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Offensive Team Requirements—At the Snap
ARTICLE 4. Violation of each of the following (a-c) is a live-ball foul; the play is allowed to continue.
a. Formation. At the snap Team A must be in a formation that meets these requirements:
5. If lined up in scrimmage kick formation (Rule 2-26-10) Team A may have fewer than five lineman numbered 50 through 79, subject to the following conditions:
(a) Team A must have the snapper and the two linemen on each side of the snapper, who are lined up in (or touching) the tackle box (2x2 formation) and these five linemen become exceptions to the numbering rule.
(b) These linemen are ineligible receivers by position and become exceptions to the numbering rule when they line up following the snapper taking his position.
Approved Ruling 9-1-14 I. A10 is in a shotgun-type formation 7-1/2 yards behind the snapper, who has his head down and is looking backward through his Immediately after the snap, nose guard B55 charges directly at the snapper and contacts him by pushing him backward. RULING: Legal. The snapper is not afforded any special protection because Team A is not in a scrimmage kick formation, since A10 is not at least 10 yards deep (Rule 2-16-10). The snapper does have the usual protection against any personal foul for unnecessary roughness.
Approved Ruling 9-1-14 II. Team A is in a scrimmage kick formation with the punter 15 yards behind the line of Immediately after the snap, nose guard B55 charges directly at the snapper, contacts him, and drives him backward. The ball is snapped to an upback three yards behind the scrimmage line or to the potential kicker, who instead runs with or passes the ball. RULING: Foul. Penalty—15 yards and automatic first down. The snapper may not be contacted until one second has elapsed after the snap when Team A is in a scrimmage kick formation.
Approved Ruling 9-1-14 III. Immediately after the snap, with Team A in a scrimmage kick formation, B71 is lined up within one yard of the line of scrimmage and is outside of the frame of the B71 attempts to “shoot the gap” between the snapper and the adjacent lineman. B71’s initial legal contact is with the (c) Once a player is established as a numbering exception, they may not shift or move to another position.
(d) Any and all such numbering-exception players must be clearly on the line of scrimmage, and all backs must be clearly in the backfield. Otherwise, Team A commits a foul for illegal formation.
(e) Any and all such players are exceptions to the numbering rule throughout the down and remain ineligible receivers unless they become eligible under Rule 7-3-5 (forward pass touched by an official or a Team B player).
The conditions in 5(a)–5(e) are no longer in effect if prior to the snap a period ends or there is a timeout charged to the referee or one of the teams.
PENALTY [a-c]—Live-ball foul: Five yards from the previous spot [S19 or S20]. For live-ball fouls occurring when or after the snap starts during scrimmage kick plays other than field goal plays: Five yards from the previous spot or if the kick crosses the neutral zone, five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B [S19 or S20].
Approved Ruling 7-1-4 I. A30, lined up legally as a back, starts in motion legally. He then turns so that he still is legally in motion but is facing his line of scrimmage using a “side-step” At the snap, A30 is bent slightly forward at the waist and is either continuing his “side-step” motion or is “marking time” in place. RULING: Legal.
Approved Ruling 7-1-4 II. A30, lined up legally as a back, starts in motion legally. He then turns so that he still is legally in motion but is facing his line of scrimmage using a “side-step” motion. At the snap, A30, still behind the neutral zone, is moving slightly forward from the waist up or his “side-step” motion has veered slightly toward the line of scrimmage. RULING: Live-ball foul at the snap for illegal motion. Penalty—Five yards from the previous spot.
Approved Ruling 7-1-4 III. Team A's formation at the snap includes only 10 players: five players on the line of scrimmage numbered 50-79, one player on the line wearing number 82, and four players in the backfield. RULING: The formation is legal because Team A has no more than four players in the backfield and the required number of players (five) on the line wearing 50-79.
Approved Ruling 7-1-4 IV. On fourth down with potential punter A94 lined up 12 yards behind the snapper, Team A does not have five linemen numbered 50-79 in the game. They line up in a 2 X 2 formation with A33 and A27 to the left of snapper A49, and A8 and A31 to the right. All five players are in the tackle box and A49 has his hands above his knees. A29 is in the shield five yards behind the line of scrimmage. After this initial formation, there is a shift and A29 and A31 switch positions as A49 puts his hands on the ball. A49 snaps the ball and A94 kicks the ball through the end zone for a touchback. RULING: Team A commits a foul for Illegal Formation when the ball is snapped. The five players in the 2 X 2 formation (A33, A27, A49, A8, A31) are locked into their positions once they line up after the snapper A49 is in his position. Once established as a numbering exception, A31 may not shift and must remain in his position as a part of the 2 X 2 formation. Note: The position of the snapper's hands is no longer relevant as the new rule now states that players become exceptions to the numbering rule when the snapper takes his position.
Approved Ruling 7-1-4 V. On fourth down with potential punter A94 lined up 12 yards behind the snapper, Team A does not have five linemen numbered 50-79 in the game. They line up in a 3 X 1 formation with A33, A27, and A8 to the left of snapper A49, and A31 to the right. All five players are in the tackle box with no other teammates on the line of scrimmage within the tackle box. A49 snaps the ball and A94 kicks the ball through the end zone for a touchback. RULING: Team A commits a foul at the snap for an Illegal Formation. Team A must be in a 2 X 2 formation in order to meet the requirements for numbering exceptions.
Approved Ruling 7-1-4 VI. On fourth down with potential punter A94 lined up 12 yards behind the snapper, Team A does not have five linemen numbered 50-79 in the game. They line up in a 2 X 3 formation with A33 and A27 to the left of snapper A49, and A8, A31, and A18 to the right. They have a gunner on each side of the field lined up on the line and three backs (including the punter) in place. Prior to the snap, Team A (a) shifts A33 one yard back off the line of scrimmage, or (b) shifts A18 one yard back off the line of scrimmage. A49 snaps the ball and A94 kicks the ball through the end zone for a touchback. RULING: (a) Team A has committed a foul for Illegal Formation since A33 shifted out of the 2 X 2 formation prior to the snap. (b) There is no foul since the 2 X 2 formation remains with A33, A27, A49, A8 and A31 in position and Team A has no more than four backs.
Approved Ruling 7-1-4 VII. On fourth down with potential punter A94 lined up 12 yards behind the snapper, Team A lines up with A33 and A50 to the left of snapper A49, and A8 to the right; all four players are in the tackle box. A55 is lined up to the right of A8 (a) with a four-yard split and is not in the tackle box, or (b) with his left foot touching the tackle box. A49 snaps the ball and A94 kicks the ball through the end zone for a touchback. RULING: (a) Team A has committed a foul for Illegal Formation since A55 is outside the tackle box and a 2 X 2 formation with those players in or touching the tackle box is required unless five players numbered 50-79 are in the game and lined up on the line of scrimmage. (b) The formation is legal since Team A is in a 2 X 2 Note: Having one to four players numbered 50-79 is effectively not having any 50-79, and does not meet the rule requirement for having five linemen numbered 50-79.
Approved Ruling 7-1-4 VIII. On fourth down with potential punter A94 lined up 12 yards behind the snapper, Team A does not have five linemen numbered 50-79 in the They line up in a 2 X 2 formation with A33 and A27 to the left of snapper A49, and A18 and A31 to the right. Team A has two gunners, A80 and A88. These gunners are on the line of scrimmage wide and to the right of A31 with A88 nearer to the sideline. A33 is uncovered at the snap. A49 snaps the ball and A94 kicks the ball through the end zone for a touchback. RULING: This is a legal formation. The players in the 2 X 2 formation are numbering exceptions and are ineligible by position. A tackle position can be left uncovered, but this does not make him an eligible player. The formation is legal, but A80 is not an eligible receiver because he is not on the end of his scrimmage line.
Approved Ruling 7-1-4 IX. On fourth down, Team A has a potential punter A94 lined up 12 yards directly behind the snapper and a three-person shield five yards deep that is not aligned within the frame of the Team A's snapper, A55, is lined up with no other linemen in the tackle box. A80 is lined up wide to the left side of the formation, and wide to the right of the snapper are A60, A65, A70, A75, and A88 who is on the end of the line. A55 snaps the ball and A94 kicks the ball through the end zone for a touchback. RULING: This is a legal scrimmage kick formation as Team A meets the requirement of having 5 linemen numbered 50-79, no back lined up in the frame of the snapper, and it is obvious a kick will be attempted.
