Snap question

[falsecut]

Swinging gate type formation. Snapper snaps the ball to a back who is about 10 yards to the left of the snapper. The snapper's shoulders start out parallel to the LOS, but he throws the ball backward across his body, in other words, the ball does not go through his legs. Legal or illegal?

[wwcfoa43]

Canadian Ruling

In Canada, this is not legal as the snap needs to travel between the legs.

This would be illegal procedure.

[stevestod]

As long as it is a quick continuous motion, it does not have to go through the legs of the snapper.

[ajmc]

NF 2.40 defines what a snap is required to be. Although 99.9% of snaps involve the ball passing through the snapper's legs on the way to the QB, it is NOT a requirement.

[SC Ump]

Originally Posted by falsecut

The snapper's shoulders start out parallel to the LOS...

I know I have been taught (in FED) that this is required, but right now I cannot find it in 2.40 or Rule 7. Where is this noted?

The reason I ask is that, if they snapper's shoulders are not parallel, I believe that is illegal formation instead of illegal snap but I'm trying to confirm.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by SC Ump

I know I have been taught (in FED) that this is required, but right now I cannot find it in 2.40 or Rule 7. Where is this noted?

The reason I ask is that, if they snapper's shoulders are not parallel, I believe that is illegal formation instead of illegal snap but I'm trying to confirm.

As soon as the ball moves, formation rules no longer apply.

[falsecut]

On the play in question, the snapper stood with his shoulders parallel to the goal, and not sideways. He pretty much stood up and then threw the ball sideways to the back. Depending on your feeling of "quick continuous motion" and exactly how far you can stretch that clause, the snapper did not really pause much in his motion. He stood up and threw it. That part of it is probably a HTBT type of situation.

As to where parallel is mentioned, it's in the position definitions, 2-32-9 (for linemen) and 2-32-14 (for the snapper).

[ajmc]

If, as you say, "He pretty much stood up and then threw the ball sideways to the back", it sounds like an illegal snap. If his rising up and throwing the ball was ,"a quick and continuous backward motion of the ball" then it sounds like a legal snap.

Snapping the ball is a basic concept that has existed since the game was invented. Allowing one team to deviate from the standard gives that team an unearned advantage, which automatically provides the opponent with an unearned disadvantage.

You might also consider that allowing a long snapper to "cock" the ball forward before snapping it, also provides an unearned advantage to the snapping team.

[falsecut]

AJMC, I agree, and that's why it's that HTBT kind of thing. My initial purpose was to get some rules info more than what the ruling was on that actual play. That I believe I got here so thanks to all.

[SC Ump]

Originally Posted by falsecut

As to where parallel is mentioned, it's in the position definitions, 2-32-9 (for linemen) and 2-32-14 (for the snapper).

Thanks.

So, since I cannot find anything stating that it is an illegal snap if a snapper is not properly parrellel, I'm presuming this would be illegal formation?

(I realize that I kind of have a side conversation going, only slightly related to the original play. I did not realize I was doing this until I was in kind of deep. Sorry about that.)