Is this holding?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

I'm not a FB official, but I know enough to know that the actions aren't holding on this play.

But, what if it had been a running play and at the time of the picture, the running back was at about the 5-yard line and the hash marks -- just behind the FSU lineman. Does this action now qualify as holding? (With the usual caveats that you can't always tell from a still photo)

Not yet, but potentially. The caveat you've quoted is actually way more than one might think. The majority of the things you need to see to judge holding are not in existence in an instant - they require movement. Restriction of movement is impossible to see when there's no movement.

If the defender is trying to move toward the OL at the moment of this photo, this is not holding. If he's trying to move laterally or away from the OL, and the OL lets go before he prevents him from moving laterally or away - it's not holding.

And generally, if the hands are within the frame of the OL, it's not going to be holding in any case.