NCAA Rule change on linemen

[Reffing Rev.]

The old way: Kick formation 10 men. 6 on the line 4 in the backfield. 4 backfield and 2 on the end are ellgible. But because of the illegal formation foul its all a wash anyway.

The new way: kick formation on a kick down 10 men, 6 on the line 4 in the backfield. There are still 6 elliglible recievers but now no foul for formation...

So a new "trick play" could be to send out 10 on your kick team, send out an elligible 'tackle' and score with what used to be an illegal formation.

Am I understanding this correctly?


PS (Before anyone asks, I have no connection with the A-11 and vehemently opposed it from its conception to its bitter death)

[Theisey]

Your "trick" formation might look like this then, where 56 is the snapper:

()
24 44 56 53 80 34

33 40 14

2

It's been reported that "RR" says this is a legal SK formation and that his first bulletin will address this. I'll believe when I see it in print at the NCAA web site.

[TXMike]

How is this a trick formation? The defense can easily see who the eligibles are and can do whatever it is they need to do to deal with them. Does anyone truly think defenders and coaches are looking to see who the 5 ineligibles are?????? They only care about who IS eligible.

This formation is a legal SKF under the new rules and that will hopefully soon be made clear to everyone.

What could be an issue (although could be rendered moot with a further tweak next year) is the situation where Team A is in a SK situation and shifts players after the snapper is on the ball. In the diagram Tom posted, assume the snapper (#56) gets on the ball. Team A realizes they are short and send #45 into the game, lining up as the right end. As he is doing that #80 shifts such that he is now on the end of the left side of the line. The team sets for a second and ball is snapped. Many (including Rom Gilbert) say there is a foul now as 80 needed to stay covered up as he became a numbering exception once the snapper got on the ball. I disagree but I am wrong, by rule.

[FBullock]

The numbering exceptions are set once the center buts his hands on or near the ball. Once a numbering exception, always a numbering exception. So I would be a foul.

[TXMike]

Not saying that is not true. Just saying that if Team A "chooses" to play with 10 or less, then what real advantage are they gaining by loosening up the numbering exception?

[Theisey]

While we (my study group) were discussing this formation it just was not clear in the rule wording whether A-24 is the exception or not because if he is the exception, he can't be on the end of the line. Some of us are not convinced one way or the other, and that's not good. The start of the season is not that far away, I want to know the ruling before it happens in a game.

[TXMike]

The exceptions are those who are in between the ends when the snapper gets on the ball, regardless of whether there are 5 of them or none of them.

[Texas Aggie]

I disagree with you guys about it being a needed or welcome change. I agree 10 vs. 11 isn't an advantage, however I'm afraid this might open up an opportunity for a late player addition and shift that WOULD create an advantage. We will have to be diligent of the substitution rules in addition to this. I think it might have been better to write in an exception to the 7 man on the line rule if there were fewer than 11 players on the field on the play and no more than 4 in the backfield.

[TXMike]

If Team A subs late you are hoilding them up and letting Team B sub to match up so what is the advantage? And like I said, if the snapper is over the ball and there is a shift involving a numbering exception player, he still has to be in an ineligible position at the snap. Give us a play scenario where Team A gets an advantage as a result of this rule change.