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Subsitution refresher/scenario and motion

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jra104:
Had a game Friday.  Team A punt formation, team B realizes that they only have 10 on the field and the gunner on team B near the sideline is uncovered.  Right before the snap, team B runs a player to cover the gunner who is below the numbers.  Flag thrown initial, i thought would be for illegal participation (12 on field) due to the BJ thinking we had 12, instead was Illegal Substitution.  Does that guy have to run inside the numbers to be legal or was something else off on this play. 
2nd "substitution" issue.  Team B calls time out, Team A decides to run out into a Gate formation since team B can not call consecutive timeouts.  Team A runs out to the 5yd in gate but the tight end and receiver are below the numbers.  QUestion is, do they all need to report to the top of the numbers?
Lastly.  We line up in empty, 3 to the right two to the left.  The out most receivers on the right are both on the line.  The inside receiver to the left goes in motion. We throw the bubble to the motion guy behind the line.  Coach complains that the motion is illegal or the inside receiver on the right that is on the line is an illegal man down field.  Any validity to either of those statements?
Thanks!!!

ElvisLives:
Honestly, I don’t follow all of the coaching jargon, but, I think I can give you enough information for you to figure out what may have been illegal.
First, the nine yard mark (top of the numbers) requirement only applies to Team A. Team B substitutes need only make it onto the field of play (from their team area) and be on their side of the NZ at the snap to be legal. Entering the field after the snap is illegal substitution.
After the ball is ready for play, and before the snap, all Team A substitutes entering the field must do so from their team area, and they must get inside the 9-yard marks (inside meaning the area between the tops of the numbers on both sides of the field). They can then move outside the 9-yard marks, whenever they want to. Also, they must remain in the game for at least one down.
Team A players that participated in the previous down must have been within the 9-yard marks SOMETIME between when the ball became dead on the previous down and before the snap for the succeeding down.
Following a team timeout, an injury time out, a media time out, or the end of a period, all Team A players must get inside the 9-yard marks sometime between when the ball is made ready for play and the snap.

Does that help?

Kalle:
And on the last question, rule 7-1-4-b-1 says: "one back may be in motion", and rule 7-3-10 says "No originally ineligible receiver shall be or have been more than three yards beyond the neutral zone until a passer throws a legal forward pass that crosses the neutral zone." Those two rules should give you enough information on the legality of that play :) (the information you gave us is incomplete so we cannot give you a definite answer)

ElvisLives:
Yeah, I only provided info on the substitution question. Kalle provided information on the motion and eligibility question, but I will add some things.
As Kalle says, we really don't have enough information as to the exact positioning of the players, but, by your description it sounds like you started with 10 players on the line, and one in the backfield. And, it sounds like you sent one of those linemen in motion from the line. That's illegal motion. The only player that may be in motion at the snap is a BACK. To be a back, a player must be in the backfield and fully stopped before going in motion. And, of course, he, and the rest of the team, must comply with the "shift" rules, if he moves from the line into the backfield while another player(s) is(are) also moving (i.e., there must be a one-second pause AFTER all are fully stopped). The penalty for that is 5-yards from the previous spot, and repeat the down.
If he comes off the line from the interior of the line (as it sounds like he did, in this case), he is ineligible. So, when he touches the pass, that is also illegal touching by an originally ineligible player. The penalty for that foul is 5-yards from the previous spot PLUS loss of down.

The only players on the line that can be eligible are the players on the two ends of the line, and only if they are wearing eligible numbers (0-49, 80-99). All other linemen are interior linemen, and are ineligible (regardless of numbering). So, if you had thee players split out wide to the right, and all three are on the line, only the end can be an eligible player, and that is only if he is wearing an eligible number.

However, the opposing coach's complaint about an ineligible downfield on THAT specific down is not valid, because the pass did not cross the neutral zone. Ineligible players may be wherever they want to be if the pass does not cross the neutral zone.

jra104:
Got both of you you guys.!!!!!
Really appreciate it.  Don't know where you live but if Elvis is ever in the Dallas area especially Collin County, you really deserve a beverage of your choosing!!!
I say this again, if more of us coaches reached out or got more into the rule book, it would make you guys jobs soooooo much easier. 

Side note,  that cost me a little bit of berating by my staff.  Had a close play in the endzone, EVERYONE knew the catch was a TD, except the sidejudge.  When i saw the play on film he was strightlined by the defender and i had to tell them that unfortunately he made the best judgment call he could as he could not see the catch and his foot at the same time on a bang bang play.  That was backed up by DFOA head man too. 

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