False start by QB?

[Robert Goodman]

YouTube - Northwestern vs. Iowa State, 1945

Starting after the 1st minute, and for the rest of the film, Iowa State's QB does something I didn't think was even legal under the rules of that time: pulling out from under center before the snap with his hands faking as if he's going to hand the ball (that he doesn't have) off -- which is part of the play series too. At least that's the way it looks to me. I thought the wording about simulating the start of play had already been in the rules for a long time, but maybe it was interpreted differently then. Or would you allow this kind of move?

[JRutledge]

Interpretations today clearly would make this action illegal and that should go without saying, along with video evidence this would be illegal as well using today’s standards. Honestly I do not think it matters what the rules were then, as it obviously was allowed in this game. Times have changed and that is common to find things that did not apply over 20 years ago (let alone 50 years ago), that apply today.

Peace

[Robert Goodman]

It's interesting to see that NWU wasn't drawn offside often. It shows that whatever the rules and enforcement philosophy on false starts are at any given time, defenses will adjust to produce about the same amount of offsides. Primarily what those rules do is adjust the amount of "jump" team A, knowing the snap count, has on team B by how close team B is to the edge of their charge.

Can I take it that under current enforcement, the plays where the QB spun out before the snap to lead for the sweep would still be legal as long as he didn't make it look like he had the ball? Would he have to be clear about dropping his hands and pausing before he spins away? Would dropping hands to his sides without pausing be enough?