I can't remember exactly... want to say it was nebraska... But the center would get set, cock his head up, then point upwards/outwards with his left arm and then quickly snap the ball. It drew someone off sides once and they called it on the defense. How is that not a false start?

I'll see if I can find video

It was Nebraska. He did it every single time so maybe that made it ok.

A center is allowed to move his upper body around and direct the O-line (much like the quarterback doing an audible). As long as he doesn't move the ball or take a step anything goes really.

Since we're talking about false start, what is this with the ref calling "prior to the snap, false start." Aren't all false starts prior to the snap?

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Since we're talking about false start, what is this with the ref calling "prior to the snap, false start." Aren't all false starts prior to the snap?

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Would like to see a false start after the snap.

Prior to the snap refers to the scope of the penalty. It is included with all penalties assessed before the snap.

can anyone explain to me why they sometimes blow a play dead when the defense draws an offsides? andhow is a nuetral zone infraction different? It does not make a lick of sense to me honestly, it seems like the refs just arbitrarily call it.

Contact

If I remember correctly contact is an Encroachment penalty. When a defensive player jumps offsides and they blow a play dead, it is because the defensive player jumping caused on offensive false start. That is a dead ball penalty (Neutral Zone Infraction) against the defense. If no offensive player jumps and the center snaps the ball, it just Off Sides and a free play.

Aggiebrewer can clarify

If the center couldn't move his arms and point, we would be in as much trouble with false start calls as anyone. Matthews identifies the Mike.

False start: Offensive player gets set and then moves. For linemen, they cannot get into a three point stance and then get out of it. If they get into a two point stance, they cannot move their feet or make an exaggerated flinch with the upper body. For skill players, they cannot move forward. They can go in motion backward or laterally. If they reestablish position facing forward, they must be set for one second before the ball is snapped.

Offsides: Any defender that is in the neutral zone or beyond before the ball is snapped is offside. If the defender has an unobstructed route into the backfield, the officials will blow the play dead. If the jump into the neutral zone causes an offensive lineman to react without the ball snapping, it is called offside on the defender. If the defender jumps offside and the ball is snapped, the play is generally allowed to continue as long as the defender is not unimpeded to the quarterback. If a defender is lined up with part of his body in the neutral zone, he is offside. Sometimes this (and other variations) is called a neutral zone infraction.

Illegal snap: If the center, once ahold of the ball, flinches or moves the ball in a way that simulates a snap but does not snap the ball, this is an illegal snap.

Great discussion. I have an honest question that I would like your opinion on. Does anyone else feel that if a OL simply flinches and no one is drawn offsides and he gets reset that it should not be a penalty? It doesn't give him any advantage. It seems that sometimes an O Lineman can have a muscle twitch and they call false start. Anybody else see this or am I just being nitpicky? I'm off for the whole week so I got lots of time to think.

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Great discussion. I have an honest question that I would like your opinion on. Does anyone else feel that if a OL simply flinches and no one is drawn offsides and he gets reset that it should not be a penalty? It doesn't give him any advantage. It seems that sometimes an O Lineman can have a muscle twitch and they call false start. Anybody else see this or am I just being nitpicky? I'm off for the whole week so I got lots of time to think.

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Watching a game at any level and observing he OL, I can see where there is all kinds of confusion on who can move and how much and when. What the officials are looking for is movement that simulates the start of the play. Once you call enough games you get a good sense to what is just "normal" movement and what really is a false start.

There are different sets of rules on how a player can move pre snap depending on where he is lined up; lineman, restricted lineman, snapper, and back. All these player classifications have unique rules that restrict their movement.

Good stuff. I forgot that defender doesn't have to make contact if the offensive player moves due to the defender' entering the neutral zone to be blown dead. Pretty rare plays are blown dead w no contact though because the center usually snaps the ball prior to any other offensive players moving.

We received the benefits of this rule in 2012 when the Bama punt return team jumped into the neutral zone and caused our punt team linemen to flinch. Bama was offsides and we got a first down and were able to run out the clock to seal the victory.

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Mostly true crotty. But....

One player on offense can be in motion as long as all were set for one second. And as long as lineman are not in 3 point stance they can move and re set.

Defender in NZ is not offsides UNTIL the snap.


And on defense causing offensive false start, the offensive player must be head up to that defender or adjacent.

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Right. One person can be moving at the snap of the ball, but not moving forward. If he moves forward, it must be to reposition and then get set. The person in motion when the ball is snapped must be moving laterally and lined up off the ball, right? A splitend can't be in motion at the time of the snap, right? That's why they had a term for "flanker" back in the day.

It makes sense that you can move and reset on a two point stance. You see it all the time with formation shifts.

Yes, defender in the NZ is offsides at the snap.

I'm not sure that anyone holds to the last one though. If the left defensive end jumps offside and the guard on that side comes out of his stance and points at the end, they usually call it on the defense.

I'm talking about an end outside of the tackle on that side. That's a liberal definition of adjacent.

So they won't call it if the guard on the other side does the same thing and is the only one?

I'm NOT saying you are wrong. It just seems like they call it on the defense no matter which offensive lineman moves.

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If the center couldn't move his arms and point, we would be in as much trouble with false start calls as anyone. Matthews identifies the Mike

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I know he does. But he usually points, gets set, then snaps the ball. This guy was cocking up, pointing and snapping in less than a second