QB bobbing his head on the hard count

[NorCalMike]

First play from scrimmage, QB under center gives a hard count with a head bob. Not much movement but definitely there. B encroaches. I was working U. I didn't think the head bob was enough to flag.

After doing this a couple times during the first quarter, I noticed that there is no head movement when the QB is not trying to get the D to jump.

After I realized the difference in the QB's actions, he did really give a bob.

How much movement do you allow the QB when he is calling signal? Where do you draw the line?

The coach says he is going to send me the video. If he does I will post it.

[buckshot]

If it's borderline I'll let it go, but if the QB bobs and the D jumps, I'm going FS every time.  If it is a sharp movement and I have any thought that the D has jumped based on his head bob, he's going back 5.

[maven]

Like any other "trick" play, enforce the letter of the rule here. If you can see any head bob, so can the defense, and it constitutes simulating the start of a play and thus a FS.

If I see a slight head bob and the defense does NOT encroach, I will speak to the QB about it. If they do encroach, it's a FS.

Some officials are stricter about this: a FS is a FS, whether or not the defense encroaches. For me, this approach undercuts the opportunity to warn in borderline cases and thereby improve the flow of the game.

[bama_stripes]

Nip it in the bud.  When you flag it on the first one, there probably won't be a second.  Getting this early in the game keeps you from having to call it for the first time in a crucial, late-game situation.

[TampaSteve]

Ditto bucshot

[AFSST]

Ditto TampaSteve

[NorCalMike]

I wish we had hit early. I just got the game film. It's pretty obvious that we should have flagged it. I will try to post the film later. I travelling and my connection sucks.