WR - false start vs. illegal motion vs. illegal shift

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by BroKen62

Wow, I have never heard or seen any of this. Can you be more specific as to when all of this took place? B/C I've been playing/watching football since 1969 and this is the first time I've heard of this. When you say "downfield" do you mean beyond the neutral zone in the field of play? it's hard to imagine a wide receiver running a route before the ball is snapped and that not being a dead ball foul.

I don't have to imagine it, I saw it enough times, receivers 5 yards downfield and no whistle unless contact was made; flag for offside, motion, or formation. Once I saw team A save it with a time out. At least as late as the 1970s, maybe the 1980s, and some in the 1960s, NCAA & pro rules.