Defensive Hand Clapping pre-snap

[jmckb99]

Just wondering everyone's thoughts on the defense clapping their hands against a team that uses the hand clap as their snap count? We have several area teams that the QB will get everyone set and then clap his hands when he wants the ball....linebacker steps up in the gap and claps his hands.

Is this considered a "disconcerting act"? Or is it on the offense to make an adjustment?

[ncwingman]

Linebacker comes up to the line and claps his hands at the offense in an obvious attempt to simulate the snap? Yes. 

Linebacker is calling signals to his team and claps his hands as an "Okay, go!" acknowledgement? No.

[jmckb99]

Rule reference? Or just an opinion?

[ncwingman]

What qualifies as a disconcerting act is a judgement call, but chances are that if the linebacker steps up into the gap and claps his hands at the edge of the neutral zone, right next to an offensive lineman, that's intended to try to get the offense to false start -- which would be the definition of a disconcerting act.

[AlUpstateNY]

What qualifies as a disconcerting act is a judgement call, but chances are that if the linebacker steps up into the gap and claps his hands at the edge of the neutral zone, right next to an offensive lineman, that's intended to try to get the offense to false start -- which would be the definition of a disconcerting act. 

It's doubtful you can be more creative than the average HS football player, so it depends on how much YOU are willing to deal with creativity.  The first time a player (on either side of the line) gets "overly creative", YOU can choose to ignore it, or advise him any similar efforts will produce a flag, against him.

As for that first effort, if YOU decide it crossed YOUR line, flag it, but either way share your advice.  It will make the rest of THAT GAME a lot more pleasant (for everybody). 

[Magoopm88]

What about the linebacker who runs up to the line and stops or stands there stomping his foot or faking like he's coming?

[ncwingman]

What about the linebacker who runs up to the line and stops or stands there stomping his foot or faking like he's coming?

You have to see it and make a judgement call. If you think his intent is to get the offense to false start, then flag it. If you think he's trying to time the snap and missed, then don't. If you want to give him a talking to and say don't do that again or I'll flag it, that's also an option.

There's no one size fits all answer to judgement calls.

[HLinNC]

Rule reference? Or just an opinion?

Its a rule.  Feel free to look it up here: Disconcerting Act Foul and Penalty Reclassified [7-1-9 (NEW), 7-1-9 PENALTY (NEW)] .

The penalty just changed from 15 yards USC to 5 yards.  One can assume the Fed wants it called more since they reduced the penalty yardage.

[CalhounLJ]

Its a rule.  Feel free to look it up here: Disconcerting Act Foul and Penalty Reclassified [7-1-9 (NEW), 7-1-9 PENALTY (NEW)] .

The penalty just changed from 15 yards USC to 5 yards.  One can assume the Fed wants it called more since they reduced the penalty yardage.

This is a great point. One would assume that would be reverse. "We don't want them to do it, so we increase the penalty yardage." In reality, the smaller the penalty, the greater the tendency to call a foul. The more times a foul is called, the less likely a team is to commit the foul.

[AlUpstateNY]

You have to see it and make a judgement call. If you think his intent is to get the offense to false start, then flag it. If you think he's trying to time the snap and missed, then don't. If you want to give him a talking to and say don't do that again or I'll flag it, that's also an option.

There's no one size fits all answer to judgement calls.

AMEN!  It's EXCLUSIVELY YOUR judgment, and relates to exactly what YOU observed on THAT PLAY in THAT GAME.

Two phrases worth being able to accurately quote are;

"ANY act is clearly intended to cause B to encroach" (NFHS 7-1-7b), and,

"..disconcerting ACTS or WORDS prior to the snap in an attempt to interfere with "A's" signals or movements." (NFHS 2-1-9)

[HLinNC]

This is a great point. One would assume that would be reverse. "We don't want them to do it, so we increase the penalty

Same philosophy they had when they added the 5 yard facemask.  They felt that officials were too reluctant to call a facemask because it was a 15 yarder. 

Of course they can also go opposite, such as when they changed Rule 8 to allow the scoring team to also accept the live ball foul during the play.  It used to have to be declined to keep the score.