peewee offside/false start

[mtridge]

this is a opinion question, I know what the rule book says and what I would call on friday night but I want your opinion on how you would deal with this. Pee wee leauge the defensive lineman are required to line up 1 yard off of the ball. A defensive lineman jumps toward the line but because of the 1 yard distance does not break the neutral zone, the offensive lineman reacts in a defensive movement as to protect himself from contact. These are 4/5 graders, how would you call this?

[Welpe]

This is something I'd run by the league to see how they want it handled. The easiest is probably to treat it as encroachment if the offense jumps and nothing if he doesn't.

Once again local rules, fools and all of that.

[Robert Goodman]

You write "does not break the neutral zone", but does the 1 yard distance delimit their neutral zone as it does in Canadian rules, or does this league define a neutral zone separately from B's restraining line?

[WestCoaster]

Originally Posted by mtridge

this is a opinion question, I know what the rule book says and what I would call on friday night but I want your opinion on how you would deal with this. Pee wee leauge the defensive lineman are required to line up 1 yard off of the ball. A defensive lineman jumps toward the line but because of the 1 yard distance does not break the neutral zone, the offensive lineman reacts in a defensive movement as to protect himself from contact. These are 4/5 graders, how would you call this?

I worked a 4th grade game yesterday. As a parent, I can tell you that no one wants to see a flag fest. They want to come watch little Johnny play football. I tell the coaches up front that they will get felony officiating. Little wiggles, funky motion, improper formations and heads sticking into the neutral zone won't be called unless they cause someone to jump. Clipping, face masks, personal fouls and the like get called. We also help them line up correctly instead of throwing flags.

We managed to play the entire game without one flag, even though we probably could have thrown one on 75% of the plays. Everyone left happy, and the kids had a great time. At that age, that's all that matters.

In your case, I would view the defensive move as causing the offense to react, unless told otherwise. That's one you pretty much have to call one way or the other. I'd call defense on that one. Of course YMMV.

[mtridge]

I agree with you and that goes for any level of football you don't want wal mart officiating calls. We had 5 flags in 3 games. However, I did call this on the defense and the coach was furious and on friday nights he would have a right to be, but on friday nights the lineman would have been close to the los and would have broken the neutral zone. The other problem that we all face is that the parents think this is saturday and they can get back. I think goodman makes a good point, that 1 yard requirement becomes their neutral zone and they should be penalized for breaking it just as any other neutral zone violation. Would anyone call this a false start?

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by mtridge

I think goodman makes a good point, that 1 yard requirement becomes their neutral zone and they should be penalized for breaking it just as any other neutral zone violation.

Not exactly the point I was making. I was saying that might be what the league wants. Can't tell from just the details given here.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by mtridge

this is a opinion question, I know what the rule book says and what I would call on friday night but I want your opinion on how you would deal with this. Pee wee leauge the defensive lineman are required to line up 1 yard off of the ball. A defensive lineman jumps toward the line but because of the 1 yard distance does not break the neutral zone, the offensive lineman reacts in a defensive movement as to protect himself from contact. These are 4/5 graders, how would you call this?

Every time I read a set of local rules, I make sure I'm aware of what the penalty is for any infraction they have invented. This would be one of those. They often forget that part.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by mtridge

this is a opinion question, I know what the rule book says and what I would call on friday night but I want your opinion on how you would deal with this. Pee wee leauge the defensive lineman are required to line up 1 yard off of the ball. A defensive lineman jumps toward the line but because of the 1 yard distance does not break the neutral zone, the offensive lineman reacts in a defensive movement as to protect himself from contact. These are 4/5 graders, how would you call this?

Since the Canadian neutral zone is 1 yard from the tip of the football, you may be interested to know how we handle this, from coast to coast, amateur to professional...

This is a defensive foul if B was in the 1-yard "NZ" when the O lineman moved. The play is killed because the O lineman move before the snap, but he was reacting to the defense: up 5 yards.

If B hadn't yet entered the 1-yard "NZ"/buffer, then it's A's foul: back 5 yards.