Rules for Offensive Linemen

[will27]

Must all five offensive interior linemen be on the LOS at the snap?
Also, what are the basic rules regarding interior linemen and shifting;
e.g. can the guards switch places pre-snap?

Thank you.

[bossman72]

Must all five offensive interior linemen be on the LOS at the snap?
Also, what are the basic rules regarding interior linemen and shifting;
e.g. can the guards switch places pre-snap?

Thank you.

Well, you are required to have 7 men on the line of scrimmage (high school) or no more than 4 men in the backfield (NCAA). 

If you're referring to "interior linemen" as players numbered 50-79 - each formation can have as many players numbered 50-79 as they want in any position.  However, you must have at least 5 on the line of scrimmage (anywhere on the line) numbered 50-79.  The exception being on kick downs.

For interior linemen shifting - once the center places his hands on the ball and the interior linemen get in a 3 point stance, they are locked into that position until the snap.  If they are in a 2 point stance, they may shift anywhere, as long as it's in a smooth non-abrupt motion.  So in your example, if the guards are in a 2 point stance, yes, they can switch places.

[TxSkyBolt]

A restricted lineman is any interior lineman, or any lineman wearing a number 50-79, whose hand(s) are below the knees. If he is restricted, he cannot shift to a new position.

[jannugimes]

Defense can hold the offense lineman . The offense lineman can use his hands but can not hold.

[Legacy Zebra]

Defense can hold the offense lineman

9-3-4-b says otherwise: "Defensive players may not use hands and arms to tackle, hold or otherwise illegally obstruct an opponent other than a runner."

[Osric Pureheart]

The key word there of course is "illegally", and it's not illegal for a defensive team player to hold an offensive player if he's trying to get himself towards the football.  If he's just going "tee hee, mister pulling guard, you're not pulling this time", that of course is something different...

[Rulesman]

The key word there of course is "illegally", and it's not illegal for a defensive team player to hold an offensive player if he's trying to get himself towards the football.

The rule says "...hold or otherwise illegally obstruct..." You are trying to match the second part of the phrase with the word "hold." These are 2 distinctly different actions.

[Osric Pureheart]

A.R. 9-3-4 II:

B50, in an attempt to reach the kicker, pulls lineman A60 by the shoulders and (a) releases A60 as he goes by or (b) continues to hold A60. RULING: (a) Legal. (b) Holding. Penalty -- 10 yards, previous spot enforcement. [Cited by 9-3-4-c, 9-3-4-e]

Exactly the same action, deemed legal in one set of circumstances and illegal holding in another.  This for me makes it reasonable to say "Defense can hold if..." rather than "Defense can pull or restrict if..."  Rookie then asks "well, what does a pull or restriction look like?"  "Oh, it looks like holding, except he does it to get himself to the ball".  You're not going to get anyone screwing up with that the same way as you will if you tell them an incomplete backward pass works just like a fumble.

[Kalle]

Exactly the same action, deemed legal in one set of circumstances and illegal holding in another.

Except it isn't the same action. In the first case, B50 grabs A60, pulls him away and releases. In the second, B50 grabs A60, pulls him and does not release.

Rules actually pretty well define what is illegal. For team A: "The hand(s) and arm(s) shall not be used to grasp, pull or encircle in any way that illegally impedes or illegally obstructs an opponent."

For team B, the language is: "Defensive players may use hands and arms to push, pull, ward off or lift offensive players when attempting to reach the runner." and "When no attempt is being made to get at the ball or the runner, defensive players must comply with Rules 9-3-3-a, b, c and d."

As I understand the English language (bear in mind that I'm not a native speaker), "holding" is "keeping in the same place", and "pulling" is "moving away". Very different concepts and the rules use these separately.

[Osric Pureheart]

You'd call and announce "holding" (and not, say "illegal pulling", or "illegal use of hands") if the offense ran off tackle left out of an I-formation, and the fullback grabbed a linebacker's jersey, pulled him out of the way of the runner and then released him, and continued on to block a safety, right?  However, if it's the linebacker pulling the lead blocker out of the way (and then releasing) and going on to tackle the runner...

"Holding" in a football context often means something different to "restraining someone so he can't move".

[Kalle]

You'd call and announce "holding" (and not, say "illegal pulling", or "illegal use of hands") if the offense ran off tackle left out of an I-formation, and the fullback grabbed a linebacker's jersey, pulled him out of the way of the runner and then released him, and continued on to block a safety, right?  However, if it's the linebacker pulling the lead blocker out of the way (and then releasing) and going on to tackle the runner...

Yes, that is the convention when announcing fouls. We announce the generic foul type and not the actual act. It would be better to call it "illegal obstruction" instead of holding, but traditions don't change easily