Strange Formation
 

Watching the Big Ten Championship game tonight...

In the first half Wisconsin used a formation where they had nine guys on the line, one guy split wide and off the line, and then the quarterback.

My uncle is questioning the legality of the formation. I looked up the rule and the only restriction it gave was that no more than four backs.

Are there number restrictions in play here?

Nothing illegal here. Only three eligible receivers, though, including the QB and assuming all ends and backs had eligible numbers.

Assuming the offense wasn't in a scrimmage kick formation, they're required to have five linemen numbered 50-79.

Even so, doesn't this exception only apply to obvious kick situations. I recall the A-11 discussions....

The exception to having five linemen numbered 50-79 on the line applies when there's a scrimmage kick...which applies just like when you said it does:

NCAA 2012-2013
Rule 2, Section 16

Scrimmage Kick Formation

ARTICLE 10. a. A scrimmage kick formation is a formation with at least one player seven yards or more behind the neutral zone, no player in position to receive a hand-to-hand snap from between the snapper’s legs, and it is obvious that a kick may be attempted (A.R. 7-1-3-VII and A.R. 9-1-14-I-III).

b. If Team A is in a scrimmage kick formation at the snap, any action by Team A during the down is deemed to be from a scrimmage kick formation.

They had 7 on the line with the snapper on the end and a back wider than him. The other backs were near the snapper and wider than the other 6 linemen. The QB was in normal shot gun depth. The snapper did go down field but they threw the ball to the single back wide of the snapper.

What was the snapper's number? You might have a legal formation, but illegal man downfield.

Not if the pass was behind the line of scrimmage.

I don't remember but it was a legal number. He legally went downfield. The 5 ineligible numbers were in the formation to the side.