Rule Question

[TarheelHuskerFan]

To be clear, this is not me saying the refs caused us to play bad so don't jump all over me please. We played bad, the end.

I do have a rule question though.

I don't remember when it was other than the second half. If I recall this happened on 3rd and long.

We got called for "2 players in motion" or something similar to that.

Does anybody remember that?
Unless I misunderstood, I dont see the problem. 2 players go in motion at the same time for every team all the time.

What happened?

 

[huskerfan66]

There's a difference between "in motion" and "shifting".

 

[Yossarian23]

To be clear, this is not me saying the refs caused us to play bad so don't jump all over me please. We played bad, the end.

I do have a rule question though.

I don't remember when it was other than the second half. If I recall this happened on 3rd and long.

We got called for "2 players in motion" or something similar to that.

Does anybody remember that?
Unless I misunderstood, I dont see the problem. 2 players go in motion at the same time for every team all the time.

What happened?

You can shift multiple players, but they need to come set for a full second before the ball can be snapped. One player can still be in motion at the snap, but not two.

I remember the call but don't remember the play, so I'd assume it was the coming back to set that was the issue.

 

[jedihusker]

The call is Illegal Shift, and it was the call that negated Westy's TD catch near the end of the game.
I remember the penalty well because it is a VERY rarely called penalty, and the first time I ever heard it was when I was a freshman in high school, playing freshman football, and it negated a long TD pass, which turned out would have been a game winning TD pass.

I went back and watched the play, and I'm kind of iffy on it. Ask anyone, I'm more than willing to skewer refs when they screw stuff up, and it happened a lot this game. I'm also willing to admit when they get something right. If you actually read the whole rule and all the stuff surrounding, it's kind of complicated, I think that's part of the reason why it's rarely called.

By the strict definition of the rule, I can't say the call was necessarily wrong. However, it's pretty ticky-tack in its application here. From my point of view, it seems like the ref was looking for something to call, and that fit the bill. Based on what I saw in that game, probably all the better from his POV that it negated a TD.

 

[TarheelHuskerFan]

The call is Illegal Shift, and it was the call that negated Westy's TD catch near the end of the game.
I remember the penalty well because it is a VERY rarely called penalty, and the first time I ever heard it was when I was a freshman in high school, playing freshman football, and it negated a long TD pass, which turned out would have been a game winning TD pass.

I went back and watched the play, and I'm kind of iffy on it. Ask anyone, I'm more than willing to skewer refs when they screw stuff up, and it happened a lot this game. I'm also willing to admit when they get something right. If you actually read the whole rule and all the stuff surrounding, it's kind of complicated, I think that's part of the reason why it's rarely called.

By the strict definition of the rule, I can't say the call was necessarily wrong. However, it's pretty ticky-tack in its application here. From my point of view, it seems like the ref was looking for something to call, and that fit the bill. Based on what I saw in that game, probably all the better from his POV that it negated a TD.

Thank you guys. I figured it was something weird...I had never seen it before

 

[Cloud@Heart]

When the ball is hiked, only one person can be in motion (not toward the line of scrimmage). The other ten individuals have to be set for at least one second for it to be a legal play.

 

[Diplomat_Dean]

A shift is 2 or more players, on or off the line of scrimmage moving to a new position. They must come to a complete stop for at least 1 second prior the snap or man to go in motion.

A motion is only 1 player lined off the line of scrimmage moving prior to and during the snap. This player can move laterally or back from the line of scrimmage, but never towards. If he moves towards the line of scrimmage, must come to a complete stop before the snap.


Here is the NCAA Rule:
SECTION 22. Shift
ARTICLE 1. a. A shift is a simultaneous change of position or stance by two or more offensive players after the ball is ready for play before the snap for a scrimmage down (A.R. 7-1-3-I-II and A.R. 7-1-2-I-IV). b. The shift ends when all players have been motionless for one full second. c. The shift continues if one or more players are in motion before the end of the one second interval.


Shift and False Start ARTICLE 2. a. Shift. After a huddle (Rule 2-14) or shift (Rule 2-22-1) and before the snap, all Team A players must come to an absolute stop and remain stationary in their positions for at least one full second before the ball is snapped, without movement of the feet, body, head or arms (A.R. 7-1-2-I).

b. Man in Motion. 1. One back may be in motion, but he may not be moving toward his opponent’s goal line. 2. The player who goes in motion may not start from the line of scrimmage unless he first becomes a back and comes to a complete stop. 3. A player in motion at the snap must have satisfied the one-second rule—i.e., he may not start his motion before any shift has ended (Rule 2-22-1-c)