Our Colorado Football Officials Association President, John Conklin, gave an outstanding presentation called “What To Do When” at our state clinic. I want to devote a few Ready for Play articles to address some of these precepts.
What to do when the snapper moves the ball forward while establishing position?
Rule 7-1-2 says the snapper may not change the location of the ball. The foul is a “snap infraction” and is a 5-yard dead-ball foul.
When snappers grasp the ball, they often will inch the ball forward. Do we flag this movement? It’s a foul “by rule.” But we’ve said many times in Art of Officiating lessons and articles we should not be draconian “penalty police.” How do we resolve presnap forward ball movement?
We should flag forward ball movement if:
- Movement is across the goal line or line-to-gain
- Movement causes Team B/R to encroach the neutral zone
- Movement affords an unfair advantage based on the game situation
- The snapper continues to move the ball forward after prior warnings
If none of these conditions have occurred, the wings can communicate with the coaching staff and the umpire to warn the center about his incorrect ball movement.
Take a look at this video. The right defensive end (B40) lines up slightly in the neutral zone. The center (A65) then moves the ball forward a few inches. B40 is now clearly in the neutral zone. At the snap, both wings sky a flag and the line judge signals “encroachment.”
A65’s forward ball movement caused B40 to encroach. The line judge should not wait for the snap but should immediately sound his whistle, throw his flag, and report a snap infraction to the referee.
The head linesman should not flag a player on the line judge’s side of the field
If both wings have a flag, they need to hustle to the middle of the field and discuss their flags before reporting the foul to the referee
In the line judge’s judgment, if B40 encroached before A65 snapped the ball, he should blow his whistle and throw his flag. Encroachment is a dead ball foul. Without any ball movement, it would be most correct for the LJ to observe B40’s movement at the snap and determine if the slight encroachment provided an illegal advantage on the play. If B40 does not obtain an advantage at the snap, the LJ could speak with his sideline’s coaches (put money in the bank) to get B40 back a little, or he can communicate the same to the umpire.
Quiz
Read the quiz stem and then choose the best answer.
B22 intercepts a pass in his end zone. He starts to run it out but fumbles forward from the end zone. A35 attempts to catch the airborne fumble at the B-2 but muffs it back into the end zone where B22 falls on it. The result of the play is a ________.
- Safety
- Touchback
Review Rule 2-13-3 and 8-5-2a EXCEPTION