CCA 7Man Mechanics Question

[TXMike]

Anyone have a copy of their manual handy?   I think it included some philosophies?  What does it say  whether to rule false start of defense offside in  this situation:

DT jumps into the NZ between the Left TE and Left Tackle.  The Left Guard comes up out of the 3 point stance.  Offside or false start?

[British Ref]

False Start (AR 7-1-3:V). The Note alongside the AR states that the Guard is not considered to be threatened in this scenario.

[TXMike]

I am clear on the rule and the AR...just wondering if there was something different in the CCA Manual

[El Macman]

One of the items in the Line of Scrimmage section of the Philosophies states that:
"When in question regarding player position on movement by the defense into the neutral zone which causes the offense to move, a [defensive] player is moving toward the offensive player. This protects both that [offensive] player and the two adjacent offensive players."

If he gets into the NZ, the idea is to try to make him heading for an offensive player, so that the maximum number of offensive players are covered by the 'reaction' rule; if those three react to the defensive player's movement, they are NOT guilty of a false start. In your secenario, the gap would need to be very wide, and the defensive player clearly moves straight ahead. That would be rare. "Stretch" this into a defensive foul whenever possible.

Make note of the new philosophy that does not require the defensive player to actually penetrate the NZ. If he is moveing toward the NZ and causes a reaction by the appropriate lineman (linemen), make it DOF.  That's philosophy - not pure rule. And I didn't develop  it - the coordinators did, so don't fuss at me, y'all.

[TXMike]

IMHO, once the philosophies start saying things clearly contrary not only to rule but to specific AR's, they should be discussed at the annual rules committee meeting to ensure the rulemakers are in agreement.

[Joe Stack]

So essentially, the philosophy wants us to rule offsides if the reacting offensive lineman (G/T/TE) is on the same side of the center as the defender getting into the neutral zone?

[El Macman]

So essentially, the philosophy wants us to rule offsides if the reacting offensive lineman (G/T/TE) is on the same side of the center as the defender getting into the neutral zone?

Well, "offside," anyway.

[LJ Silver]

Be careful not to read more into the new philosophies on this subject than is truly there.

They speak to "when in question" points relative to whether defensive players are in the NZ or not, whether a defensive player is "in the gap" or directly across from an offensive lineman, or whether or not there is contact with an offensive lineman. 

Nothing says rule DOF without someone being in the NZ, or to protect everyone on one side of the center when a defender jumps. 

If it's clear the DE jumps into the gap between the tackle and the TE, then the guard is not protected.  If you can't tell how he's aligned due to your angle from the sideline, then defer to him being over the tackle and not in the gap and protect all 3 linemen.

That's not contrary to the rule or AR, it's a guideline to help resolve questions when you don't have the angle you'd like.

As always, we have to strive to be good enough not to have "when in question".  Get in a position to see the action you need to see, then decide based on the rules.  That's judgement, and that's what they pay us for.

[ABoselli]

At a clinic last weekend, Terry McAulay stated that he, RR and Steve Shaw (not sure if others) were in the process of rewriting the CCA manual. He said that a lot of things were being taken out and others clarified to try and cut down on the wildly different readings of the book.

That said, I watch film of the SEC and I wonder what influence Shaw will have on what most of the country does now.

[Rulesman]

If I were a betting man, I would say "a lot."

[NVFOA_Ump]

If it's clear the DE jumps into the gap between the tackle and the TE, then the guard is not protected.  If you can't tell how he's aligned due to your angle from the sideline, then defer to him being over the tackle and not in the gap and protect all 3 linemen.

Isn't there several other members of the officiating team who will be helping with this call?  If the wing official can't adequately judge if the team A lineman who moved pre-snap was in fact threatened, we don't need to guess - there's help available.