False Start or Illegal Shift. how do u feel?

[thmtht1612]

An interior lineman is going into his set position when the ball is snapped...half the association wants it called as as a false start and kill the play....the other half of the association wants it called as an illegal shift based on the fact that the player was never motionless and how can you have a false start if he was never set...the player did not cause the defense to encroach as he was going down rather than going up to start the play....also, does the same  hold true if it was a back who was going into his set position when the ball is snapped....would like your thoughts please.
An, thanks

[CalhounLJ]

Im assuming by going into his set position you are talking about moving from a two point stance into a three? If so, that’s an illegal shift if he’s still moving at the snap. You have to wait until the snap to flag it because if he completes the action before the ball is snapped and is motionless for one second, the shift is legal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FLAHL]

Agree with Calhoun.  Let the play go. If the defense makes a good play, they might want to decline the penalty and let the down count. They should have that option.

[ncwingman]

If the movement is illegal in itself, it's a false start -- if the lineman was moving from a three point stance to a two point stance, or if he moved quickly in a manner that simulated a snap, for instance.

If the movement itself was not a foul, but only became a foul because it did not end prior to the snap, then it is an illegal shift. That is to say, if the snap was two second later you'd have no foul on the play due to this shift, it's not a false start.

[HLinNC]

Sounds like IS to me

[SCHSref]

It is my understanding that what you mentioned is an Illegal Shift. The lineman is not set before the snap

[bossman72]

An interior lineman is going into his set position when the ball is snapped...half the association wants it called as as a false start and kill the play....the other half of the association wants it called as an illegal shift based on the fact that the player was never motionless and how can you have a false start if he was never set...the player did not cause the defense to encroach as he was going down rather than going up to start the play....also, does the same  hold true if it was a back who was going into his set position when the ball is snapped....would like your thoughts please.
An, thanks

Under NFHS rules, this is an illegal shift.

Under NCAA rules, this is not clear, but the rule book supports illegal motion (a shift must be with 2 players in NCAA).  Many conferences interpret it as:  if an interior lineman is going into his stance during the snap, it's a false start.  If it's a TE, then it's illegal motion.

[Ralph Damren]

Welcome to our forum, thmtht1612, I hope you find it both informative and enjoyable. A good rule of  to use is : Could the foul be preventable  ? In your topic, yes. The lineman could have set into his 3/4 point before the snap prior to the snap or his team could call time out and no foul would have occurred. A false start is just that, someone jumped before the snap and the play is shut down .

[xkath]

It's a relatively new NCAA rule that if all 11 offensive players are never set from the start of the down that the play should be shut down for a false start. Half your association must also work college.