Reddings explains thusly: For the fourth down/try exception, a player must assume a position on his line between the ends. Once such player assumes that initial position as an interior lineman, he is an ineligible receiver. If a subsequent shift leaves the exempted player in the position of an eligible receiver, he remains ineligible. The exempted players are determined when the snapper touches the ball (72-5b Exc 2 and 7.2.5 E&F).
In your example 1, every A/K player from #22-44 (L-R) is in under the exception based on Reddings description as they are all interior linemen. Once the shift occurs in example 2, A/K22 and A/K44 become ends but are still ineligible because they were interior linemen when the snapper placed his hands on the ball.
This is the exception in the rulebook:
2. On fourth down or during a kick try, when A sets or shifts into a scrimmage-kick formation, any A player numbered 1 to 49 or 80 to 99 may take the position of any A player numbered 50 to 79. A player in the game under this exception must assume an initial position on his line of scrimmage between the ends and he remains an ineligible forward-pass receiver during that down unless the pass is touched by B (7-5-6b).
This can easily be read as specific players taking the place of specific players. If that’s the case, we have a five for five swap. How are the others restricted? What in the language leads us to believe we can set aside the normal eligibility rules for those not in under the exception? What I mean by that is that under normal rules, with 5 numbered 50-79 in, the second formation I posted would allow the players uncovered to become eligible. What gives us justification to now say they are not?
Same way in the Redding guide. He says nothing about every player who takes an initial position between the ends remains ineligible throughout, just those who are in using the numbering exception. If it’s a player for player swap, it can only be five.
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