Rule 2-27-4 Illegal Formation

[Chris62]

I have a discussion with some fellow officials about the legality of the following formation on snap.

2. and 10 from A's 20. The Offense disbands the huddle and the players go to their positions.
The Ends A-80 and A-90 take a position 90 degrees rotated, so that their shoulders are
parallel to the side line, but their heads still between their line of Scrimmage and the line through the waist of the snapper are.


In my opinion R 2-27-4-a-3 could match. I'd decide on a legal formation.


Chris

[NVFOA_Ump]

Rule 2-27-4-a-3 puts them on the line - a "lineman"  (if  ..... head breaks the plane of the line drawn through the waistline of the snapper), but are they eligible/ineligible pass receivers if their shoulders are 90 degrees to the opponent's goal line?

[Kalle]

As he is neither an ineligible receiver on his line or an eligible receiver on his line or legally in the backfield, he is a mugwump(sp?). Foul.

To be an eligible or ineligible lineman, you have to have the shoulders approximately parallel to the line of scrimmage, see 2-27-4-a-1 and 2.

[mishatx]

cf http://www.refstripes.com/forum/index.php?topic=6506.msg60213#msg60213
    http://www.refstripes.com/forum/index.php?topic=6497.msg60115#msg60115
   http://www.refstripes.com/forum/index.php?topic=5733.msg50909#msg50909

To wit:

7-1-3-b-1

All players must be either on their scrimmage line or legally
positioned as a back. At least five players wearing jerseys numbered
50 through 79 must be legally on their scrimmage line, and no more
than four players may be in the backfield

(emphasis mine).  2-27-4-a-3 states a player with his head breaking the snapper's waistline is a "lineman", but not that he is "on his scrimmage line".  "On his scrimmage line" is precise language used in 2-27-4-a-1 and 2-27-4-a-2 and requires that "he faces his opponent's goal line with the line of his shoulders parallel thereto " (a-1, ineligibles) or "faces his opponent's goal line with the line of his shoulders approximately parallel thereto " (a-2, eligibles). A player who doesn't meet these requirements is a back according to 2-27-4-b or a lineman according to 2-27-4-a-3.  The colloquial term for an a-3 lineman is "mugwump".