The Official Forum - Illegal Formation

The Official Forum (https://forum.officiating.com/)

- Football (https://forum.officiating.com/football/)

- - Illegal Formation (https://forum.officiating.com/football/54884-illegal-formation.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmathews (Post 629265)

running good cop bad cop on ya hu LOL those nasty little coaches

And that assistant is the one I described on another thread as nearly costing them 15 unless the head coach muzzled him.

I'm lenient and will warn if they are close to being off the line when they are supposed to be on. But if they have 5 guys obviously in the backfield (i.e. 2 receivers that are both being punched back, a QB and 2 RB), there will be a flag and no warning. If one of those receivers is close but still technically in the back field, I'll put him on the line and warn him after the play.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bisonlj (Post 629308)

If one of those receivers is close but still technically in the back field, I'll put him on the line and warn him after the play.

By "put him on the line", do you mean "deem him on the line", or "direct him to shift onto the line"? If it's the latter, what do you do if he follows your instruction, thanks you, and then goes into shallow "fly" motion before the snap?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChicagoLJ (Post 628809)

How tight are you guys on this, and at what level do you maybe stop giving breaks??

I was working a freshman game this weekend, and on a two point conversion I had QB, two RBs, slot receiver, and the guy closest to me was off the line (there might have been a sixth man off the line). Conversion was no good, and I warned the coach that the formation was illegal.

There is something called a slot receiver? Wow, I thought we were not supposed to use this term? :rolleyes:

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichMSN (Post 628854)

Flag it the first time. And the second.

Don't move the receiver. Tell him he's on or punch him back and tell him he's off. If he doesn't move up and there's only 6 on the line, throw a flag simultaneous with the snap.

I disagree on this level. Freshman often do not know where they are going to go, so I feel we should and can not be nit picky on where they stand. If they are clearly not lined up correctly, then that is another issue. But I will move a "wide receiver" if they are clearly off sides or they know they are supposed to be on the line but they clearly are not. Varsity ball is different, but lower level ball I have no problem with some concessions early in a game.

Peace

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman (Post 629330)

I meant the former. If he's close, I figure out where he is probably supposed to be based on the rest of the formation. If I "put him on the line" and he would cover up an otherwise eligible receiver and leave 8 on the line, I'll put him in the backfield. If putting him in the backfield would leave 6 on the line, I'll assume he's on the line. Then I'll talk to him and tell him to make sure he's obviously where he needs to be so I don't have to make that kind of judgment again.

Funny, we had a middle school game and flagged a team for 5 in the backfield on a punt. Coach went berserk and demanded to know which player should have been on the line. Like I'm supposed to know his formation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bisonlj (Post 629308)

When I work a wing (which is always lower-level games since I'm a BJ on Fridays), I'll ask the WR coming towards me, "On or off, sir?" He'll tell me and when he lines up I'll say, "You're on" or "You're off".

If he tells me "I'm off" and he has four of his teammates in the backfield, too, then I'll drop a flag.