Is it true?
 

I'm not a football official. However, I was at a game and the fans were yelling for offsides on the defense when the ball had not been snapped yet. I was told that if they line up offsides, the officials are to call it immediately. The offsense doesn't have to hike the ball. Is this true?

NFHS ruleset by the way.

Thanks!

Lined up in the neutral zone becomes a dead ball at the snap. Crossing into the neutral zone prior to the snap becomes a dead ball immediately.

My sideline last night thought the Nose Tackle was over the line on every play, however they couldn't get the correct angle because I was there on the correct angle. My HL and I talked about it on every time out and it was close but they were crying foul all night.

The angle is very, very important!

Ok
 

So you have to snap the ball to get offsides if the defense lines up in the neutral but it's an immediate dead ball if they MOVE into the neutral zone even if they don't contact an offensive player?

yes, in High School, that's correct.

I'm Shocked I tell You!
 

I'm shocked that the fans didn't know the rules. Shocked, I tell you! One of the guys we asked is a Lacrosse Coach. Surely he would know the rules! Again, I'm shocked!

Thanks!

NFHS, if a player enters the neutral zone after the ball is blown ready for play and the snapper touches the ball, it is a dead ball, encroachment.

We do not have "offsides" in NFHS nor a distinction between the offense and the defense in the neutral zone.

Lined up in the neutal zone after the ready for play and the snapper has touched the ball is a dead ball foul (you do not need to wait for the snap).

Depending on the level, some leniency is sometimes allowed for players lined up in the neutral zone; however, there is no rule to support this leniency.

I guess I am leinent...on both sides of the ball.

It is a dead-ball encroachment in both cases. Rule 7-1-6: Following the ready for play and after the snapper has placed his hand(s) on the ball, encroachment ocurs if any other player breaks the plane of the neutral zone.

Which is exactly not the same as lining up in the neutral zone.

Ok, let me try again
 

Prior to the ready for play signal, if the Defensive Tackle is lined up in the neutral zone and does not move, is it encroachment once the ready for play has been signaled AND the center has placed their hands on the ball?

I want to know if there is any official out there that calls this exactly by the book at any level? This is where I see it (a lot), DB or WR wanders from their huddle, Center is already on the ball and but the QB is not under center as he is waiting for the receivers to get into position. At least 10-15 times a night one of the two players wanders across the neutral zone and then backs up into position.

Are you telling me that you would kill the play and penalize 5 yards?

Already answered, but no. Lined up in the NZ is a foul at the snap.

Quite technically it is a foul immediately, not at the snap but few officials will call it that way (which is a good thing).

what????
 

it is a foul when it happens, not at the snap, and why would you wait for the snap to call it??? assuming you would call it at the snap, I understand that if it isn't big it may not be called...but if it is big enough to call, why on earth would you wait for the snap???

Well, we all know I don't call FED, but I was basing what I said on what had been said multiple times here when this question comes up. I thought the interp was that crossing INTO the NZ after the snapper and QB are ready is an immediate foul ... but if they are already there when the snapper and QB are ready, they can still back up before the snap. Thought that was the actual rule, not just the way it's called.

nope
 

Are you going to flag a receiver for entering into the neutral zone when he is lining up or are you going to at least give him a chance to correct himself?

if
 

If I am going to flag it, it will be before the snap...if he wanders out, looks in and corrects himself I am going to let it go..but if it warrants a flag it will happen before the snap...receivers get more leeway for sure...

Glad to hear, I think we are more or less in agreement then.

Ok so a lot of you guys are giving different explanations: I'm confused.

FOUL AT THE SNAP: If after the ready for play AND after the center has placed his hand on the ball if B is in the NZ at the snap. No foul if defense gets back???

FOUL BEFORE THE SNAP: If B crosses into the NZ after the ready for play AND after the center has placed his hand on the B.

Technically if any player is in the neutral zone any time after the RFP and the snapper places his hands on the ball, it is encroachment. What everyone is discussion is how technically you enforce that. For example, if a defender comes out to cover a receiver and he happens to get into the neutral zone, you don't nitpick it. But if he's still there at the snap, you kill the play and flag it. If a defensive lineman takes a position on his side of the NZ but jumps into the NZ before the snap, you will kill the play immediately and flag it. There is no difference in the rules in your two situations but the philosophy and application may be different.

You are playing NCAA rules in Texas...NFHS rule say this is a dead ball foul.

Your confusion is not caused by the rules, it's a question of understanding how, and when, to apply the rules. The over arching umbrella covering all rules is the question of "Advantage/Disadvantage", which as you gain experience will seem a clearer issue.

Rules are simply the verbiage expressing the intent of how a game is supposed to be played. As you will inevitably understand, selecting the appropriate and proper verbiage to express an intention is at best an inaccurate art form.

How tightly, or technically, you apply specific rules depends substantially on the skill level of the participants, the tightness of the contest and the level of competition. The primary objective is to prevent one team (or player) from gaining an unfair advantage over the opponent. The emphasis and focus on the word unfair is deliberate, as the heart of this game is to take advantage of the opponents weaknesses.

"Consistency" is a word bandied about in relation to officiating. The primary level of consistency required is limited to "within the game you are working", whereas how you may react or respond to a particular action is the same at the beginning, during and through, up to the end and it is applied equally to both teams.

Beyond "that game" consistency applies to how YOU may respond to similar situations in other games, then how YOU may respond in similar situations to the manner and extent others, in your universe, respond to those situations, but the primary focus remains with how consistent YOU are within THAT game you are currently working.

How tightly/technically YOU decide to work is YOUR decision, and you will have all sorts of advice and guidance available helping/hindering you in making those decisions. You will see levels that work well and levels that work poorly and you should consider both in formulating your own standards.

Flexibility and a willingness to adjust are key as circumstances and situations will never be static. There are very few "silver bullets" and one size NEVER fits all.

I know what my rules state... I thought I was answering as others have before regarding the FED rule (in fact, one before me DID answer that way). Apparently, the rule as given to me here before is wrong, although the interp isn't.

Before the ball is ready for play, there is no neutral zone. If teams have been lining up without a huddle, it's not uncommon for them to start lining up before the ball is ready for play, in which case they may not see where the neutral zone is going to be, so they have a chance to get onside once the ball is spotted. Otherwise, it's common after the ball is RFP for players to be transiently in or on the wrong side of the neutral zone when they enter via substitution, or, if team A has been snapping quickly, still returning after the previous play.

I don't know whether the current Fed mechanic in the case of players returning to their side is to delay the RFP until they're back. If so, then the last case I mentioned above should not occur. Officials then have to decide whether their delay is within the bounds allowed or a delay of game foul by the lagging player.