Rules question: covered up players on LOS

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uihawk82

Well-Known Member
My understanding is of course you can only have 4 offensive players in the backfield at least 1 yard behind the LOS. But there is as far as I know no limit of the number of players on the LOS up to 10 players. As far as I know there is no rule against a team having 10 men on the LOS and only one player in the backfield to accept the snap of the ball. Of course in this situation there are only two legal receivers who are the two players on the end of the LOS. If it is a running play of course any player can block downfield.

I have seen some pro teams flagged for illegal formations on running plays when a slot player lines up on the LOS between the split end and an offensive tackle. Just saw the Saints called for it. I have seen a couple of college teams called for it.

Has there been a rule change on the alignment of these formations? Just want to keep up to date if need be.
 
99topdawg said:
Yes, that is true as long as it's a running play or only the end men on the LOS go out for a pass.
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Correct, thanks, so I am not sure why the penalty was called yesterday unless the NFL has some amended rule as in "no trickery goddamn it". Really the coaches I think would have been all over that call on a running play. And Brees should have been squawking.
 
uihawk82 said:
Correct, thanks, so I am not sure why the penalty was called yesterday unless the NFL has some amended rule as in "no trickery goddamn it". Really the coaches I think would have been all over that call on a running play. And Brees should have been squawking.
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I'm no expert and didn't see the play, but I know if a man is on the end of the line, uncovered, and eligible, but has the wrong number, they must report to the official that they are eligible. Maybe they didn't do this and that was why they threw the flag?
 
NFL has more stringent number requirements. Any player with a non-eligible number can report as eligible before each play, but can't be covered up if going on a pass pattern.
 
Iowa got hosed on this in Lincoln a few years ago. I don't think it ended up mattering, but Ferentz was, shall we say, unhappy. I think the ref knew he screwed up, or Ferentz would have probably gotten a flag.
 
I remember the exact flag and I think you are incorrect that KF and the sidelines kept yelling shit at the officials until they had no choice but to flag them for 15 yards. I have watched that replay a bunch of times and you are right about the players position.

But KF picked his time correctly because that illegal play took the ball down to about the iowa 20 making it less of a penalty.
 
uihawk82 said:
I remember the exact flag and I think you are incorrect that KF and the sidelines kept yelling shit at the officials until they had no choice but to flag them for 15 yards. I have watched that replay a bunch of times and you are right about the players position.

But KF picked his time correctly because that illegal play took the ball down to about the iowa 20 making it less of a penalty.
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That was an egregiously bad call by the refs. One mark of how well Iowa's defense is coached is that they roll coverage away from a guy on the line who is ineligible. I think it also happened once in that USC bowl game last year.

The biggest play like that was in 2007 where Illinois scored a 75 yard or so TD where the ball was thrown to an ineligible receiver. The defense fell off him and the TD got called back and Iowa ended up winning the game like 10-7 or something. It's a big gamble because it is one of those calls that the refs blow like a third of the time. It is a call that they absolutely need to automate.
 
uihawk82 said:
I remember the exact flag and I think you are incorrect that KF and the sidelines kept yelling shit at the officials until they had no choice but to flag them for 15 yards. I have watched that replay a bunch of times and you are right about the players position.

But KF picked his time correctly because that illegal play took the ball down to about the iowa 20 making it less of a penalty.
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Here's a link to the video. Iowa did get an unsportsmanlike penalty.

 
Robowe said:
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This is one of the most subjective penalties in football. The WR not in motion is at least a yard and a half off the ball, so I think he's ok (i.e. not covering the TE). They have a wide view and they pan in slowly, but it also looks like he checks with the ref pre-snap to suggest he should be off the LOS. If the ref didn't think he was off enough, he likely would have told him to back off. So he felt it was good enough...just a check-release from the TE and an outlet for the QB.

You could watch a single game on Saturday or Sunday and see about 5-10 of these questionable formations...there just isn't a lot of logic to it, and one of the reasons why you will almost always see WR's checking with the side judge before getting into his stance.
 
okeefe4prez said:
That was an egregiously bad call by the refs. One mark of how well Iowa's defense is coached is that they roll coverage away from a guy on the line who is ineligible. I think it also happened once in that USC bowl game last year.

The biggest play like that was in 2007 where Illinois scored a 75 yard or so TD where the ball was thrown to an ineligible receiver. The defense fell off him and the TD got called back and Iowa ended up winning the game like 10-7 or something. It's a big gamble because it is one of those calls that the refs blow like a third of the time. It is a call that they absolutely need to automate.
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When you watch that replay it is almost a 50-50 kind of thing in that the receiver to the outside of the formation is not very far back from the LOS making it sure look like he is on the LOS. I have heard it explained the line judges need to see the head of the player who is off the LOS be back equal and in line with the center's butt.

Also remember the Alamo game against Texas where iirc Scott Chandler was called for being too close the the LOS and illegally downfield for a TD pass when it sure looked like his head was about even with the right tackle's butt. Penalty called and next play or so Tate throws a pick in the endzone.
 
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