to get into the position he should already be in.

Without making time to check whether the offense is in scrimmage kick formation, you can't know whether the snapper is protected, so you can't enforce that rule. That's bad.

The spirit of the rule is to protect the snapper, who could be at risk no matter who receives the snap: how exactly are you allowing violations of the letter of this rule and yet observing the spirit?

You obviously never played center/snapper. :rolleyes:

No, the intent of the rule is to protect the snapper when he has his head down and needs to throw the ball a long way back, thus needing a longer time to pick his head up. The danger to the snapper is the same regardless of whether a kick is forthcoming.

Robert

Snappers have been snapping with their heads down, and coached to do so, since before you were born. What you're calling "proper technique" is not universally accepted as such.

In the single wing and short punt formations, which do not get the benefit of this rule because the players receiving the snap aren't that deep, most centers need to look while they're snapping the ball because they need to snap it to different places depending on the type of play, leading the player receiving the snap in one direction or another.

Robert

First of all you don't know when I was born and what experience I have with long snapping. Any coach that teaches long snapping while looking back is losing a blocker. I didn't say that coaches don't teach it. I said it's poor technique.

I guess the pro's are poorly taught as well since 95% of them snap with their head down...

Snapping with your head up is a terrible technique since you are just "guessing" when you throw it back there. It's pretty obvious you've never snapped before.

What games are you watching? I actually have long snapped. You take a look back, pop your head up and snap. You guys obviously know best.

I was taking a chance that you were less than 100-some YO.

Given finite practice time, coaches are willing to sacrifice a blocker for the time it takes to pick his head up in exchange for accuracy of the snap. Sure, just like any other pass, a snap can be thrown blind, but there's a reason they look.

Robert

and...there is a numbering exception and coaches can get creative with formations and it becomes confusing to track eligibles and ineligibles and... oops!