College Football/motion

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Expert: - 10/24/2011


Question
Hi,

My question is:  when man goes in motion, which direction is he allowed to go?  Specifically, if he has his hands on his knees, facing the quarterback, one yard off the line of scrimmage inside the last lineman on the line, can his first motion be to jump up then proceed toward the quarterback?  

Thanks,

Jay M. Quintana

Answer
Jay,
A back may go in motion sideways or backwards at at the snap.  He may not go forward at the snap.  If prior to the snap he moves to a positin forward he must stop and be set for a full second before the snap for the movement to be legal.

I do not understand your description of the play: "one yard off the line of scrimmage inside the last lineman on the line".  The player you describe is either a lineman on the Line of Scrimmage or he is in the backfield.  One yard (three feet) off the line of scrimmage sounds as though he is a back.  A back is any offensive player whose head or body does not break the plane of the rear most point of the nearest lineman.  A lineman becomes a back before the snap when he moves to a position as a back and stops. [Rule 2-27-4].  You also indicate the position of th eplayer is "his hands on his knees, facing the quarterback".  From this description if the player is a lineman or an eligible pass receiver then he must be facing his opponent's goalline with his shoulders approximately parallel, otherwise it is an illegal formation.

You also indicate the player's first motion is to "jump up".  If it is a quick, jerky movement that simulates the start of the play then that is a false start.  If the movement is smooth or rhythmic and does not simulated the start of a play then it is legal.  This is a movement I'd have to see because as long as I have been around the game I know the term "jump up" is subjective - it means different things to different people.  However, you may be describing a false start.

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