Legal or illegal formation question

[keehner87]

So I'm a HS Defensive Coordinator in Iowa and I've asked this question to multiple people and can't get a straight answer.  And I messaged our state football rep a month or so ago but haven't heard back.  I've even asked officials pregame and have gotten different answers.  But I thought maybe I can get a straight answer about my question and learn a thing some things by reading other threads so I signed up.

There's multiple ways to get to this potential issue (motions, shifts, etc) but the easiest way to describe it is an uncovered offensive tackle with no receivers on that side.  RB and QB in the backfield with Quads to the left and the outside receiver covering a TE.  So they have 7 on the line and 4 in the backfield but there are no receivers to the right.  My question is about the uncovered tackle and I've gotten different responses from different officials.  I've gotten completely legal.  I've gotten completely legal if its a run play but the minute its a pass, its illegal (the crew that told me this, it happened later in the game and they backpedaled and said they never told me that).  I've also gotten that its illegal (but the crew in this instance didn't call it after an opponent shifted a TE and Wing to the opposite side). 

So I'm just trying to get a straight answer because I can't find any specific rule pertaining to this and I swear that either playing, coaching, or watching games this was called.  Maybe it never was a rule and I'm completely wrong.  But can you help me?  Was it a rule and no longer is?  Was it never a rule?  Is it legal?  Is it illegal?  Is it legal to run but not to pass? Is there a specific rule that I missed that pertains to this?

[riffraft]

as long as 5 lineman number 50-79 it is legal formation.  If tackle is one of the 50-79, he is an ineligble receiver and cannot go downfield on a pass play.  The TE is ineligble because he is covered up by WR and cannot go downfield on a pass play.

[GoodScout]

Easiest way to remember is that a player must be eligible BY NUMBER and BY POSITION.

If he’s numbered 50-79 he’s ineligible regardless of where he is.

If he’s eligible by number he still has to eligible by position (on end of line uncovered, off the line, in the backfield). 

If your tackle was not numbered 50-79 (and there were 5 others on the line who were) AND he was on the end of the line uncovered, then he’s eligible to go downfield and catch a pass.

[Rob S]

Looks like the guys above have it covered. 5+ on the line 50-79, no more than 4 in the backfield, and the formation is legal. Anyone 50-79 or covered is ineligible to go downfield on a forward pass.

This is one of those rules differences between levels that's probably part of the confusion. In the pros, a tackle can't be left uncovered (unless they report eligible), but that's not a rule in HS or college.

[NVFOA_Ump]

Looks like the guys above have it covered. 5+ on the line 50-79, no more than 4 in the backfield, and the formation is legal. Anyone 50-79 or covered is ineligible to go downfield on a forward pass.

This is one of those rules differences between levels that's probably part of the confusion. In the pros, a tackle can't be left uncovered (unless they report eligible), but that's not a rule in HS or college.

All above is correct and the applicable rule is Rule 7.  The alignment prior to the snap is immaterial and coaches are pretty much free to attempt to confuse the defense by moving everyone around prior to the snap.  The key as mentioned above is 5 linemen in the LOS at the snap:  Rule 7-2-5-b "At the snap at least 5 A players on their line of scrimmage must be numbered 50-79".  Also, players linemen numbered 50-79 cannot touch/catch a forward pass and cannot be downfield on a forward pass play that crosses the LOS prior to the pass being thrown.  As noted above, there is no requirement that prohibits a lineman (50-79) from being on the end of the line (uncovered) under NFHS rules.

[Ralph Damren]

Welcome, Keehner, to our forum. We enjoy a coach's perspective and hope you find us informative. While the uncovered #70 isn't a foul, his team has just lost one potential reciever. Also #70 can't stroll beyond the line of scrimmage on a forward pass that crosses the line without becoming an illegible receiver.
                                           
                                                                 Hope this helps.

[keehner87]

Appreciate the responses and the help.  That does clear thing up more.

We did also play a team that used all unbalanced formations and one of their 6 "Lineman" was a 90s number so he could be eligible.

I guess the next thing that I wonder is was this ever a rule?  The reason that I ask is that I played semi-pro for 10 years and we used a majority of the Iowa HS rules, which are the NFHS rules.  And I specifically remember getting flagged for running Quads to one side, being the outside receiver, I was covering the TE so we had the 7 on the line.  Maybe this was just a league-specific rule that was adapted from somewhere else because, like I said, we used a majority but not all of the rules.  Maybe that's where my confusion is coming from.

[bossman72]

Appreciate the responses and the help.  That does clear thing up more.

We did also play a team that used all unbalanced formations and one of their 6 "Lineman" was a 90s number so he could be eligible.

I guess the next thing that I wonder is was this ever a rule?  The reason that I ask is that I played semi-pro for 10 years and we used a majority of the Iowa HS rules, which are the NFHS rules.  And I specifically remember getting flagged for running Quads to one side, being the outside receiver, I was covering the TE so we had the 7 on the line.  Maybe this was just a league-specific rule that was adapted from somewhere else because, like I said, we used a majority but not all of the rules.  Maybe that's where my confusion is coming from.

Lots of semi pro leagues use NFL rules, and this formation is a foul in the NFL for 1- covering an eligible and 2- leaving the tackle uncovered.  The formation is legal under NFHS and NCAA rules, except that the covered TE is ineligible.  The tackle can never be eligible due to his number.

[Ralph Damren]

Where the eligible reciever numbers must be between 0-49 and 80-99, a big ole' Bubba wearing a 90's can be confusing. But remember the NFHS requirement of having five players 50-79 on the line of scrimmage. If you have a large squard, you can have more than one same number, you can't have same numbers in the game at the same time.

[ElvisLives]

Appreciate the responses and the help.  That does clear thing up more.

We did also play a team that used all unbalanced formations and one of their 6 "Lineman" was a 90s number so he could be eligible.

I guess the next thing that I wonder is was this ever a rule?  The reason that I ask is that I played semi-pro for 10 years and we used a majority of the Iowa HS rules, which are the NFHS rules.  And I specifically remember getting flagged for running Quads to one side, being the outside receiver, I was covering the TE so we had the 7 on the line.  Maybe this was just a league-specific rule that was adapted from somewhere else because, like I said, we used a majority but not all of the rules.  Maybe that's where my confusion is coming from.

Coach, NFHS and NCAA align in these issues, so to summarize and simplify, a bit, the numbers 50-79 can never - NEVER - be eligible to touch a legal forward pass (anywhere on the field) before it is touched by an opponent or an official (God forbid). If it is first touched by an eligible teammate, ineligible players are still ineligible, and can't touch the ball until it is touched by an opponent. Ineligible players may not be downfield more than 3-yards (whether blocking or not) before a legal forward pass that crosses the neutral zone is released.

The only Team A players that are eligible are those on the ends of the line or in the backfield at the snap, wearing numbers OTHER than 50-79. Period. There is no such thing as 'reporting' as eligible, etc.

[Fatso]

Ineligible players may not be downfield more than 3-yards (whether blocking or not) before a legal forward pass is released.

Unless the forward pass does not cross the line of scrimmage..  then they're ok being downfield.

[ElvisLives]

Unless the forward pass does not cross the line of scrimmage..  then they're ok being downfield.

Yep. Always hard to remember every important detail, but that one is essential. I have edited my post to include that element. Thank you.

[Fatso]

Yep. Always hard to remember every important detail, but that one is essential. I have edited my post to include that element. Thank you.

Yessir...   ps - wasn't trying to nitpick you, was just adding to your initial response...