I have one I'd like to see created...
Add the following to the TASO officiating philosophies in mechanics manual under Formation-Offense or wherever appropriate:
“Do not be technical in determining if scrimmage kick formation numbering exception players forming a 2x2 are within the tackle box. When in question, it is not a foul. When less than 10 players are on the field, allow a late substitute to fill an obvious player vacancy in the 2x2 provided no established 2x2 players shift position or false start.”
Concur on the]technicality of the width of the 'numbering exceptions box,' which is my term for what everyone is calling the "2X2" sub-formation. The full width of the numbering exceptions box is the width of the tackle box. But, we can certainly allow the size of that box to expand, reasonably. What is reasonable has been described as up to where a third player from the snapper would be - essentially the same as a player just "catching a piece of the tackle box. For both feet to be within the box, the box would then be some 6 1/2 yards from the snapper. I think we're all good with that.
Regarding substitutions that affect the "2X2" formation, direction we have received from Shaw, to date, says that, after the "2X2" is established, nothing can be changed about it. No player may move into it, no player may depart from it, no players inside of it may change position,
and substitutions affecting the "2X2" are not permitted[/s.
As for players within the box, I am certainly not going to be technical about a player adjusting his stance, or modestly moving laterally to get set - maybe a foot or so in either direction.
But, for actual substitutions, by definition, a substitution is either a replacement for a player, OR for a player vacancy (which means Team A has fewer than 11 players on the field). What you are talking about is a substitution to fill a player vacancy AFTER the "2X2" is established. And Shaw has said, in writing, that substitutions affecting the established "2X2" are not allowed. He has not distinguished between a player replacement and a player vacancy. Unless he (or Matt Young) says that player vacancies may be filled by a substitute, then we need to hold the line and rule an illegal formation at the snap.
OK, in 2026 NCAA Bulletin 2, Matt Young clarified that YES, in fact, Team A may fill a player vacancy within the fully established “numbering exceptions box” (my better term for the “2X2”). As long as we have it in writing, OK by me.
I don’t know what’s happening, but my revision, with the addition of the sentence above was not supposed to be struck-through or color pink. That sentence is the new info we received today, from Matt Young.
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What happens next year will be someone elses's worry. Your state can rule on OT as they wish.