I also flagged this action in a HS game this year. Turns out our cadet instructor was in the stands watching the game. His son, who is also on his football crew, teaches at the home school.

After the game he contacted me and let me know that it was a good call and he planned on sharing the story with his class of cadets.

Not to mention "Utes Deserve strong consideration for #1 after that victory IMOHO!!!!"

The Utah HC was pissed at the call, but it was clearly designed to make the defense encroach. LDUB has cited the correct rules reference (though you might have cited the source, Luke).

Good call.

I'm asking. Because I didn't see it.

It's like porn. You may not be able to define it, but you know it when you see it.

As we all know, what's planned, designed, practiced and beaten into the minds of players isn't what is always executed during a game. It really doesn't matter what the coaches believe satisfies the rule requirements, it's entirely dependent on what the covering official believes, and actually sees.

When teams design something to run so close to the line defining legal from illegal, PRESUMING it's OK, they have to accept the risk that their calculations may not fall on the same side of that line as the covering official's.

Was the play similar to this one:

YouTube - LSU Football - Silly 4th Down vs Bama

Yep

I saw it and I agree with the call. Good job by the officials.

That's funny. Nearly the same thing happened to me:

After flagging his team for false start, the coach went ballistic. I finally asked the coach what his intent was in having them shift so abruptly, and his response was "to draw the defense offsides". I advised him that was the end of our discussion.

Coach, this is your own petard. Enjoy.