Fed: time between shift & motion

[Robert Goodman]

What's the minimum time allowed between the end of a shift and the beginning of a team A player's motion, if that moving player continues moving thru the snap?

Is there a contradiction here between the Fed case book & rule book? Which one is being enforced?

[mbyron]

1 second.

No.

[ajmc]

"Beauty, is in the eye of the beholder", as is determining whether a player has shifted, or has gone in motion. NF 7-2-6 defines a "minimum of 0ne second" that "all 11 players of A shall come to an absolute stop and shall remain stationary" before the snap.

NF 7-2-7 explains that AFTER 7-2-6 has been satisfied (ALL 11 players have been still for at least 1 second) one player may go in motion and continue in motion at the snap. Determining the exact duration of a second, is a judgment made by each official.

Several years ago an interpretation was issued suggesting that in circumstances where a player may have misjudged the snap count and inadvertently "started in motion" and then tried to stop, be considered to have committed a false start (dead ball foul), to shut down the play, rather than allow the play to continue and assess either an illegal shift or illegal motion (live ball) foul.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by ajmc

"Beauty, is in the eye of the beholder", as is determining whether a player has shifted, or has gone in motion. NF 7-2-6 defines a "minimum of 0ne second" that "all 11 players of A shall come to an absolute stop and shall remain stationary" before the snap.

NF 7-2-7 explains that AFTER 7-2-6 has been satisfied (ALL 11 players have been still for at least 1 second) one player may go in motion and continue in motion at the snap.

No, 7-2-7 applies the 1 sec. requirement only "if he started from any position not clearly behind the line". There's nothing in the rule book saying there has to be any length of time between a shift and the start of motion under any circumstance other than that. Yet the case book does.

For instance, if you go by the rule book, A1 in the backfield could start in motion a mere fraction of a second after the entire team comes to a set formation from the huddle, stay in motion for 1 second at the end of which the ball is snapped, and the rule book would have nothing against that, but the case book would, at least according to what I've seen quoted. The rule on this has been the same for a very long time, and substantively the same in NCAA albeit with a different definition of "shift". So how long has this discrepancy with the case book existed?

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

No, 7-2-7 applies the 1 sec. requirement only "if he started from any position not clearly behind the line". There's nothing in the rule book saying there has to be any length of time between a shift and the start of motion under any circumstance other than that. Yet the case book does.

The Case Book is an extension of the rule book. They are not in competition with each other.

All 11 players must be set for 1 second prior to a player going in motion.

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

No, 7-2-7 applies the 1 sec. requirement only "if he started from any position not clearly behind the line". There's nothing in the rule book saying there has to be any length of time between a shift and the start of motion under any circumstance other than that. Yet the case book does.

Forgive me, Robert, but NF:7-2-6 sets the team requirement, stating: " After a huddle or shift all 11 players of A shall come to an absolute stop and shall remain stationary simultaneously without movement of hands, feet, head or body [B][I]for at least one second before the snap.""PENALTY: Illegal shift (Art 6)-(S20)" That 1 second (Team) pause must be completed before any player STARTS in motion

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by ajmc

Forgive me, Robert, but NF:7-2-6 sets the team requirement, stating: " After a huddle or shift all 11 players of A shall come to an absolute stop and shall remain stationary simultaneously without movement of hands, feet, head or body [B][I]for at least one second before the snap.""PENALTY: Illegal shift (Art 6)-(S20)"

Right, that's what the rule says, but...

That 1 second (Team) pause must be completed before any player STARTS in motion

Where did that bit come from?