4th Down Numbering Exception- Ineligible??

[BoBo]

Couple questions please and I hope it will turn out correctly so it easy to understand

Original Formation

#25 is the center

21 34 66 25 64 86 11

10 20 5


1

(i cant get formation to fall into place correctly 21 and 11 are split wide, 10, 20 and 5 are the personal protectors and 1 is the punter sorry)

By rule once 25 the center puts his hands on the football numbers 34, 25, 86 become ineligible numbers by the fourth down numbering exception

Now before the ball is snapped #20 shifts to be on the line to the right of number 86. He sets for the one second count.

After all of Ks players are set #11 steps backwards and then goes in motion across the backfield and the ball is snapped.

My question is when #20 places himself in a covered up position on the line has he now deemed himself ineligible under the 4th down numbering exception rule?

Once a player becomes ineligible they remain ineligible throughout the play?

Comments

[HLin NC]

No- the scrimmage kick formation exception applies to those players who assume an initial position in the line normally occupied by a player numbered 50-79.

In your scenario, K20 was initially a back and thus eligible. When K11 shifted to a back, K20 was now the end and still eligible.

[golfdesigner]

Originally Posted by BoBo

Couple questions please and I hope it will turn out correctly so it easy to understand

Original Formation

#25 is the center

21 34 66 25 64 86 11

10 20 5


1

(i cant get formation to fall into place correctly 21 and 11 are split wide, 10, 20 and 5 are the personal protectors and 1 is the punter sorry)

By rule once 25 the center puts his hands on the football numbers 34, 25, 86 become ineligible numbers by the fourth down numbering exception

Now before the ball is snapped #20 shifts to be on the line to the right of number 86. He sets for the one second count.

After all of Ks players are set #11 steps backwards and then goes in motion across the backfield and the ball is snapped.

My question is when #20 places himself in a covered up position on the line has he now deemed himself ineligible under the 4th down numbering exception rule?

Once a player becomes ineligible they remain ineligible throughout the play?

Comments

I'd like the rule reference for "By rule once 25 the center puts his hands on the football"

I'm doing some research and trying to confirm the "rule" and when searching both the rules book and case book for "initial" or "snapper" found no reference to the initial position being established at the time the snapper places his hand(s) on the ball. Can you help me out here?

Thanks

[mcbailey]

The center's hands having nothing to do with the eligibility of lineman. If team A sets or shifts into a scrimmage kick formation and there are lineman in the game under the numbering exception (in this case #'s 34, 25, 86), then they MUST take an initial position as an interior lineman and they remain ineligible throughout the down.

Rule 7-2-5b Exception #2

This applies to 4th down only......remember on 1st, 2nd & 3rd down, only the snapper can take advantage of the numbering exception.

[BktBallRef]

Just for clarification's sake, there's no such thing as a "center." #25 is the snapper. By rule, "center' means nothing.