QB HAND position in no man's land

[Robert Goodman]

Really fine point I need to answer Coach Bradley's Q in Delphi's single wing forum. In rules allowing one player to occupy a position "between" line & backfield if "in position" (or "positioned", I forgot the exact word) to be able to receive a hand-to-hand snap between the snapper's legs, does "position" mean his hands have to be in that position as the snap begins, or do you rule that as long as his foot and body position allows his hands to be extended to where they'd have to reach, the player is in such position?

Example 1: The closest OL to A1 is A2, next to the snapper A3. A1 breaks the plane of some part of A2's body and has his hands close to A3's crotch.

Example 2: A1's foot & body position is the same as in 1, and could adopt the same exact position by mere extension of arms, but A1's hands are on his knees instead.

Another question: Could A1 change from position as in 1 to position as in 2 (with the snapper continuously on the ball) without committing a false start? If B1 jumps offside at that moment, but you think B1 should've been able to see A1 didn't have the ball, is it automatically a false start anyway?

Robert in the Bronx

[Jim D.]

I would tell the coach the rules aren't really clear on which of those formations will be considered legal. There doesn't seem to be a "right" answer. It might be allowed one week, but flagged the next. If he decides to do it, he's in for a long season of uncertainty.