7 players on the LOS

[ChickenOfNC]

Originally Posted by KWH

I don't know what you mean by the 4 and 2 method.

However,

Our method is the Referee signals (bent arm with a fist) indicating he has 11 players, the two wings would then have a flag only if their are more than 4 in the backfield.
Or, if the Referee signals (10 fingers at waist level) indicating he has 10 players, the two wings would then have a flag only if their are more than 3 in the backfield.

4 and 2 = Not counting the center, if I only have two players on the LOS on my side of the center I will flash "2" above my head to the opposite wing. He should flash "4" back to me. If not, we should have flags. If the line is balanced with 3 on each side of the snapper, there is no signal.

[Ed Hickland]

I spent many years as an LJ being frustrated with trying to count players on the LOS. Sometimes you miss a player because the guy next to him is bigger and/or taller or players are positioned such that seeing everyone is difficult. First thing I did when I became an R was tell the wings they did not have to count players on the LOS.

Reason is U has to count five players numbered 50-79, so, why not complete the 11 count. The R is in the offensive backfield and can easily count 11. So, we depend on the R & U having the 11 count. The wings indicate whether the last player is on or off. The R counts players in the backfield depending on the wings to indicate whether the last an is on or off.

[KWH]

Originally Posted by ChickenOfNC

4 and 2 = Not counting the center, if I only have two players on the LOS on my side of the center I will flash "2" above my head to the opposite wing. He should flash "4" back to me. If not, we should have flags. If the line is balanced with 3 on each side of the snapper, there is no signal.

While I have never tried the 4 and 2 method, I believe I can safely say you may find our method to work a little crisper as, all the wings need do is look at the signal by the White hat and, then, count the Offensive backfield. It is really bang bang and pretty fool proof.
So, to recap our method. The R and U count the offense. R and U signal each other with a bent arm and a fist. (I as a Referee, will hold the signal up until darn near the snap.) The wings note the signal, and count the backfield. Prior to all this the H, L, & B count the defense and signal each other, Typically, they will signal each other right after the offense breaks the huddle.
I can tell you it sure as heck took longer to type this than it takes to do on the field.

[Robert Goodman]

The trouble with counting players in the backfield is that it's possible to be neither on the line nor in the backfield. I suppose the comeback to that is that because you're looking for players in such a position anyway (on the finding of which the formation is illegal regardless), you count the backs only if there's nobody in such a position. Is that in fact your answer?

Robert in the Bronx

[SC Ump]

Originally Posted by ChickenOfNC

...two players on the LOS on my side of the center I will flash "2" above my head to the opposite wing. He should flash "4" ...

[smart alec comment alert]

But if there are seven on the line, won't there always be three on either side of the center? I mean... if there are two on your side of the snapper and four on the other side of the snapper, then the snapper is not the center?

[jaybird]

then the snapper is not the center?

That's why he is the snapper and should be referred to as such. A center is a tall basketball player.

Originally Posted by jaybird

That's why he is the snapper and should be referred to as such. A center is a tall basketball player.

Not always...I had a "center" that was shorter than my power forward when I coached HS ball about 15 long years ago. He was a better jumper than the power forward, even if he was about 6 inches shorter!

[ChickenOfNC]

Originally Posted by SC Ump

[smart alec comment alert]

But if there are seven on the line, won't there always be three on either side of the center? I mean... if there are two on your side of the snapper and four on the other side of the snapper, then the snapper is not the center?

If you'll go back and look at my whole post, I referred to the "center" early in the post, and the "snapper" at the end. Sometimes an old bit player/fan jargon creeps back into the vocab.